News Section - 05.20.07
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Cost Savings

The kitchen and bathroom are not just the rooms you use for cooking and washing. They are two of the most important rooms in the house, the rooms where most members of the family spend at least some part of every day.  You should therefore try to make them attractive as well as functional.  If you are planning major remodeling of either your kitchen or bathroom, however, you can run into expense quite quickly, unless you have some expert help and advice on cost savings from a company such as The New York Kitchen and Bath Company - NYKB, a full-service design/build firm with two Manhattan locations.   

Giving your kitchen and bathroom a new look doesn’t have to be a massively expensive operation.  One way to freshen up the appearance of these rooms is to give them a new coat of paint.  A change of color can make a world of difference in your décor and create a totally different mood and style for these rooms.  Use light colors to make a room appear more spacious, and bright colors to create a dramatic impression, or soft shades for a pleasant, relaxing effect.

If you have been having other remodeling work done in the kitchen or bathroom, the painting will probably be the last job to be done, after everything else is completed. Remember to make sure that the paint you or your decorators use has the mold resistant qualities necessary in areas such as kitchens and bathrooms where humidity is often high and mold, consequently, can tend to grow. 

An effective way to ensure cost savings when you are remodeling your bathroom is to plan to glaze your bathtub rather than replacing it.  One of the secrets of doing this successfully is the thorough preparation of the old bathtub surface in readiness for the work.  To ensure the new glaze will bond properly, the porcelain surface of the tub has to be cleaned and then etched with a strong acid.  Two to four coats of enamel are then sprayed on, dried, and polished to create your new look bathtub.  While cheaper than buying and installing a new tub, the glazing is a specialist process and takes about a day to complete.  To ensure the job is done as efficiently as possible, you would be well advised to use the services of professionals such as New York Kitchen and Bath Company rather than trying to do it yourself.  When the work is carried out as it should be, your bathtub should not only look good, but should last about 10 years with the right treatment.

One of the more costly parts of remodeling a kitchen or bathroom involves the relocation of plumbing or gas lines.  If this is required, you will need advice on a variety of matters such as installation, plumbing, electrical fittings, and the general feasibility of the changes you want to make.  If, for example, the electrical system in your house is old, it may need upgrading, especially if you are putting in new features such as spas.  Rather than dealing with a number of individual companies, you will find it less time consuming and more economical to hand the work over to one organization that can handle it all, such as NYKB.  With their expertise in design, installation, plumbing, electrical, and contracting, NYKB can look after all aspects of your remodeling with the least inconvenience to you and your family while the work is underway.

Another way to make cost savings when remodeling your kitchen or bathroom is to use ordinary materials in an original way, rather than expensive materials in an expected way.  Rather than spending a lot on tiles, for example, you can still create a special effect by being creative with featuring tiles and borders that are out of the ordinary.  Remember, too, that there is no law dictating that all your tiles have to match.  You may find a selection of inexpensive but unmatching tiles that you can put together in a pattern of your own design that is both different and eye catching.