Archive for November, 2011
Monday, November 28th, 2011
- Vinyl replacement windows provide a good return on investment
Everyone is looking for value these days for their hard earned dollars. There may be no place where this is as true as it is with money spent on residential real estate. With home value still declining (although at a slower rate) when homeowners do decide to spend money they are careful where they are allocating their remodeling budget.
If you’re looking for some guidance on the right type of remodeling projects to give you the biggest bang for your buck an excellent reference source is the 2011-2012 Cost to Value report. This report is done through a group of collaborative surveys done by Realtor Magazine (who gets estimated resale value data through sales agents, brokers & appraisers), Specspan (an on line marketing and research company which host the on line survey) and HomeTech Publishing (a developer and publisher of construction estimating books and software). Here’s a recap of the conclusions, trends and some of the top home improvement & remodeling projects bases on their respective return on investments.
Continue reading “Getting the most for your home improvement & remodeling spending – The 2011-2012 Cost to Value Report” »
Tags: attic bedroom, door replacement, fiber cement siding, hardie plank, home improvement, home remodeling, real estate value, remodeling budget, remodeling trends, siding replacement, vinyl replacement windows, vinyl window replacement, window replacement
Posted in doors, Kitchen Remodeling, Windows | No Comments »
Tuesday, November 22nd, 2011
Existing bathtub before glass block shower conversion
The problem: Although bathtubs can be a nice feature when bathing small children they can be a major source of danger for an older adult. Trying to step over the tub rail (which in some cases can be up to 20” high) into a wet tub/shower area has resulted in many injuries (especially for those with mobility challenges). Such was the case for an older man in his 60’s living in Grove City Ohio (a suburb of Columbus). His daughter contacted The Bath Doctor and Columbus Glass Block for some input and advice on how to not only make the existing shower area safer but also to add style and improve the value of the home as well.
Glass block walk in shower fold down seat and grab bar
Challenges with the existing bathtub/shower area – Here were the weaknesses of the existing space:
- An old fiberglass tub that was hard to step into for showering.
- No grab bar to make it safer to get into the shower.
- The tub floor surface was slippery when wet.
- Existing shower valve did not offer an anti-scald feature for safe water temperatures. There was only a stationary shower head which made it impossible to shower while sitting down.
- There was no sturdy wall to grab onto in the tub.
- The white fiberglass walls did not offer much style or interest to dress up the bathroom.
Continue reading “Project Spotlight: Bathtub to Glass Block Walk in Shower Conversion – Adding Safety & Style” »
Tags: anti scald valve, bathtub to shower, bathtub to shower conversion, fold down seat, glass block walk in shower, grab bar, safety grab bar, shower safety, shower seat, shower valve, tub safety, tub surround, walk in shower
Posted in Bathroom Remodeling, Glass Block | No Comments »
Wednesday, November 16th, 2011
Before - St Agatha Church Gymnasium Windows broken and cracked blocks
The problem: St. Agatha Church in Columbus Ohio had a legitimate concern about the functionality and safety of deteriorated old glass block windows in several second story windows surrounding their gymnasium. Some of these challenges included:
- A good number of the 70 to 80 year old glass blocks (which used an old cold fusing technology) had been cracked and some had even retained water. There was a concern about a block cracking and injuring someone or damaging the wood gym floor.
- The old glass block installation was not properly done with materials to allow for expansion and contraction and therefore the mortar joints were failing and had been patched with silicone caulk several times over the years.
After St Agatha Church Windows with new glass blocks
- The broken and dingy old blocks (glass blocks used to be manufactured with the pattern on the outside which retained dirt & debris) did not provide a nice appearance for the gym or provide as much natural light as was desired.
- The energy efficiency of the old blocks was not up to modern standards.
Continue reading “Project Spotlight: St. Agatha Church Improves Safety & Looks While Reducing Energy Costs with Glass Block Windows– Columbus Ohio” »
Tags: block replacement, church gym, church windows, Commercial windows, glass block fabrication, glass block installation, glass block windows, gym, install glass block, replacement windows, St. Agatha church
Posted in Commercial Remodeling & New Construction, Glass Block | No Comments »
Friday, November 11th, 2011
- Glass block wall design with Italian inspired designs
- Exterior fluted glass block wall design
If you look at design trends in floor or wall tiles you need to first look to the European markets (and Italy in particular) for inspiration. In the glass block wall industry the drivers of style, texture and design leadership are also being driven by the Italians.
Most of what people are used to seeing in the United States are glass blocks of standard shapes and sizes that have smooth flat faces on the front of the glass units. While these blocks may be mass produced and are cost effective they may not inspire the wow factor in a contemporary or modernistic design project.
Well leave it to the Italians once again to innovate (and in this case these cool designs are now becoming available in the United States markets) with unique glass block designs.
Some of the new designs available today include:
- Trapezoidal glass blocks that are shaped in a pyramid form to create a sleek design.
- Exterior fluted glass blocks (called Doric) for residential or commercial interior walls which have a unique texture to the outside of the block.
- Angular (called Fiero Milano) glass blocks that appear to jut out from the wall – if these don’t capture your attention nothing will!
The good thing is if you’re looking for inspiration these blocks are now becoming available in the U.S. markets.
What do you think about the look of these blocks? Please give your thoughts below.
If you need any help with the design and/or supply of these unique blocks contat Columbus Glass Block (614-252-5888), Cleveland Glass Block (216-531-6363), or Mid America Glass Block (513-742-5900) of Dayton and Cincinnati. For a complete remodeling projects using these materials contact Cleveland Design & Remodeling (216-531-6085), Columbus Design & Remodeling (614-252-7294) or Bath Doctor of Cincinnati (513-742-6674).
Continue reading “Using Italian Design Inspired Glass Blocks to Create Extraordinary Wall Window or Shower Projects” »
Tags: architecture, art wall, contemporary, contemporary wall, contemporary wall decor, glass block design, glass block shower, glass block wall, glass block window, modern, modern wall, modern wall art, modern wall decor, modernistic, shaped glass blocks, sleek design
Posted in Bathroom Remodeling, Commercial Remodeling & New Construction, Glass Block | 1 Comment »
Saturday, November 5th, 2011
Tags: bath vanity top, Corian, corian solid surface, custom shower base, green materials, solid surface base, solid surface countertop, solid surface shower, solid surface wall, solid surfaces, vanity top
Posted in Bathroom Remodeling, Kitchen Remodeling | No Comments »
