By Tess C. Taylor

Many homeowners decide to upgrade their old bathroom tub or shower because it’s ugly or worn out from years of use. This can be a great way of giving a bathroom an updated look without a total overhaul. Besides, there are a much wider range of bathtub and shower units to choose from, with features that include multiple water-jets, glamorous finishes and sizes to suit any taste or budget. However, selecting a new bathtub or shower should not be merely a matter of appearance, but rather of form and function. After all, with most bathroom renovations costing in the thousands of dollars, you want this to last for a lifetime of use.

Expert bathroom designers and home contractors share advice on what to look for in a new bathtub or shower unit that will bring beauty and functionality into your bathroom for years to come, as well as tips for remodeling your bathroom the right way.

Choose quality construction. Sure, you can go with the cheapest bathroom upgrade materials, but then you know you will have to replace them again in the near future. It makes better sense to use high quality bathroom remodeling materials, such as custom acrylic bath tubs and shower units. Use quality wood floor and cabinets too, which will help make your bathroom look great and last for the life of your home.

Make upgrades to plumbing. One of the biggest mistakes DIY’ers get into is forgetting to upgrade bathroom plumbing at the time the remodeling takes place. You will most likely need to replace some of the bath tub, shower, and sink plumbing to replace old worn out pipes and fittings. Get a qualified bathroom remodeling firm to handle this with the support of an experienced plumber, or you may be looking at expensive emergency visits later on when an old pipe bursts inside a wall.

Check floors and supports. As part of every bathroom remodel project, you must carefully inspect and repair weak floors and supports for bath tubs and shower units. Over time, water can seep into cracks between tiles and floors often get the worst damage – resulting in rot. The last thing you want to experience is going through the floor the first time you step into your new shower or tub, right?

Upsize hot water heater. Your new bathroom will likely get more use once your bathroom remodel is complete. While today’s showers use typically more energy efficient systems, they can add pressure to the use of your water heater – resulting in not enough hot water. It’s relatively inexpensive to upgrade your water heater, and the lower energy costs will basically make it pay for itself in a very short period of time.

Change bathroom fixtures. Your bathroom is getting a new look as part of the upgrade, and one easy way to do this is to install brand new bathroom fixtures to complete the look. Choose new finishes in bathroom water knobs, faucets and accessories. Popular bathroom fixtures come in rust resistant colors like burnished brass, copper, rubbed iron, weathered white and more, so let your imagination create the bathroom you have dreamed about.

Call on the experts at New Bath Alabama for more bathroom remodeling advice and schedule your bathroom upgrade this year.

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Photo Credit: winnond / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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