Elevating your Bathroom: Best Practices and the Top 10 trends in Bathroom Design in 2024 - Episode 51

Unlock the secrets to cultivating lasting client relationships and ensuring the smoothest of bathroom remodels with your contractor comrade, Chris Kirby. As we navigate the complexities of homebuilding, I'll arm you with the insider knowledge that guarantees a seamless process, from pre-construction communication to those final, satisfying project completions. Revel in the satisfaction of a job well done as we delve into the power of before-and-after photos, the magic of word-of-mouth referrals, and the necessity of an airtight follow-up routine that will have your clients singing your praises from the rooftops.

Courtney, our resident design wizard, joins the conversation to illuminate the latest bathroom aesthetics, casting a spell on your senses with the alchemy of warm and cool tones that will transform the most intimate of spaces. Embrace the precision of laser levels and the psychology behind color choices as we tackle the tile layout challenges that can make or break the look of a lavatory. So, subscribe to our digital community for a regular dose of craftsmanship and style that transcends the ordinary, and don't miss out on the invaluable insights that could elevate your homebuilding journey to new heights.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

The Homebuilding and Remodeling Show. Let's go. Welcome everybody to the Homebuilding and Remodeling Show. My name is Chris Kirby and I'll be your host. I am the owner of three construction companies on the Alabama Gulf Coast. The show is about residential construction. We're going to cover topics of homebuilding and remodeling. Are you thinking of doing a remodel or building a home? Are you a contractor looking to improve your knowledge base or grow your business? Have you ever done a remodel project or built a home? There were so many things you wish you knew or that you could have done differently during the process. Then this show is for you. We break down the process of building and remodeling and how to have the best results during your project. Whether you are a DIYer looking for tips, someone looking to hire a contractor to do a project, or a contractor looking to expand your knowledge base or your business, welcome aboard. Glad to have you. Stay tuned.

Speaker 1: 1:11

We kick off the show with my thoughts on homebuilding and remodeling. I'll share best practices and talk about some of our experiences in business and out in the field. These shared thoughts and lessons learned are meant to help you on your very own journey. Let's go Alright. So the month of March is Bathroom Remodeling Month on the Home Building and Remodeling Show, and I wanted to talk about the four key relationships that you need to maintain in order to be a successful bathroom remodeling contractor, and there is a difference between general home remodeling and being a bathroom remodeler. I'll touch on that first. For instance, we do kitchen and bath home additions. Those are our three favorite projects to take on. Those are the ones that we have built systems around, and I recommend, if you're going to be any type of remodeling contractor, that you incorporate systems into your business as you grow your business, and it's going to help you to be able to maintain things such as financials, how you estimate, how you plan your project, how you manage your project, the timing of the project all of those things. Processes definitely help with that, and so, for a bathroom remodeler, the number one relationship for you to maintain is the client relationship. We've talked about it before on other shows that client relationship management is a huge deal.

Speaker 1: 2:39

When you, as an individual contractor, start out, you're taking on work and you figure out that you know you're pretty good at remodeling bathrooms, whether it's new construction and just doing an installation for new construction or doing remodeling work or remodeling a bathroom, going in assessing the project, demoing the project, doing the put back for everything. What you need to know is the client is the most important piece to that A they're going to be your best referral source. If you maintain healthy relationships with your clients, they're going to refer you. In word of mouth referrals are the best referrals because there that means that the client has had a a good, great interaction with you as the bathroom remodeler and they're going to talk to their friends and family, which means that they're like minded. Most most of the times they're looking for something similar. Or if their family or friends are over at their house and they're talking about the remodel and and they want to show them the work that you've completed. This means that the client is doing the legwork and talking to the potential client, their friend or family, on your behalf about how their process went. That means it's not going to take much for you to close that deal, because they've probably, more than likely, have already asked their friend well, how did it go? What did you have to do? How did you initiate contact? You know what was the cost. Trust me, they've already asked those questions. You're locking in a good deal if you get word of mouth referrals because they've already talked about their projects. They've probably already talked about maybe even some of the headaches that were carried over from their project and so you're able to address that upfront. They know the the nothing's perfect in remodeling and you're able to talk to them about some of the hiccups and maybe even prevent those on their friend or family's project. Word of mouth referrals keeping the client happy and forming them during pre-construction of a the timeline, the cost, potential change orders, different things that could happen during the project Pre-construction is super important during a bathroom remodel.

Speaker 1: 5:07

Trying to make sure that the client gets all the information they need upfront during pre-construction is a key contributor to maintaining a successful relationship with that client. Making sure they understand the steps, how it could get dirty, how you are going to address issues in a timely manner, how there could be project delays depending on materials, weather, different factors. Making sure that the communication is wide open during a bathroom remodel project is another key contributor to having a successful client relationship. And then closing out the project strong, allowing them to do a punch list and making sure that they're happy, final payments received and that you do a follow up after the project is done, call them, talk to them and follow up on the project. How's everything going, and things like that Make sure you get good before and after pictures, always get good before and after pictures, and those all are contributing factors to having a successful client relationship, which in turn leads to good results for you and your company. Word of mouth, referrals Number one of the four relationships you need to maintain as a bathroom remodeling contractor the client relationship.

Speaker 1: 6:28

And now we move into Shop Talk. It's the portion of the show where I bring in a co-host and we cover trending topics in home building and remodeling. Hope you enjoy. Let's go. Basically, stop the drain Now. They make stoppers right, so you're not just in there with the hands on the cup. Get a bag and come Right. You want to do it. The right way, though, is what I'm saying? You don't want to be in there? No, you don't know, they slow a rat in there.

Speaker 2: 6:52

No, you're not going to know any, absolutely.

Speaker 1: 6:54

Okay.

Speaker 2: 6:55

They, I think what's the forget the brand name. But on depot lows they all have drains.

Speaker 1: 7:02

Gotcha so, but drain, stop in, fill the shower tub, whatever. You don't have water on, how are you filling that tub?

Speaker 2: 7:11

With a bucket.

Speaker 1: 7:12

Okay, you're going to get a bucket and fill it up, it's a water and fill it up. Okay, and being careful, walking in and out with that bucket Right Be spilling it and stuff. Okay, flood test passes, it's good.

Speaker 2: 7:26

Yeah, so then we're going to start. It depends. Some guys like to start with a floor, some might start with a wall Up and down, okay, Whatever you prefer.

Speaker 1: 7:39

Do you like to start with the floor or the wall? It's easier to start with the floor, and why? Why do you think this? Because a lot of people don't want to keep going on and off that floor. Right, because that floor is typically some sort of flex, it's a mosaic or something right, mech or flooring, and so a lot of the people have a hard time to keep stepping on and off of that which. So I'd like to hear why you like to to do the floor first.

Speaker 2: 8:09

And then do you. I was taught to do the walls first, okay, but you know what I mean. The easier route is to do the floor first, and that way you can lay right over the top of it instead of shimming it off.

Speaker 1: 8:20

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 8:22

But you know, really the best way is to do the walls that way. When you're working the walls you drop something set or what it's going to floor top.

Speaker 1: 8:34

Yeah Well, are you not protecting you, should you're trying to protect?

Speaker 2: 8:39

But I mean, you're walking all over it. You got wet sponges. That protection is going to get wet.

Speaker 1: 8:44

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 8:44

I mean it's messy yeah.

Speaker 1: 8:46

Honestly, okay, floor to wall, all right, but if you're going the opposite direction, if you're doing wall to floor, okay, and we've talked about this. I did a video with Jeremiah about kind of he likes start on the back wall at a certain spot and he'll do that back wall first, and his reasoning for that in which we got a lot of back and forth conversation on this was he was saying that he starts on the back wall. So when you're looking at the back wall, if you set the back wall first and then do your sidewalls, he's saying that your grout line yeah, you don't want to visible.

Speaker 2: 9:24

Do not ever do the back wall first.

Speaker 3: 9:28

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 9:29

Because if you do that, then your grout lines on staring around as you from the corner Right.

Speaker 1: 9:34

And there was a lot of people going back and forth when I did that video with Jeremiah, saying, oh, it's going to be the same either way, or your grout, and it's not. That's not true. That's true. Yeah, it's a clean area.

Speaker 2: 9:47

So, looking at a wall, that's been done, the grout line is going to be on this wall and that wall Right. And if you do that wall and that wall, the grout line is going to be on that corner.

Speaker 1: 9:56

Yeah, it's definitely going to be visible. Gotcha, okay. A lot of problems, a lot of people who learn tile starting and getting it laid out properly. Especially on a shower, I think is the floor easier to lay out than a shower or the floor is the easiest part to lay out, and how do you do so?

Speaker 2: 10:15

There's food you don't have to put. You can cut everything and lay it in there, take it out and then stick it up. Yeah you can't drive a.

Speaker 1: 10:25

Wall shower. So and that's where a lot of the people, especially the newer people, you know, getting started Takes a lot.

Speaker 2: 10:33

The easiest thing for somebody getting started in the shower system Buy you a laser lamp. Yeah, and that will solve your.

Speaker 1: 10:44

But talk about pattern though. Okay, so some of the stuff we do is so, some of the stuff we do is a little bit easier, but you know you're your larger format and things like that, but Pattern. So there's a lot of different ways you can do patterns. Right, talk to me about that. Like if you were going to do a Smaller format tile, how do you figure out how you want to get it laid out and gets?

Speaker 2: 11:11

hardened. So usually I Mean you usually lay it out like different types of layouts for the customer find out what they want. Yeah and they can wear hair and bone. They can want it like Vertically stacked, yeah.

Speaker 1: 11:24

I was only least that straight. The straight stack is yes, but you've got to be clean. I mean it has to be precise when they take the light. Yeah, actually, I mean that is straight off that small on Each other.

Speaker 2: 11:38

So in all the corners meet up so you can really see if you're off.

Speaker 1: 11:43

So and your grout, and to the grout portion of that. Right, you could tell where your grout lines get fat skinny. You gotta be that one grout coverage is off like. But some people like the straight stack and if you've been doing it for a while they can kind of yeah, roll with it right, but it's nobody's favorite yeah but then sometimes too Okay, they want that up where it's Vertical right, so they take the subway and instead of going horizontal, it's right one and turned up.

Speaker 1: 12:16

Okay, you lay it out. You always kind of try to lay it out for the client.

Speaker 2: 12:19

Let them pick, that way they, you know, I mean they can see it Layed out how they will yeah, I mean I just lay it on the floor and be like hey.

Speaker 1: 12:27

Here's how it's go Now. How do you determine pattern style, though? So they tell you, and then with if the wall is Square, fits level, it's plumb your tile, your ends, right. They're all gonna be Typical or no, depends on how you do your layout for your tile.

Speaker 2: 12:48

So like dearly like this, yes, usually, oh mine, yeah, you want to. You know, lay it out to like find your center, yeah, in your shower, and then work off of it, and that way everything's consistent on either solve yeah and um.

Speaker 1: 13:04

But it's not as just as simple as this, so you can't just sit there and cut all your end pieces.

Speaker 2: 13:11

You can after you. Can all right as you were running.

Speaker 1: 13:15

Level. As long as you're running level, you should technically be able to do that right. All right, Okay.

Speaker 2: 13:23

I just want to make sure that's the key part. Before you're doing your sleuther system, you should be finding out if your walls are level. Yeah and if not, you should be Making them low. Yeah, I mean you shouldn't get started without doing that, no, and that way, because it makes everything life easier once you get to lay in top.

Speaker 1: 13:44

Now we're going to move into the portion of the show where we talk interior design. We're going to bring in an interior designer and we're going to talk trending design and products. Hope you enjoy, let's go, all right. So this month, the month of March, the home building and remodeling show is going to be focusing on doing a bathroom remodel from the remodeling side and also from the interior design side, and our topic of the workshops that we're going to put out, the topic of the podcast, is going to center around bathroom remodeling. So I've got Courtney, our interior designer, with us today, who specializes in kitchen and bathroom remodels and design, and we're going to talk about 10 bathroom remodel and design ideas that can revolutionize your home. All right, and I know you've got your list, and so we'll start with your number one.

Speaker 3: 14:40

So, speaking on the idea of revolutionizing, that always applies to different people in different ways. So some of these can be considered trends and some of them actually are revolutionary to really anybody in any place they're at. So the first one that we're really seeing for 2024 is the mixing of warm and cool tones. As of recently, it's really been more of that cool on cool, the gray on white, kind of coloring. Now it's becoming more of the richer, more saturated kind of earthy feels to it, which allows it to transition and then just color in general, correct.

Speaker 1: 15:14

So like neutrals. So like who? Or a contractor like me? Everything's gray, the walls and hair are gray, so gray and white is a very typical. It's a safe space. Yeah, there you go.

Speaker 3: 15:27

It's a safe space and there's nothing wrong with a safe space by any means. If that's something that brings you joy and happiness and it is tone on tone, don't ever let somebody tell you that's wrong. It's not trends or trends for a reason. They're just things that come in and are over lies, just like clothing. They kind of preempt the market to move for things, to create different looks. They're everything, remain the same all the time.

Speaker 3: 15:46

Well, I would be out of the job number one that's right, and there wouldn't really be anything fun or visually intriguing about where we're going in the future. So color is actually one of the other ones on my list.

Speaker 1: 15:55

Awesome.

Speaker 3: 15:56

So yes.

Speaker 1: 15:58

April is going to be our paint month and we are going to dive into color consultation, so this is good. This is a good lead in for us. So talk to me about color.

Speaker 3: 16:06

Okay, so color not only within tile, but also paint. I was recently just at the Biloxi flooring market and there was just a plethora of really cool, rich, saturated tones. And we're not talking about your bright, like Lego blues and reds, I'm talking about more of your European influences. That kind of mustardy color persimmons the real mustard Like mustard. Like mustard. Now it doesn't have to be French as mustard. We can go fancy and go like right on, but yeah, mustard tone Really. Really big. Same thing with the greens, the saturated, all of the green.

Speaker 1: 16:42

So and what about? We have been in kitchens and our new construction site especially, we've been doing a lot of like a hunter green, right, okay, all right, and I thought again that's one of those things that I didn't think hunter green or gold was going to come back. So these colors, just they kind of it's a big circle, right, it's circle, yeah, sickly, there you go.

Speaker 3: 17:05

Blending these colors in a different way, if you remember hunter green. When it was first proven, it was really mixed with cranberry.

Speaker 1: 17:11

Oh really.

Speaker 3: 17:11

Yeah, and cranberry and hunter green. But I know you people out there know you brought it in your home.

Speaker 1: 17:17

Yeah, no doubt yeah.

Speaker 3: 17:20

So now, instead of utilizing the cranberry tone as the complimentary tone, they're going more into like a warmer, topey tone. Okay, that has a little bit of a softer, almost a mink feel to it. Yeah, not a lot of yellow, that's still very neutral feeling, but it's color, okay. Yeah, so color Mixing metals.

Speaker 1: 17:37

Mixing metals.

Speaker 3: 17:39

Isn't that new. It's still a trend because it's becoming a little bit more involved in the fact that if you think about a light fixture, you generally think one color.

Speaker 1: 17:47

Yeah.

Speaker 3: 17:48

Well, now you may have a bathroom wall sconce or even a kitchen chandelier where the main neck of that chandelier wall sconce is gold, okay. And then it has a wrap of a black accent and then silver. Well, guess what? Okay, that means you get to play with all those tones. So if that light fixture has three different metals, my hardware can be woosome.

Speaker 1: 18:08

So let me ask you this In new construction, when we're talking to the client, a lot of times they want a standard like brushed nickel throughout, a gold throughout. And now you're saying, not only are you mixing that, but the actual fixture itself could be mixed metal. Oh, that to me, that's cool. Yeah, very cool. That also is Pervolite in an industrial look too right.

Speaker 3: 18:37

It can get multiple ways. Right now I'm doing one of our clients. It's a little more art deco. Gotcha I'm sure it was a lot of golds and a lot of blacks. I'm young.

Speaker 1: 18:46

I love that. Look too. It's sleek. It is right Okay.

Speaker 3: 18:48

It's sleek. It gives a little bit of a modern edge with like kind of that retro twist. The good thing is design. You can blend designs together. It's just all about continuity. Yeah, I'm repeating the same thing throughout the home, but just in different ways.

Speaker 1: 19:01

Gotcha Okay, awesome. So I. And then let's recap.

Speaker 3: 19:06

So number one was warm and cool tones were no longer limit number two. Color, color, color.

Speaker 1: 19:12

Yep and number three is Mixed, smells awesome. Okay, and what's number four?

Speaker 3: 19:18

Lighting lighting.

Speaker 1: 19:18

Yeah, so I know you know a little bit about this. You all are trying to get me to carry lighting in the showroom because it's so prevalent Variations, conscious things, that usually, from a contractor's perspective, we weren't putting in. Now we're putting them in. Yeah, okay.

Speaker 3: 19:37

Lighting is kind of like the jewelry of the home.

Speaker 1: 19:40

Yeah, it really is the jewelry, got it yeah.

Speaker 3: 19:42

You know, you don't want to overdo it. And like Coco Chanel said, you know, before you leave the door, take one thing off. Same thing with the lighting. You don't want to go overboard. Yeah, lighting is really important for function as well.

Speaker 1: 19:53

Okay.

Speaker 3: 19:54

I mean as a woman, I absolutely. It dries me up bananas when I go in somewhere and I cannot even see my face in the mirror because the lighting is so Dill.

Speaker 1: 20:03

Yeah.

Speaker 3: 20:03

Well, when you go into somebody else's house, same breath look, look Asia sitting in the back nodding their head. I know it's nice to have to get dressed or put a makeup in the dark. It's not something you get in the car. I didn't know I was going as a clown today.

Speaker 1: 20:14

Gotcha, yeah, well, and to like, for me, in my home, not only do we have different types of fixtures, but like the actual bulbs that they're there, yeah, absolutely yeah, they're all different like. So you know, our outside and I hate this our outside lights have that, that Very bright orange. Oh, I can't stand that one. So I've swapped a lot of those out. But, like, in our living room we have an older fan, those that light color is different than the LED light so and it messes with your eyes, you know, not just for a look and from the interior design perspective, but I've noticed that when you go from room to room with different a light variance, yeah that. So with me having glasses and getting older, right.

Speaker 1: 21:07

Yeah, so, okay, so, but lighting okay, and that also goes back to tying into the metal mix metals, right, okay.

Speaker 3: 21:14

It certainly so that's contention to lighting is fun it doesn't need to be brush, nickel or black or gold throughout the whole house. We can fix it up but also to how it functions. That needs to have a function. That's why you have lighting over your island. That's yeah of lighting over your dining table. There are places that you need to be able to see what you're doing and in part, of the joy of Working with interior designers.

Speaker 1: 21:37

As a builder, again, we care about what things look like, we care about the quality of what we do, but a lot of times we're not thinking of the form, function, space planning part that you do. And you know Dependent lights over the island aren't just for looks, that's where the function is. Or you know the sconces, or you know just different light placement. So as a part of a new build, you actually go through and and do placement with the homeowner.

Speaker 3: 22:11

Okay, that's needs. Yeah, you know, I mean late in a bathroom. A lot of people don't know. You know, having in it is kind of dependent on the space, but it is ideal to have an overhead light in two sidelines. That's why it's framing your face, giving you a little better, more natural, almost outdoor lighting exposure.

Speaker 1: 22:29

Got you. Thanks for joining us today. As always, we are grateful for our listeners and your continued support. Please subscribe to our YouTube channel. Follow us on social media via Facebook, instagram and TikTok. Get more info at our website, wwwthethombuildingshowcom. And, as always, remember who we are the home building and remodeling show.