Top 10 Bathroom renovation tips

1. Choose elegant fixtures.
A pedestal sink with graceful lines is more attractive than a blocky cabinet vanity. A classic claw-foot tub is like bathroom sculpture. Even enclosed in a deck, the simple lines of the lip have an inherent beauty that surpasses most acrylic versions.

2. Sit in a bathtub before buying it.Bigger isn't always better. A 60-inch tub is fine for most people. It offers enough room to stretch out and provides a secure foothold, so you don't float into oblivion when the tub is full. Assess the angled back and lip for comfort and neck support -- a tub for two people slants at either end and has taps in the middle. If you only have enough space for a small tub, buy an extra-deep one.

3. Select durable flooring. Ceramic, marble and stone tiles are all excellent durable and water-resistant choices for a bathroom. Subfloor heating coils will make these hard surfaces warm. Well-sealed hardwood floors offer natural warmth and act as a foil for the other hard, cold surfaces in a bathroom.
4. Hang a stylish mirror.One beautifully framed mirror over a sink is more attractive than many surfaces covered with mirror. Supplement it with a wall-mounted adjustable makeup mirror, and consider installing a lighted, mirrored shaving niche in your shower stall.

5. Use found space.Take advantage of space between wall studs by recessing a tall storage cabinet into the wall to maximize vertical storage while saving floor space. The cabinet should have an interior depth of at least three inches and a door flush with the wall.

6. Build a shower area. Consider building an open-concept shower area that doesn't need a curtain or door and is less confining than a standard shower stall. In addition to well-designed drainage, a ceiling-mounted rain showerhead and/or a high wall-mounted showerhead that splashes less water will keep the area outside the shower drier.

7. Share space for added function.In homes with back-to-back bathrooms, a shared shower with access doors to each of the bathrooms maximizes limited space. Or turn a closet located next to a bathroom into a small ensuite with access to the neighbouring bath.

8. Design lighting that works. Good lighting is imperative. Combine halogen pot lights with wall sconces beside or over the mirror for lighting with no shadows. Always install dimmers.

9. Buy a quality toilet.When buying a toilet, it's not necessary for you to spend big bucks, but you don't want to scrimp too much, either. You can get a good-quality one-piece toilet for about $400. Models with elongated bowls and seats are usually most comfortable.

10. Incorporate luxury into your room. If you're fortunate enough to have lots of space to work with, indulge yourself with an expanded spalike bathroom that includes a dressing room -- a haven for privacy and relaxation. Outfit it with a television, fireplace, exercise equipment, makeup vanity and even a large comfortable occasional chair upholstered in thick white terry-cloth.

Learning to refinish Tubs and Tile

Learning to refinish bathtubs, tile, sinks and countertops takes a long time to "really" learn.

Sure, anyone can grab a sprayer and a can of paint and have at it. However, making it look good and last takes 2 things.

1. Product

2. Knowledge

We solved the product problem by forcing all of our people to use nothing but Hawk laboratory products.

Why, you ask?

Simple!

For the same reason that Macdonald's is so large.

Consistency!

Hawk labs of Wood Dale, Illinois provides the best, most consistent product on the market today.

Period!

We know! We have tried almost everything else and they are hands down the best, most knowledgable people in the business.

John Venuti is always there to help with either technical answers and getting your product to you on time. He can be reached at 1-800-321-4295.

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The Second is Knowledge!

(better known as experience)!

It took us years to really know what we were doing.

Years and Years.

It took years to learn to look at it from the customers point of view.

What they want is a good looking product that lasts. That's pretty much it.

No mystery there.

"It helps if you show up on time too".

But it took years to learn this simple point.

Needless to say, we learned our lesson.

Our people are the best, most up to date in the country. Period!

Why?

Because of our ability to share knowledge and our strict

standards.

We know you don't understand what we mean by "strict" but most of you weren't trained by a 250 lb. wrestler named "Levi".

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In the last few years the quality of products available to professional reglazers has really come to the forfront in the bathtub refinishing business and unless you don't care how long your product lasts (in which case you will be out of the business none too soon!) you either gravitate to the best products or get pushed aside by someone who does.

It is a kinda "Get tough or Die" type thing.

Learning that using the most expensive bathtub refinishing product on the market "is a good thing"; took us 16 years to learn.

Making our people believe it was probably the hardest thing we had to do.

How do you convince someone to spend over 3 times as much as he is currently spending on refinishing products and get paid the same amount on the job?

Believe me; it was a long uphill fight the whole way.

Now, however, all of our people use "Hawk Lab" products.

Why? Because we want happy, content, satisified customers that tell people just how wonderful their refinished bathtub,tile or countertops look and how professionally the job was completed from start to finish.

It just makes our job at the home office so much easier knowing that if there were to be a problem with the results of the job it would not be the product quality.

And, since all of our people in the bathtub refinishing,are put thru a extensive training program and usually come from the auto-body industry to begin with; once they learn their jobs quirks of bathtub refinishing, tile reglazing etc. it is usually merely a question of whether the trainee wishes to do the job properly or not. (We can train anyone to refinish a tub however only he/she knows whether or not he/she will apply what they have been shown).

This we usually find out during the training/screening process. Our trainers wash out at least 50% in the first day. (They usually go for a smoke and never return).

The trick is if you have any kind of "Bad feeling" about a trainee, it is always better to err on the side of caution and move on to another one rather make excuses for him/her and always, always, always pay for it in the end.

Work ethic counts for about 50/60% of total job performance and with work ethic will come better and better quality.

This isn't brain surgery but it definately is a skilled profession and working with our professionals is a true pleasure.

(Working with Charlie is the hard part)!

Call us!

1-800-463-1879

Clawfoot tub accessories

Clawfoot tub accessories will make your bathtub for functional, comfortable, and/or beautiful. There are many different sorts of clawfoot tub accessories. An example of a few popular clawfoot tub accessories is: coasters for the feet (these will prevent damage to your floor), clawfoot feet, mounted towel rails, mirrors, tub caddies, and soap dishes. The clawfoot tub accessories that you choose depend on your bathroom décor and which items will actually be most useful to you. You may be surprised at how many clawfoot tub accessories there are available – you may have to check specialty shops, though, to find some of the best clawfoot tub

accessories.