Inspired Remodels, Author at Inspired Remodels

Changing the Conventional Wisdom on Orange County General Contractors

By Inspired Remodels / Home Improvement / Comments Off

Orange County general contractors often get a bad rap. People call them sleazy, unresponsive, unreliable, and dishonest. They refuse accountability. Then, when you need them the most, they disappear.

The contracting industry contains good and bad apples. Unfortunately, stereotypes rise from the actions of a few bad actors. Inspired Remodels changes the view of Orange County general contractors.

General Contractor Horror Stories

Hire a general contractor and expect licensed, professional, and skilled workers. The last thing you expect is a job that drag on for months. Or, subcontractors showing up to threaten placing a lien on your property because you haven’t been paid. That’s what happened to Robert S when he hired a general contractor to remodel his kitchen. Read the entire horror story on Yelp.

Or, how about Susan? She hired a general contractor to redo her kitchen. The job required the general contractor to replace ceiling popcorn with texture. Sounds nice? Well, Susan received more than she expected. The crazy general contractor hired a subcontractor to remove the popcorn and apply texture to every surface in the kitchen! That’s right, imagine your ceiling and every wall covered in texture. Talk about going overboard!

Design/Build Orange County General Contractor

Inspired Remodels paints a different picture of general contractors in Orange County. See, Inspired Remodels maintains an active license, has full insurance, and keeps your best interest at heart. They act as a design/build firm. Therefore you never suffer from miscommunication between the design firm and the contractor. So, whether you want a bathroom remodel, a kitchen remodel, or custom cabinetry or flooring, they create the plans and specifications. Once you approve the design, they schedule the work. Next, they perform the work to your delight.

Patty G in Trabuco Canyon posts on Yelp

Call (949) 716-1938 or Contact Us online and schedule a consultation. Share your project ideas, budget, and needs. Then, prepare for amazing results. Get quality work performed to your satisfaction with Inspired Remodels.

Article originally published on 7/29/2016. It has been updated to reflect current information.

Kitchen Renovation Must Haves

By Inspired Remodels / Home Improvement, Kitchen Remodel / Comments Off

When you are planning your next kitchen renovation you will be thinking about flooring, cabinet styles, finishes, counter tops, ovens, ranges, and refrigerators. Those are all key components to any kitchen renovation. But sometimes its the smaller things that can have a big impact on the finished kitchen. Inspired Remodels shares a few must haves to incorporate in your next kitchen renovation.

Drawers Over Doors

When you think about new kitchen cabinets, you need to think about more than the finish and style. You need to think abut how you will be using the storage space. For maximum efficiency in the kitchen, select drawers over doors for the base cabinets. Instead of opening a door, bending down, and rummaging around to get the item you need you can just pull out a drawer and the item will be right at hand.

These Orange County homeowners understood the benefit of drawers over doors during their recent kitchen renovation and are glad they made the switch every time they cook. Extra deep drawers are perfect for storing pots and pans out of sight but within easy reach.

Maximize Natural Lighting

Make the most of sunlight. It makes even small kitchens look larger. Saves on electricity too as natural lighting can be used for tasks during most of the day. Avoid heavy window treatments. They block light and make the kitchen look smaller.

Centralized Pantry Area

Designate at least one wall as your pantry wall. This saves steps when cooking and makes organizing and storing groceries a breeze. These remodelers applied this concept to create a wall that looks good and provides plenty of storage just where you need it. This pantry wall is close to the fridge, minimizing the steps needed to gather ingredients. Another option is to place the pantry wall next to the stove, where ingredients are handy. Pantry walls don’t need to be next to an appliance. But if they are, the best looking kitchens use either counter depth appliances or adjust the cabinet size to provide a smooth, finished appearance.

Quiet Dishwasher and Garbage Disposal

As kitchens are more and more integrated into the living space, the sounds emanating from the room are becoming just as important as the smells. You want to be part of the action as you cook and clean, but your family won’t appreciate the noise from overly loud dishwashers and garbage disposals.

When comparing features, be sure to look at the decibel levels during operation. Normal conversation is carried on at about 60 decibels. Get too close to that number and you have to shout over the dishwasher or disposal. Not good.

Many models made by Miele and Bosch operate in the 40 decibel range, making them perfect for open floor plans. As the appliance gets quieter, the price tag gets bigger. If your kitchen renovation budget doesn’t allow for one of these brands, pick a model with a delay start. This will allow you to run the dishwasher after you leave for the day or go to bed at night.

Undermount Sink

Single Bowl Undermount Sink

Undermount sinks are not only popular, they are practical. With this style sink, the sink edge lip is mounted under the countertop. It works with solid countertops such as soapstone, granite, and concrete. Laminate or tile counters will not have enough weight to support the sink. Undermount sinks provide a clean surface between the countertop and the sink. That means fewer crevices and cracks for crumbs and stains to hide in. Just wipe the crumbs off the countertop and into the sink. Clean up is a breeze. Speaking of clean-up, opt for a large sink that allows plenty of room to scrub those large pots, pans, and cookie sheets. The lighter the sink, the more stains it will show. Darker sinks won’t be stained by red wine, spaghetti sauce or coffee.

Double bowl undermount sink

Single bowl or multi-bowl is more a reflection of your cooking and cleaning style. If you put most of your dishes through the ultra quiet dishwasher, then a single bowl is perfect. If you prefer to hand wash your daily dishes, a single bowl is not very practical. In that case select a two or three bowl sink. If you have the space and the budget allows, a small prep sink is another must have.

Hire a Kitchen Renovation Pro

Hiring a company with expertise in kitchen renovation projects can be the difference between a dream kitchen that just looks good and a kitchen that looks amazing and functions like a dream. Inspired Remodels can turn your dream kitchen into reality. They will work with you to design a room that fuses function,, beauty, and your personal style. Check out our portfolio of kitchen renovations and then call (949) 716-1938 to schedule your consultation.

bathroom designers follow trend using natural colors to create serene look

3 Upgrades Your Bathroom Remodeler Should Include

By Inspired Remodels / Bathroom Remodel / Comments Off

Remodeling the bathroom is the perfect time to add those little touches that make a big difference day after day and year after year. A bathroom remodeler that’s up on the latest trends and technology can suggest things that you might not even occur to you. It’s the sign of a great remodeler! Here are 3 bathroom upgrade ideas from the Orange County’s premier bathroom remodeler, Inspired Remodels.

Recirculating Hot Water

How many times a day do you turn on the hot water at the shower, tub, or sink and watch gallons of cold water go down the drain while you wait for hot water to appear? Even if there isn’t a drought; that process wastes a lot of water.

But install a hot water recirculating system with your bathroom update or remodel and have hot water instantly! You will get hot water instantly to the new showers and sink, and you get the benefit of instant hot water at every hot water outlet in the house. This is one upgrade that saves water and save money. A hot water recirculating system can save up to 12,000 gallons of water in a home each year. Save up to 10% on your utility bill.

Some systems use a pump on your hot water supply to push water that has cooled to 98°F back into the tank to be warmed again. Others work on a pulse system of 150 seconds every 10 minutes to retain hot water at all faucets. The latest systems monitor your hot water usage for one week and then adjust your hot water output to match the days and hours it is needed most. Now if they could just get one smart enough to clean the shower!

Recirculating hot water systems can be installed on any type of plumbing and are sized based on the size of the supply and return lines. If your bathroom remodeler knows his plumbing, a hot water recirculating system is no sweat.

Personalized Shower Heads

Your shower head should reflect your personal preference in the shower. If you like long luxuriating 30 minute showers but feel guilty about the water you use, then talk to your bathroom remodeler about a low flow or water efficient shower head. These shower heads reduce the amount of water flowing through the head. So that 30 minute shower will use a fraction of the water. Low flow and water efficient shower heads aren’t for everyone however. Most use larger drops of water to simulate the feel of a higher pressure head.

If pressure is important to you, then ask the bathroom remodeler about a high pressure shower head. They are perfect if the water pressure in the bathroom is low or if you like the massaging feel of a shower. These work by either compressing the water through fewer holes or using a chamber to increase pressure.

An experienced bathroom remodeler knows that not all shower heads are created equal. If your contractor doesn’t talk to you about shower heads, you should be talking to another contractor.

Fog Free Mirrors

Speaking of showers, ever get out of that steamy shower only to be faced with a steamy mirror? Not the ideal situation if you need to dry your hair, shave, or apply make-up. You grab a towel to clear the fog and end up with a streaked mess.

Installing mirror defoggers at the time of the remodel is easy, is not expensive, and is one of those little touches that does make a big difference. Most models work by gently warming the glass in the mirror so that condensation does not form. It is the sample principle that your car’s defroster uses to keep your windshield and rear window clear. Mirror defoggers can even be wired into the light switches or exhaust fan switches to turn on without effort.

Best Bathrooms from the Best Bathroom Remodeler

The best bathroom remodels are designed and built by the best bathroom remodelers. Inspired Remodels is a total design and build firm. We turn your dreams into reality.

You don’t have to worry about your remodel becoming a nightmare when Inspired Remodels is on the job. We are completely licensed, insured, and a proud member of the Better Business Bureau. Get inspired by our bathroom remodel portfolio.

Ready for an awesome bathroom? Call (949) 716-1938 to schedule a consultation or contact us on-line.

Author: Inspired Remodels