Remodel Kitchen

Observations on the home remodeling and construction process.

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Entries Tagged as 'bathroom'

Shower Head Height

April 5th, 2008 · No Comments

If you are remodeling a bathroom, your contractor may ask you how high you want your shower head. The first time I heard that question, I thought there must be a standard height, right? But, everything being “custom,” I had to come up with an answer.
Of course, the height of the persons that [...]

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Tags: bathroom

Download Owner Manuals

April 4th, 2008 · No Comments

I always find it hard to keep track of all the owner’s manuals. Sure, you might know where everything is at first. However, over time, all the manuals inevitably gets misplaced. One day, when you want to find a replacement part for an appliance or are troubleshooting, the manual is no where [...]

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Tags: appliances · bathroom · kitchen

Occupant Sensors: Bathroom Timers

April 4th, 2008 · No Comments

If the occupant sensors you are using are not good at sensing occupants, then treat them as a timer. Behind the faceplate, the occupant sensor I am using has a dial that adjusts the shut-off time. Basically, the light will shut off a certain number of minutes after it last senses someone [...]

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Tags: bathroom · lighting

Occupant Sensors: Good in Theory

March 24th, 2008 · No Comments

Title 24 is absolutely the bane of homeowners. I’ve griped about Title 24 before. After a year of using occupant sensors in bathrooms, I’m ready to proclaim them a complete failure. When guests come over and stay the night, I have to train them on how to use the bathroom lights, as [...]

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Tags: bathroom · lighting

Tankless Water Heater

February 6th, 2008 · No Comments

Sometimes, a traditional hot water heater is overkill. If you need near instantaneous hot water, an electric tankless water heater may fit the bill. Works great in a small office kitchen or bathroom setting, unless you provide shower facilities. However, once you install several of them, they can cost as much as [...]

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Tags: bathroom · kitchen

Porcher Semplice Basin

September 14th, 2007 · No Comments

The Porcher Semplice Basin will be a stunning addition to any bathroom. However, be careful if you are relying on the dimensions stated on the Porcher website. Listed as the Semplice Rectangle Basin by Porcher, the overall dimensions provided are 15-1/4″ x 15-1/4″ x 6″. So, how can a 15-1/4″ x 15-1/4″ [...]

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Tags: bathroom

Fixture Fixation

January 2nd, 2007 · No Comments

After being immersed into the world of bathroom fixtures and tiles for a few weeks, I discovered that whenever I enter a bathroom, I immediately survey what sink basins, tiles and bathroom fixtures were used. So, when I recently stayed at a hotel, I was surprised that they would use a Grohe showerhead. [...]

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Tags: bathroom

Natural Stone Variation

December 15th, 2006 · No Comments

If you are shopping for natural stone tile for your kitchen or bathroom, be aware that the tile you see on the showroom display may not even resemble the tile that is boxed up in the warehouse. Naturally, the tile dealer wants to put his best foot forward, so he selects the best looking [...]

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Tags: bathroom · kitchen · stores

I See a Lawsuit Coming

December 14th, 2006 · 1 Comment

In California, lighting in bathrooms must be high efficacy, or must be controlled by a manual-on occupant sensor. The 2005 Residential Compliance Manual further states, “At least one high-efficacy luminaire should be installed so that it can be left off the occupant sensor circuit to ensure that all of the luminaires don’t switch [...]

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Tags: bathroom · lighting

Granite v. Marble v. Tile

November 30th, 2006 · No Comments

What should you install on your bath / shower walls?  Don’t search for the one correct answer because it doesn’t exist.  You’ll probably get a different answer depending on who you ask. Here are some popular choices:

Granite.  If you walk into any showroom, you’ll probably see granite installed on the shower / bathtub walls, either [...]

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Tags: bathroom