As you grow older, you may notice that your bathroom does not grow with you. Simple tasks such as showering can become daunting. At Handy Man, we have the tools you need to update your bathroom to a functional space again. These changes can make a genuine difference.

Start by installing grab bars throughout the bathroom for added stability. Each year 3,500 people suffer from a fall in the bathroom. Grab bars are an inexpensive way to prevent falls. Place grab bars throughout the bathroom – vertically near the shower or tub; horizontally on shower walls, near the toilet, and even consider replacing your towel bar with a grab bar. With different finishes and details now available, you will find a beautiful way to add safety to your bathroom.

Consider installing a taller toilet seat. Your current toilet is probably between 14 and 16 inches tall. ADA compliance sets standards for toilet seats to be raised between 17 and 19 inches. These “comfort height” or “chair height” toilets make it much easier and safer to transition between sitting and standing.

An Onyx shower can be totally customizable to your needs. Low clearance shower bases are only a fraction of an inch tall, which means you can walk in, or roll a wheelchair in with ease! Installing a bench seat in the shower means you can sit while showering, decreasing the chances of slipping and falling, while handheld shower sprayers allow you to control the water.

Walk-in tubs offer a great alternative for those who prefer baths to showers. Their sealed doors ensure that water does not leak, and they can come with quick-fill and quick-drain capabilities to get you in and out quickly. With the fully-loaded package, you also get therapeutic air jets, chromatherapy, aromatherapy, and a heated seat!

No matter what your needs are, we have the tools to help you find exactly what fits your lifestyle. Our showroom has a variety of ADA compliant tubs, showers, and toilets on display so you can visualize them in your home. We look forward to bringing you the freedom to live in your home for years to come!

The post Independent Living Options at Handy Man appeared first on Handy Man Home Remodeling Center.

Remodeling can be as minimal or extensive as you like. Sometimes, the smallest changes or upgrades can make a world of difference. Here are our top six reasons we tell homeowners it’s time to make a change.

1. Poor lighting

In a bathroom, lighting is everything! Not only does lighting affect a person’s perception of the space, but also makes the bathroom as functional as possible. In an article in Forbes, Tiffany Carboni discusses how to light a bathroom the right way. She claims light has the ability to boost self confidence—and that the wrong lighting can have the opposite effect.

Sometimes, it’s the placement of the light fixture or even the fixture itself. Perhaps you need to bring the light down to eye level or ensure your light bar extends over your mirror so the light doesn’t get blocked out before even reaching your face. Some mirrors even have built-in lighting, which is handy for detailed tasks such as shaving and applying makeup.

2. Peeling, discolored, or chipped paint

Bathrooms are high-traffic areas. Over time, moisture, scratches, and dings add up and start to take their toll. A quick paint job may be all that your bathroom needs. Painting your walls and even an old vanity (if it’s well made) can refresh your room. If your bathroom accumulates moisture from hot showers and baths, be sure to use a paint made for bathrooms. (Note: If you find mold, have it removed by a professional prior to painting.)

3. Running out of space

If your household is growing, or if you find yourself storing toiletry items outside of your bathroom, that’s a sure sign that you need more storage space in your bathroom. With hundreds of vanity options on the market and unique storage solutions, like drawers that curve around the water pipe and open shelving, you should be able to find a great option at a fair price point. If you like your current vanity, consider installing a medicine cabinet to hold more items.

Thinking about installing a new storage solution? Learn how to shop for a bathroom vanity or medicine cabinet.

4. Outdated fixtures

Maybe your decor is up to date (this includes your towels, soap dispenser, and trash can), but what about your faucets, towel bars, lighting, and even vanity hardware? Updating these items may not be as costly as you think, and they could give your bathroom a much-needed facelift.

While it’s OK to mix and match colors in a bathroom, having matching hardware, including towel bars and rings, facets, soap dispenser, light bar, and more can bring a room together visually.

Thinking about updating your bathroom hardware? Learn how to find the perfect faucet first.

5. Toilet uses too much water

While your toilet may appear fine physically, if it’s an older model, it could be using too much water. According to conserveh2o.org, you can find out how many gallons per flush (GPF) your toilet uses on the inside of the tank or neck of the toilet bowl. If you cannot find the label, the age of your toilet can help you estimate your GPF. Toilets made before 1992 likely use 3.5 to 7 GPF, versus today’s Federal plumbing standard of 1.6 GPF.

Not only can replacing an old toilet give you a feeling of stewardship by reducing your impact on the environment, but it can also save you money on your water bill.

Thinking about replacing your toilet? Learn how to determine your toilet style.

6. Obvious damage

While you may know you need to replace a sink, bathtub, shower base, or toilet because of cracks or leaks, waiting may cost you more in the long run. If water starts to leak and gets trapped in dark spaces, you could end up with an expensive mold problem. Or, if you’re dealing with a leak, a tiny drip or running toilet may not seem like a big deal, but it can make your water bill go up. It pays to repair or replace damaged bathroom fixtures as soon as possible.

Learn more about your options.

At Handy Man, we only the highest quality bathroom remodeling options for customers in Sioux Falls, Sioux City, and Lincoln. Whether you’re looking for the perfect lighting, toilet, or everything for your bathroom remodel, we can help you choose the right items to fit your bathroom space.

You don’t need to complete this project alone. We’ll walk you through it! Come visit our showroom soon.

The post 6 Glaring Signs You Need to Remodel Your Bathroom appeared first on Handy Man Home Remodeling Center.

1. Brighten up the room.

Light paint colors can make a world of difference in small spaces. Many interior designers emphasize using light-colored, low-contrast trim and accent paint colors to avoid jarring transitions, which can make corners obvious.

Sunlight and man-made light from your bathroom light bar, wall sconces, or ceiling lamp also have the ability to brighten up a room, making it appear larger. If you don’t get a lot of natural light, be sure to use light-colored paint, light-colored decorations, and bright lighting and bulbs (like LED bulbs) to make up for it.

2. Add smart storage options

Excess clutter has the tendency to make a space look cramped. Thankfully, there are many storage options for bathrooms, from large to compact. Depending on your storage needs, consider a new vanity, above-sink medicine cabinet, or an over-the-toilet storage shelf or cabinet. When choosing a vanity, you’ll have to be conscious of the floor space and objects surrounding the sink in the bathroom. Be sure to measure the distance between objects and leave room for cleaning before making your final decision. (Learn more about how to choose a vanity.)

If you decide to go with a medicine cabinet, ensure that it fits before purchasing—especially if you’re getting a recessed one that requires you to cut an opening in the wall. (Learn more about how to choose a medicine cabinet.) If you decide to use an open shelf, use it to store items such as towels that can still look neat in that space. If you need to store many odds-and-ends, use decorative storage bins.

3. Frameless shower door

When working with limited space, frameless glass shower doors have the ability to extend the depth of your bathroom. If your shower takes up one-third of your bathroom, and you use a shower curtain or non-transparent door, it will significantly decrease your visual space. Before you choose to install a frameless glass shower door, first decide if your shower is something you want to show off or something you want to hide. (Learn more about frameless glass shower doors.)

4. Create more floor space

Leaving your floor clear of clutter and chunky objects can make it seem bigger by extending the perceived depth. In small bathrooms, pedestal sinks and simple wall-mounted sinks can give you that much-needed room surrounding the sink area and floor space. If you go this route, ensure your storage needs are still being met.

If you only have a little more room to work with, but still want your bathroom to appear spacious, try a wall-mounted vanity or a vanity with legs. Both options will give you additional room for storage and leave your floor more exposed.

Learn more about your options.

At Handy Man, we have the highest quality bathroom remodeling options for customers in Sioux Falls, Sioux City, and Lincoln. Whether you’re looking for the perfect vanity, a new shower door, or everything for your bathroom remodel, we can help you choose the right items to fit your bathroom space.

You don’t need to complete this project alone. We’ll walk you through it! Come visit our showroom soon.

The post 4 Ways To Make Your Bathroom Feel Bigger appeared first on Handy Man Home Remodeling Center.

With many colors, textures, and sizes to choose from, you can get the exact style and function you’re looking for.

Before you decide on a shower door, think about the space you have to work with, including current color schemes, the amount of space, and the longevity of other items in your bathroom. Shower door manufacturers today build them to last, so you want to get one that you’ll enjoy using for years to come. We also have many common questions and tips from the Handy Man experts to aid in your decision-making process.

What Glass Is Best?

Easy-Clean, Durable Glass

Not all glass is created equal. Shower door manufacturers like Arizona and Foremost make only tempered glass doors—the equivalent of safety glass. This ensures durability and safety.

When you order a door, you also have the option to add an invisible coating to the glass. Both Arizona Shower Door’s Clear-Fusion™ Pro Nano-Coating and Foremost Shower Enclosures’s H2Off Clearshield Clean Glass Technology offer additional protection. Think of it as Rain-X®, only for your shower door instead of car windows. This coating is applied at the manufacturing site and typically comes with a 10-year limited warranty. Once applied, it prevents mildew, soap scum buildup, and scratches. There is also no need to use harsh chemicals or abrasive cleaners to maintain the look of the glass. Simply take a few seconds to squeegee the door after each use.

 
With (left) and Without (right) Clearshield
Clean Glass Technology

Glass Texture

The texture of the glass you choose can also impact to the look of your bathroom.

Looking to make your bathroom appear bigger? Clear glass can give your bathroom a more open, spacious look. Or perhaps you’re looking for a door that provides more privacy? Opt for a textured look, such as obscure, rain, or steam. No matter what’s important to you in a shower door, know that manufacturers offer several options.

 
Choose a texture, such as rain glass for added privacy or clear glass to create the illusion of more space.

Many homeowners who like the look of clear glass also install a frameless shower door, so it has no frame around the edge. This can expand your room, more so, and it’s easier to keep clean as grime doesn’t build-up around the frame.

Interested in learning more about frameless shower doors? Read our blog post.

Is a sliding or a pivot shower door best?

How your shower door opens and closes—whether it’s on a hinge, slide rollers, overlaps, or has a magnetic close—is both a matter of workable space and personal preference.

If you have little room to work with and are installing a new shower, a neo-angle base shower with a hinged door can leave more floor space. Many hinge doors also come with a magnetic strip to keep the door sealed tight and prevent water from seeping out.

You can also have an overlapping door on hinges. These help keep the water in the shower while eliminating the need for an additional frame piece.

Or if you have a tub you’re adding a door to, consider adding a sliding glass door. This way you don’t have to worry about extending out of your tub to reach the handle and close the door. Sliding glass doors can be used with bathtubs and shower bases.

Sliding glass doors on large rollers keep the doors on track and are quiet. The rollers also add a unique look to your shower.

You can also opt for a traditional sliding door that doesn’t include the rollers.

What Hardware Is Best?

Once you choose your glass texture, open and close style, and whether you want a frame or frameless look, you get to pick out your hardware color.

Manufacturers offer many options, so you can mix and match with existing hardware in your bathroom or start fresh.

Color options may vary, based on the door style you choose. Here are a few of options you may have:

Finish options for Foremost Marina shower door.

You can choose the color of your finish for the:

• frame
• hinges
• handle
• towel bar (usually optional)

Oil rubbed bronze finish – Foremost
Shower Doors

Ready to see some shower doors in person?

The shower door and accessories you choose should enhance your bathroom functionality and design. At Handy Man, we share all our little tricks for choosing the perfect one for you. Stop by one of our locations to test our floor models, and talk with one of our experts. Whether you’re looking to install it yourself or hire a contractor, we’ll walk you through it.

The post What shower door is best? appeared first on Handy Man Home Remodeling Center.

Installing a frameless shower door can significantly add to the appeal of your bathroom. They’re modern, yet they match most decorative themes. Frameless glass doors can also make your bathroom appear more spacious.

Beyond looks, there are several benefits—as well as a few drawbacks—to installing a frameless shower door. Here’s what you need to know.

Practical reasons homeowners choose frameless shower doors

Durability

It may be surprising to hear, but frameless shower doors oftentimes last longer than alternative options. Why? The doors are manufactured with tempered glass (i.e., safety glass), and are chip-, crack-, and shatter-resistant. Look for frameless doors with thick, durable glass. Choose the right door and your bathroom upgrade will last a lifetime!

Customization

Manufacturers offer several kinds of pre-cut frameless shower door sizes and styles. If you have a unique shower opening one can be custom designed for you. You want to get the size right, so be sure to measure your shower opening twice. It won’t seal out water if it’s not properly sized.

Easy cleaning

Frameless shower doors are easy to keep clean. The smooth glass edge eliminates the frame, which is where mildew and grime collect. Tempered glass is naturally mold and mildew resistant, too. Most doors just need to be wiped down once a week with glass cleaner to prevent the build-up of scum. This will also keep your shower door looking newer, longer.

While purchasing and installing a frameless shower door can be a larger investment than opting for other types of shower doors, you may be able to recoup some of the costs if you sell your home down the road. According to Remodeling’s 2018 Cost vs. Value Report, homeowners can recoup 70% of costs to remodel a bathroom in the U.S.

You can add sliding or hinged frameless shower doors to many existing tub and shower layouts. If you need help choosing the right one, or finding a local installer, contact us or stop by one of our three locations.

Updated April 2019

The post Now Trending: Frameless Shower Doors appeared first on Handy Man Home Remodeling Center.