A new wave of thinking is creeping into the minds of modern home architects. Apparently great minds do think alike, because I am partial to creating more counter space by exploring new places for the kitchen and bath faucet. As it stands now, it just seems to be getting in the way too often.

But these new schemes are messing with my head. One faucet is inside the sink and another is concealed in the wall. And they don’t stop there. An Italian company keeps their controls completely out of sight. What’s going on here? Let’s take a peek at the future and tour a few of the best concealed faucets.

Joseph Dirand Design

Not all concealed faucets are created equal. Some are made of marble, like the one created by architect Joseph Dirand. This ornate sink comes with hot and cold levers and a goose neck faucet. In a weird twist, the faucet is built directly into the basin of the sink, providing plenty of counter space.

Absens Concealed Faucet

This little Italian beauty is built into the wall and all of the controls are behind a push panel cover in the wall. You can’t see the hidden faucet, which could be the best reason to buy it. (more…)

Photo credit: JDog Construction

It should be a snap to convert a single sink into a dual sink. Both sinks will need to be tied to a single main drain before going into the wall or floor. If you tie the two sink basins together first, then you’ll only need one trap rather than two. Also, make sure the water supply lines are attached with dual shut-off valves. The dual sink procedure is really very forgiving. Here’s how to convert a single sink into a double sink.

1. Drain and vent lines are a good place to start. Figure out the size of the drain pipe. If the PVC pipe coming out of the wall is 1-1/2 inches, you’ll need to downsize the next branch of pipe to 1-1/4 inches; this way sinks drain trap will fit better. When the sinks drain you want smaller drain lines leading into larger ones. An important note: make sure that you split the larger drain with a “Y” fitting since the “Y” attachment will branch off at a 45 degree angle. This allows proper water flow and venting to occur.
2. Next, attach tee lines off the hot and cold water and tie them together. From that point use flex lines to hook up your individual faucets. Make sure to match the proper flex tubing with the right tee lines and then you’ll be in business.
3. Since you’re trying to service two faucets with one line, you may encounter a flow problem, but here’s a solution. Make all of your tee fittings installed to a ½ inch, and then add four new stop valves. The new configuration should consist of two for the cold lines and two for the hot lines. Each faucet will have its own hot and cold supply lines. This should eliminate any low flow problems. However if problems persist, be sure to contact your local plumber, they’ll be able straighten things out very quickly. (more…)

In tough economic times it’s more and more likely that you’ll run into an unscrupulous contractor ready to pounce on an unsuspecting customer. To protect your money and investment, here are 10 practical measures you can take to avoid cheap remodeling.

1. In remodeling, one of the worst things you can do is to plan by the seat of your pants. This will cost you time and money and will most likely leave you unsatisfied with the results. Good planning is making decisions that will give you the most bang for your buck.
2. Make sure you do your homework. Know the fair market value of materials, equipment, and purchases made by the contractor. This will help you separate a realistic bill from the fishy ones. You’re likely to get a higher ratio of legitimate offers when you understand the business side of remodeling.
3. Check for appliances that carry rebates from either the manufactures or the local utility. Ask about these rebates and make sure to keep the receipts for tax time.
4. Consider the long-term value of the project. Avoid fashion fads and make certain high quality workmanship goes into the job. It goes without saying but you don’t want to be redoing work because it was done on the cheap. This coincides with the importance of finding a good contractor. Once you’ve accomplished that, the first part of this question is almost a non-factor.
5. Be careful about additional bells and whistles that drive up costs. It’s important to stay within your budget. Add-ons mean an increase in the final price, so avoid them when you can.
6. Painting is part of remodeling, so make sure to use high-quality brands of paint. The cheaper the paint, the more likely it is you’ll be re-painting sooner than you think.
7. Looking to cut cost? Don’t use expensive granite for your countertops. Many modern plastic counters look exactly like the real thing and you can always change them out when money isn’t so tight.
8. The places you absolutely, positively don’t want to fall short on are the walls, electrical, and plumbing. When the walls are open, it doesn’t cost much to run wiring for extra phones, electrical outlets, computers, and fax machines. Once the walls are up, adding these elements are costly. (more…)