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WHEN IS IT REALLY TIME TO REMODEL?

Admin • Dec 15, 2017

Residential Kitchen Remodeling — Simple Kitchen with Wooden Chairs in Oak Creek, WI

There are advantages to having a bathroom or kitchen that is up-to-date and in like-new condition. For many people though, that goal is reached piece by piece, with different fixtures and features replaced at different points in the homeowners' life.

That can result in a mishmash of styles, or at best, a very plain bathroom and kitchen that may function well but look rather uninspiring. Certainly, functionality in a kitchen and bathroom should be your first priority. However, you also want the bathroom to be relaxing at the end of a long day, and yet energetic enough to make you want to start your day.

Both spaces also have to be healthy and efficient, and sometimes that means gutting the rooms and remodeling them completely. Here are the signs you can watch for so that you can determine if it's time to give your kitchen and bathroom a new lease on life.

The Plumbing and Wiring Are Inadequate

The wiring and plumbing should be a major consideration for anyone living in a very old house. Old plumbing that includes lead pipes, or lead solder at the joints, can allow lead to leach into drinking water. If you are not sure if the plumbing is completely lead-free, you should have new plumbing installed.

Do not assume that a little lead won't hurt. Everyone has different tolerances, and while you might feel fine, your children might not, or your spouse might not. Have the plumbing inspected and then replaced if necessary. It's a large job, but one that will save you in health costs down the road.

As for the wiring, it needs to be in good shape, and it has to provide the amount of power that you need to run your kitchen. Installing the proper wiring will reduce the risk of an electrical fire. Also, it is incredibly frustrating to try to remember that you can't use two appliances at the same time or that you have to turn off the light in order to use your electric kettle.

When old homes were built, appliances were less common in homes, and so less energy was needed to power the home. Now, many homes have a variety of appliances that require more energy to power them.

The Kitchen Is Full of Hard-to-Use Space

There is no sense in having a big kitchen if much of the space is dead space. Dead space is space you can’t easily use; for example, drawers that are too small for storage or the shelves in the upper cabinets that no one can reach without a stepladder.

Take an inventory of all the space in your kitchen, and bathroom, that isn't being used. If you find more than a couple of shelves' worth, a remodel is probably the solution you’re looking for.

Health Problems Abound

Your kitchen and bathroom should not be growing places for mold and dust bunnies. The ventilation should be adequate, whether that means adding a fan, enlarging or adding windows, or opening up walls. If you have even a little mold, your home’s value can drop and your allergies can rise.

Like the lead in the plumbing, mold growth isn't something to ignore. While a few occasional mildew spots, that wipe away when cleaned, aren’t a major problem, if you regularly clean your kitchen and bathroom but continue to notice mold growth, you need to remodel and add ventilation.

The Rooms Are Worn Down

While replacing appliances, tile and other features help keep the kitchen and bathroom in shape, after a while the whole space just looks tired. A new appliance or faucet will look odd in surroundings like these. When the entire room looks like its seen better days, remodeling is a definite option.

Oak Creek Plumbing Kitchen & Bath can help you choose new pipes, fixtures and designs that turn your old kitchen and bathroom into new, refreshing spaces that you will enjoy using. Contact their team for help remodeling your kitchen or bathroom.

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