Uniquity Builders, Inc.

Class Up Your Shower With a Tile Accent Band

Tile accent bands have become more and more prevalent in the bathroom remodels that we have recently done. If you're thinking your bathroom needs some updating or just some sprucing up, you might get some help from the ideas below.

A singular horizontal band, a double band, or vertical can add some interest to an otherwise simple tile shower. The options are endless. Even the combinations of different tiles that you could pick from are endless. A lot of people can't stop talking about getting granite tiles, it's probably because they've lost their marble(s). 

The placement of the accent band is a matter of preference but if you're unsure and need guidance, Erika Dale from decorist.com, and conestogatile.com give great explanations on the rule of thumb for placement. To sum up what Erika Dale explained, using existing accessories, like a niche or shelf, can help dictate where to place the band. If there are no existing accessories, it's usually good to use a 60/40 ratio making the band closer to the ceiling rather than the floor. 

What conestogatile.com recommends is placing the band at baseboard level, in the top row, at waist level, or at eye level. Placing at baseboard level gives your shower the same look that trim does on the walls of your home. This similar idea is put in place for placing the band at the top row. Putting it at waist level gives the look of wainscoting. At eye level, it makes the band flattering and the main attraction of the shower.

We've noticed that glass tiles are often used in accent bands because they add more flare than a ceramic or granite tile. They are usually more expensive and can be too much on the eye to be the main tile in the shower. This makes them perfect for an accent tile. Mosaic glass tiles are a popular choice because they stand out more than a solid color glass tile. Glass tiles tend to be thinner than ceramic or granite so you may need a border tile to even out the difference. But if you have us install your tile, we can make even the thinnest glass tiles flush with your main tile choice (shown on the right). 

From our experience, we recommend the band to have a width of about 4 to 6 inches like the shower on the right that we did. This is not too big and not too small, making it universal for any bathroom. But as noted by Erika Dale, the band width should also be proportionate to the size of the main tile. For example, if you have a larger tile like a 12 x 24, a 4 inch wide band would look far too small in the space. 

A lot of people like to try to redo their shower walls themselves but run out of tile, it's a few'tile effort on their part. But that's where we come in, so go ahead and give us a call at 209-772-9200 or toll free at 800-498-1833 for all of your bathroom remodeling needs. 

How to Choose Which Home Remodel Gets You the Most Bang for Your Buck.

The cost to remodel a home is frequently more than what people want to spend but when you consider the resale value that it can add to your home, you can see a different perspective. Although the cost of doing a remodel can be higher than the resale value, the satisfaction that comes from living the way you want to is why our customers continue to call us. Luckily California has the highest return on investment and is above the national average.

According to the Remodeling 2020 Cost vs. Value Report, available at www.costvsvalue.com, in Stockton CA the home improvement projects that actually add value to your home are manufactured stone veneer, fiber-cement siding replacement, and asphalt shingles roofing replacement. The manufactured stone veneer adds the most resale value with 122.3% cost recouped. The fiber-cement siding replacement comes in second with a 107.9% return. Asphalt shingles roofing replacement has a 104.9% return. I guess that's why roofers get such positive customer reviews on their asphalt shingle installations. It's because they nail it... HA! Roofing jokes get me every "shingle" time.

The most costly projects on this report don't have nearly as high of a cost recouped as you think they would. A 32 x 20 foot upscale master suite addition which includes a spacious sleeping area, a lounging sitting area, a master bath, fireplace, custom millwork and more costs a whopping $306,474 on average in the Stockton area but only has a 27.2% cost recoup. A 24 x 16 foot midrange master suite addition which includes a walk-in closet, a freestanding soaker tub and separate shower, and more costs $151,324 on average with a 39.9% cost recoup.

A 200 square foot upscale kitchen remodel which includes 30 linear feet of custom cabinets, stone countertops, a commercial grade cooktop, and more can cost $143,678 with a 54.8% cost recoup. If remodeling your kitchen is something you've been thinking about, you should take a look at the before and after of a kitchen we remodeled on the right. Remodeling kitchens comes natural to us, you could say we're counter intuitive... 

Other than the exceptions listed above, the projects with the highest cost earned back in resale are a midrange minor kitchen remodel, on average costing $24,700, which had a cost recouped of about 91.1%. Next a garage door replacement, on average costing $3,745, had a cost recouped of about 93.5%. It's ex-siding to say that a vinyl siding replacement, costing about $15,628, can have a cost recouped of about 96%. A metal roofing replacement, costing on average $45,536, can get about 98.8% of its cost recouped.

Putting the numbers aside, a lot of times people will do a certain remodel or addition to their home simply because they want to. Resale value shouldn't be the only factor when deciding whether to remodel your home or not, if you want to remodel your home you should just do it despite what was discussed in this post. So why don't you go ahead and give us a call at 209-772-9200 or toll free at 800-498-1833 to start that remodel you've been thinking about. 

 

© 2020 Hanley Wood Media Inc. Complete data from the Remodeling 2020 Cost vs. Value Report can be downloaded free at www.costvsvalue.com.

Have You Been Calling Your Pergola a Trellis? Here's Why That's Incorrect.

I'm sure you're all wondering when somebody will trellis the truth, well here it is: the words pergola and trellis are often used interchangeably even though they are two different things. Sometimes even gazebos are thrown into the confusion but they all serve their own purpose. 

A pergola is an outdoor structure that provides partial shade and privacy while still feeling open. They can be freestanding like the one on the left or attach to the outside of a home like the one on the right that we did in Tracy, CA. They can be open all around or you can add curtains to close off the area, even put lattice on top to protect from the elements a little better. But there's no need for you to have to do that, if you lattice work with you we could build the perfect patio/pergola combo, like the one below we did in Lafayette, you've been dreaming of. 

Pergolas can be made from a few different materials. Pressure treated wood can last you between 5-12 years. It looks best if it's painted or stained. Over time it can warp and crack, and maybe even get mold or rot. Cedar wood has a longer life span than pressure treated wood but is still susceptible to rotting and cracking. It's naturally insect resistant. You can stain and seal it or even leave it untreated for a natural look.

Vinyl is a relatively low maintenance option. It will last you a lifetime although it can't easily be painted so it limits style choices. Metal pergolas are usually the most inexpensive option, these are usually seen on display in department stores. These are susceptible to rusting and will only last you an average of 5 years.

Fiberglass pergolas are usually the most expensive option, for good reason. These will last for decades. They can be painted and the paint will stay for longer than it would on wood. They are much stronger than other materials and can hold their weight better.  Fiberglass can work best for adding to an already existing deck or patio. 

A trellis is much different than a pergola. A trellis is a fence like structure that is built to support climbing plants. Although commonly used, lattice isn't the only structural shape it could have. It could also be in a grid format, like the one shown on the right, or circles, or any intersecting abstract shape you could think of could be made into a
trellis. 

Gazebos are relatively similar to pergolas except their roof structure is complete like a house to provide complete shade. Like pergolas, they're open on all sides but can be enclosed like the one we installed in Tracy, CA to the left. 

Hopefully this has helped you to distinguish the difference between a pergola, trellis, and gazebo. If not give us a call at 209-772-9200 or toll free at 800-498-1833, we can clear up any questions and maybe even build the ultimate backyard accessory you've been thinking about. 

 

Sources: https://thebackyardgnome.com/what-is-a-pergola-and-what-is-it-used-for/

https://www.loveyourlandscape.org/expert-advice/outdoor-living/other-outdoor-structures/3-reasons-you-should-consider-a-pergola/

https://www.esvinylproducts.com/blog/long-will-different-pergolas-last/