Have you every tried one of the many styles of Freestanding Baths? They’re pretty great… The bath has a long history, starting out as little more than a tin tub and developing into the built-in style that was common for decades in the western world. The first full-size baths were free-standing, held off the floor by four feet which were often elaborately carved. The style that immediately comes to mind is the Victoriana style with its claw feet. Freestanding baths are enjoying renewed popularity, with many homeowners electing to have one installed during a bathroom renovation. As with most things, they have points for and against them, so we will look at some of these pros and cons.

The style of freestanding baths have changed in recent years. There is still the traditional ones with the feet but now there are also ones that are solid to the floor, creating clean lines and a sleek, modern look. So, the first advantage to a free-standing bath is the ability to coordinate it to the décor of the room and the rest of the house. If you have a vintage theme throughout your home, you can now have modern fittings in your bathroom that match this style. Similarly, if you have a modern style of home, you can still have a freestanding bath that fits in with the rest of the home.

Another great thing about this type of bath is the wide range of styles that are now available. Whether you want a classic or modern style there is lots of choice in size, depth and shape. Consider who is going to be using the bath when deciding on size and depth; if you love a good, long soak in the tub, go for more depth and size to enhance this experience but if the bath is for children, it would be safer to choose something shallower.

There is also a choice in the materials used to manufacture the bath. Old baths were enamelled metal, usually cast iron, and these are still available but tend to be more expensive than those made of acrylic. The advantage with acrylic is that it doesn’t chip like enamel, although these days, enamelled baths can easily be repaired by a professional.

One main disadvantage of the freestanding bath is the space it takes up in the room. A built-in bath stands against a wall or in a corner and is quite space-efficient. To look their best and achieve the greatest impact, freestanding baths need to be placed away from the wall. If your bathroom is small, this could pose a problem for accessibility. Installation may also cost a little more with a freestanding tub.

One of the biggest disadvantages with freestanding baths is their weight, especially the cast iron models. You need to be sure that the floor can support the weight or opt for a lighter acrylic model; these look just the same as the cast iron models but weigh considerably less.

It is important to consider these pros and cons of freestanding baths when you are planning your bathroom renovation, to help you make the best choices for your situation. A professional bathroom renovating company will be able to give you excellent advice and help you make the right choices.

Sometimes you just need to hear the Top Reasons for Bathroom Renovations… Bathroom renovations are a major undertaking and it is important to understand why you are considering making such a move. The reasons help to determine some of the changes you will make and what the budget will be. Here are the top 5 reasons that people renovate their bathroom.

The bathroom is one of the most-visited rooms in a house so it is important that it is a comfortable and pleasant space to be in. Possibly the top reason for renovating a bathroom is to improve how it looks; bathrooms do lose their gloss over time. In older homes, this room wasn’t given much attention but was made to be merely serviceable. The bathrooms tended to be small and dull, often with tiny windows and dark wall and floor tiles. Enamelled surfaces become chipped and stained over time and affect the over-all appearance of the room. An old-fashioned bathroom could be improved by bringing it into the 21st century with modern fixtures and fittings; these tend to have clean lines which freshen a dull room.

A bathroom needs to be functional and so it could be that the needs of the family have changed and a renovation is needed to make it more serviceable for the people who use it. Old plumbing could be faulty or the water pressure too low. If the family has grown, an additional bathroom might be considered a good investment. A remodelling needs to take into account who will be using the room and how it is to be used. If the inhabitants are becoming elderly, safety features might need to be included such as grab rails and anti-slip surfaces.

Because the bathroom is such an important room, potential home buyers consider it a key feature in determining if a house is suitable and worth the asking price. If you are thinking of selling your house, you might want to renovate the bathroom to increase the resale value or make the home more saleable. If you own an investment property, renovating the bathroom will help to attract quality tenants, a higher rental price and allow you to capitalise on your investment.

The cost of energy and water is rising at an alarming rate and so another reason for remodelling a bathroom is to make it more energy efficient. There is a wide range of products on the market that can achieve this and some can be fitted without a lot of structural work. Because you will be saving on power and water bills in the future, the cost of the renovation will pay for itself over time.

One of the major reasons why homeowners renovate is simply to improve how their house looks by incorporating the latest trends. Bathroom fixtures and fittings have changed considerably in recent years and the range is staggering. Many homeowners simply want a modern, trendy bathroom, with all the latest in bathroom technology.

Which of these 5 top reasons for bathroom renovation is your motivation for considering this step? Whichever it is, a qualified bathroom renovation company will give you advice on what is available to achieve the result you want.

If you have been looking around at bathroom toilets and fixtures and fittings recently, you will have noticed that the humble toilet has undergone a change. There are still models that look much like toilets have always looked but now there is also a wide range of different styles to choose from. Let’s look at some of the points to consider when choosing the right toilet for your situation.

The first thing to decide is what you want the toilet to be made of. As well as the traditional porcelain, there are ones made from plastics, stone and even glass. In making your decision, price will be a consideration as will the style and décor of bathroom you want to achieve with the renovation. The right toilet will fit your budget and add to the look you are aiming to achieve.

Toilets also come in different sizes and not just child and adult. Consider who will be using the toilet when deciding on the best height; take the family with you when researching toilets to make sure that everyone can be comfortable when seated. It is recommended that the feet touch the floor when sitting on the toilet seat. Children may need a step stool while they are small, which can be removed as they grow taller.

The traditional style of a floor-mounted toilet bowl connected to a wall-mounted tank is not the only type manufactured these days. As well as these two piece styles, there are also one piece toilets available which are easier to clean and eliminate the possibility of leaks between the two pieces. There are suspended models that are great space-savers in small bathrooms and floor-mounted models that have a concealed cistern. There are also models that stand on the floor so that the s-bend isn’t visible, creating a clean, sleek look. Look at all the different styles of modern toilet and choose the one that complements the style of room and home.

Modern toilet bowls come in different shapes as well; there are the traditional round bowl toilets and the newer oval-shaped ones, which are considered more comfortable as they are larger. Inside, the bowl can be shaped in a funnel, visor or dish configuration, some of which have been designed to minimise splashing and be easier to clean.

Most toilets on the market have the same water tank capacity and should follow the recommended government regulations which are aimed at conserving water. In Australia, the WELS (Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards) scheme aims to reduce water usage by 22%. The standard states a maximum of 5.5 litres is allowed per flush but with a dual flush system, an average of 1 full flush and 4 half flushes applies. Older toilets could use around 12 litres per flush. A water-efficient dual flush toilet can save over 50 litres per person a day, which is a reduction of thirty to forty thousand litres of water a year in the average household!

As well as keeping these important tips in mind when choosing a new toilet, make sure that you know what is included with the toilet you select; some pieces are sold separately at additional cost. Get good quality advice from a professional about the best toilet for your bathroom and have it installed by a qualified bathroom renovator.

If you are contemplating a bathroom renovation, it is a good idea to consult a professional renovator to help you pick your frameless shower doors. Not only will you get a quality job, you will also have access to the latest products and ideas for a modern, functional bathroom. One type of product that you might not have heard about are frameless shower doors. In this article, we will look at why these have become so popular.

There’s no denying that shower doors are easier to maintain and look more stylish than shower curtains. Being glass, they are simple to clean, provide a neat finish and help to achieve a look of spaciousness and brightness in even a small bathroom. Having a door on the shower helps to keep the water inside the shower recess so eliminates the need for cleaning up water that invariably splashes out when a curtain is used.

Shower doors have a come a long way since those early sliding types in a metal frame that were often hard to slide open and closed. Cleaning mould and soap scum off the runners could be quite difficult as well. There are now ones that open out into the room, which eliminates these problems.

The latest innovation in shower screens and doors is the frameless style. These are made from reinforced glass that is strong enough to not need a surrounding frame. They are easier to clean because there is no frame to attract grime and mould along the edges and in the corners. While they have metal hinges for strength, there are no metal frames to detract from the clean lines achieved by the glass.

Frameless glass doors in the shower give a clean, elegant, modern look that instantly brings your bathroom into the 21st century. They make the room look brighter and more spacious, something that can be very important in a small or dark room. They are easy to clean and maintain as well.

It is worth considering this style of shower door when you are planning a bathroom renovation, especially if you want to achieve a modern, elegant look with clean lines and ease of maintenance. Because the installation of a glass frameless shower door is definitely a professional job, be sure to consult an experienced bathroom renovation specialist.