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By Matt Blank
What’s hot… and what’s not… in kitchen and bathroom design and remodeling for 2013?
From National Kitchen & Bath Association:
“As we settle into 2013 and a seemingly healthier national economy, some kitchen and bath design trends continue to flourish, while consumer budgets for these projects appear to have shrunk just a bit. To get specific —
* Gray color schemes in both kitchens and baths have witnessed a dramatic escalation since 2010, particularly over the past year. Used currently in 55% of kitchens and 56% of bathrooms, shades of gray are growing in appeal, creating chic, sophisticated spaces that many consumers desire.
* Also, continuing an important trend from last year, transitional-style kitchens and baths have clearly surpassed traditional styles, a longstanding favorite until 2012.
* While the use of quartz finishes was in slight decline last year, it has surfaced as a clear trendsetter this year, coming a close second to granite.
* Homeowner spending on their kitchen and bath remodels was trending upward a year ago, but the latest numbers tell a slightly less robust story. Heading into 2012, the total cost of the average kitchen and the average bath design was $51,050 and $18,575, respectively. As we move into 2013, the figures have dipped to $47,308 in kitchens, while staying steady at $18,538 in bathrooms.
Over 300 National Kitchen & Bath Association member-designers participated in the 2013 NKBA Design Trends Survey, reporting the materials, product types, and styles that they specified in their kitchen and bath designs over the final three months of 2012. While broad trends won’t be evident in every local market, the following are the top overall trends that emerged for kitchens and baths across the United States and Canada.”
General Kitchen & Bathroom Trends for 2013
- Shades of Grey
- Quartz Counters
- Trending “Transitional” Style (a seamless blend of traditional and contemporary)
2013 Kitchen Remodeling Trends
- White Painted Cabinetry
- Glass Backsplash
- LED/Energy Efficient Lighting
- Touch-activated faucets
- Satin Nickel finish faucets on the rise
2013 Bathroom Remodeling Trends
- Ceramic/Porcelain tile flooring.
- Undermounted sinks remain the most requested in bathrooms.
Average Total Costs: No Growth
NKBA members did not see any increase in the average costs of their bathrooms and kitchens. Kitchens actually fell by .08% (around $3700 less than 2012). Bathrooms sunk even less - .017% (about $300 less than 2012). While no growth sounds like a bad thing, these numbers are up thousands of dollars from the bottom of 2011.
You can view and download the complete 2013 report here.
When you want to make your ideas a reality, call MBC Building & Remodeling, LLC in Lancaster County, PA for the Kitchen or Bathroom of your dreams!
Most
of the Lancaster County, PA homeowners we talk to have no idea the cost
of building some sort of home addition, like a sunroom, family room,
master suite or garage. Now there are many different projects that fall
under the addition category, and they aren’t just all the same cost of
course. You should plan to invest anywhere from $20,000 to $200,000+
depending on the type of room addition project you and your family are
planning.
Now I’m sure you are saying, “That is a ridiculously big range... What about my sunroom?”… or mudroom, or garage, et al.
Answer?
We created this Addition Investment Calculator for Lancaster County, PA
to help you get a realistic idea of what you should plan on investing
in your specific room addition project.
Major Investment Calculator Factors:
To get a clearer idea of where your project may fall in the range
below, you must consider a lot of different things. The following are
just some of the factors that typically affect the cost of adding on to
your home.
Size:
The first major investment consideration is the square footage you
envision on your project. No matter which project you are planning,
bigger will always require a higher investment.
Exterior Finishes:
The type of siding you choose plays an important role on the cost of
your addition. Also, your door styles, roofing material, and any
exterior lights you want will add to the bottom line.
Interior Finishes:
Inside, there are a lot of ways to increase your position on the
addition calculator below. What are we going to need? The type of
flooring; total number and sizes of windows; trim work? If you are
adding a kitchen, bathroom or other family area, you may need to choose
cabinets, fixtures, countertops, tub material, paint and/or extra
outlets.
Types of Additions:
Sunroom: $20,000 – 70,000+
Mudroom: $15,000 – 35,000+
Family Room: $50,000 – 70,000+
Bathroom Addition: $35,000 – 70,000+
Kitchen Addition: $35,000 - 100,000+
Garage w/ or w/o In Law Quarters upstairs: $50,000 – 140,000+
Additional garage building considerations: 1 story or 2? # of windows
and entry doors? Number and style of garage doors? Finished drywall
inside? In-laws quarters: bathroom and kitchen finish/appliance
considerations?
Master Suite: $100,000 – 200,000+
2nd story: $150,000 – 200,000+
About this calculator:
• These estimated numbers are based on our long experience in the Lancaster County, PA remodeling field and Remodeling Magazine’s 2011-2012 Harrisburg, PA Cost vs. Value Report.
• All
additions are structural buildings, meaning they require building
permits, foundations must be dug and poured, Township inspections, etc.
These price ranges are very large, so contact us to get an exact quote on your Lancaster County, PA home addition! We can also help you with financing, design and floor plans.
Lancaster County, PA homeowners are often curious the best way to keep their new deck or porch looking beautiful for the long term. Different types of decking material need different types of techniques to be cleaned properly. First things first, inspect your deck before cleaning it. If something looks amiss structurally, call a contractor to take a look!
Here are some tips for cleaning a Wood, Composite or Cedar/Redwood deck:
Using that Power Sprayer - A power sprayer is a huge time saver when cleaning a deck; but before you hook it up and dial in a laser beam of water consider that you may do more harm than good. Using a narrow, high-pressure stream of water can wash off paint, and even gouge the wood so badly you couldn’t even hide it with a new coat of paint. It can also ruin the surface integrity of composite materials. By breaking the surface you are inviting mildew and grime.
It is best to hold the nozzle about 2 feet above the deck surface while swinging the nozzle back and forth like a pendulum. You may not be able to remove every stain with the power sprayer – and that is ok! Leave them to be finished later with a deck cleansing solution and a small brush.
Cleaning a Wood Deck - Make sure you first get all the needles or other debris out from between the deck planks. You don‘t want to be sealing in those needles and the moisture that can come along with them. You can usually just use a hose or power washer to clean out hard to reach places. For what the water doesn’t get, a putty knife or other thin blade is usually your best bet.
To clean the wood there are multiple deck cleaners out there. Always read carefully to make sure you have the correct cleaner. Don’t forget to cover all that stuff you have under the deck, like plants and your lawn furniture.
Cleaning a Composite Deck - Despite their well-deserved reputation for being low-maintenance, composite decks are not completely maintenance free. The good news is dirt and debris usually wash away easily with a garden hose.
However, a deck cleaner will probably be needed to get rid of stains and heavy mildew. If you’re not sure where to start, you can contact the manufacturer of the decking material. Usually their websites provide cleaning tips and advise you as to which cleaners are best. When using a deck cleaner, the usual procedure is to spray it on (you can use a cheap hand pumped sprayer), let it sit for about 20 minutes, then wash it off with a garden hose.
It is not recommended to sand composite decks to remove a tough spot or stain.
Cleaning a Cedar Or Redwood Deck - Cleaning a cedar or redwood deck is similar to cleaning a composite deck in many respects. Cedar and redwood, and most treated woods, are decay resistant, and also have less of a tendency to harbor mildew, although in areas receiving heavy moisture, mildew can still be a problem.
Cedar is a soft wood and could too easily be damaged if you attempt to power wash it. There are specific cleaning solutions in stores for cedar decks. Consider applying a brightener after everything has dried to help restore the natural wood look.
If you have questions or are looking for a beautiful Lancaster, PA deck of your own - please give us a call!
