bathroom remodeling Archives - Inspired Remodels

custom kitchen remodeing after picture kitchen island with drawers for storage

More Orange County Kitchen and Bath Remodeling Inspiration

As we approach the two-thirds mark on our march through 2025, the emphasis on style, functionality, and convenience continues when it comes to kitchen and bath remodeling in Orange County homes.

Homeowners crave comfort as well as sophistication in their projects. We looked at kitchen and bath remodeling trends at the first of the year. Let’s dive in and take a look again. Surely you’ll find something to inspire you in the bathroom, kitchen, and whole house renovations by Inspired Remodels.

Custom Kitchen Hoods

Ventilation hoods no longer serve a purely utilitarian purpose. Upscale kitchen remodeling projects in Orange County now include custom hoods. No longer a workhorse, these custom kitchen hoods now serve as statement pieces.

Custom hoods complement the cabinetry and overall design aesthetic while efficiently removing particles, odors, and heat generated by cooking indoors.

This gorgeous range hood efficiently removes grease, moisture, and particles from the air and thus prevents them from settling on backsplashes, counters, and cabinets. And it looks stunning whether at work or simply waiting for the next task.

Custom hoods also let you make the most of the space available and allow you to integrate hoods in odd-shaped areas.

Big Vibes in Small Spaces

Powder rooms and guest bathrooms are stepping up their design game in Orange County. Bath remodeling in smaller spaces includes floating vanities for the ultimate visual trick to make the room look bigger.

Bright chrome fixtures and barn door-inspired hardware bring a contemporary look with strong vibes that make a small guest bathroom appear spacious.

Don’t be afraid to use color and pattern. But exercise moderation. With bold colors, a little goes a very long way. In small spaces, this adage rings doubly true.

Natural Materials

Along with biophilic design, natural materials find their way into kitchen and bath remodeling projects all over Orange County.

Stone and wood play dominant roles in cabinetry, flooring, and shelving. Earthy tones provide a neutral backdrop that lets pops of brighter colors shine.

Whether the homeowner opts for authentic wood floors or wood-look porcelain and ceramic tiles, wood flooring remains a dominant choice in both kitchen and bath remodeling projects.

While quartz remains popular for countertops, homeowners opt for quartzite to bring a more natural feel to their designs. Stone, granite, and marble add a touch of cool elegance to any kitchen and bath remodeling update.

Luxury Twists

For the kitchen, this can mean dedicated dining areas, undercounter lighting, and high-end appliances. In the bathroom, homeowners want luxury in the form of heated or lighted mirrors, heated floors, and standalone tubs.

Primary retreats include en suite bathrooms where the spa vibe dominates. Once again, look to natural luxury materials like wood custom cabinets and stone vanity tops. Toss in a fireplace for the ultimate luxury touch.

Orange County Kitchen and Bath Remodeling Pros

In Orange County, trust your kitchen and bath remodeling project to the pros at Inspired Remodels. Watch your dreams transform into plans, and plans become reality.

Whether you need an updated kitchen, new life in the bathroom, or an update to the entire house, Inspired Remodels creates functional and beautiful spaces for the way you live.

bathroom renovation company adds fireplace to san clemente bathroom

General Contractors that Design and Build

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

From initial inspiration to the last construction detail, Inspired Remodels provides full general contractor and design services for Orange County remodels and renovations.

One room or the whole house, our customers enjoy extraordinary craftsmanship, laser-focused attention to detail, and dedication to customer satisfaction with every interaction.

Here’s what sets the design-build model apart.

Reimagining General Contracting

In a traditional general contractor (GC) role, the GC hires and manages the subcontractors, ensures the job site is safe, and installs the materials purchased by the homeowner. In some instances, the GC may also purchase the necessary materials, alleviating some of the work of the homeowner. They visit their client’s homes, check the quality and progress of the work, and update the homeowner, as necessary.

If a problem arises throughout the process, the homeowner serves as the liaison between the designer(s) and the general contractor. For example, if the contractor is in the middle of construction and finds something unexpected in the wall that cannot be moved, or is costly to do so, that impacts the design put into place by the designer, the homeowner would need to coordinate with both parties to determine the best path forward.

With the design-build approach to general contracting, the homeowner hires one firm to do all the work involved in the renovation or remodel. The project starts with the designer listening to the client’s unique needs and understanding their vision and goals for the project. Then the designer turns ideas into plans and component specifications.

Next, the plans become reality under the direction of the general contractor, working hand-in-hand with the designer along the way.

Bringing Designers and General Contractors Together

Better Communication + Coordination = Less Homeowner Stress

Ask any general contractor if undergoing a home remodel adds stress and strain to their clients’ lives. The honest ones will tell you yes, then explain how they try to make it better.

Putting the design and build functions under one umbrella gives the homeowner a single point of contact – typically the firm’s Project Manager or Site Supervisor. That improves communication, and in-turn reduces stress.

Unlike the typical general contractor and designer scenario where the homeowner is acting as the point person, in the design-build scenario, a Project Manager oversees the coordination of work on the homeowner’s behalf. This reduces the risk of miscommunication and errors (and headaches).

A unified team shares the vision and goals of the project, leading to smoother collaboration and faster decision-making – reducing stress on the homeowner!

Improved Outcomes = Better Customer Satisfaction

The collaborative nature of the design and build approach fosters stronger client-designer-builder relationships. This results in highly tailored renovation, remodeling, and renovation projects satisfying outcomes for clients and general contractors, too.

Because homeowners received coordinated expert guidance throughout the process, their vision becomes a reality effectively and efficiently. If problems come to light during the demolition process, for example, the designer gets notification and begins work on alternatives to solve the problem. Instead of getting bad news, the homeowner gets notification of the situation and proposed solutions. This collaborative approach improves customer satisfaction, even when problems arise.

Inspired Designers and General Contractors

Inspired Remodels offers design and build services to Orange County homeowners. With over 20 years of experience in home remodeling, Joe Mueller takes on the role of both General Contractor and designer. From the initial meet and greet at the design center, Joe gets a feel for the wants and needs of every client and helps them bring their visions to life. Whether a homeowner comes in to the process knowing exactly what they want, or if they need help in their decision making process, Joe can guide them each step of the way.

Joe brings an added element of expertise as a real estate broker, helping clients evaluate their renovations not just for aesthetics and function, but for long-term value. Through the eyes of a broker, he’s able to guide homeowners in their decisions taking into account how long the client intends to stay in the home and ensuring the improvements made are appropriate for the neighborhood they are in.

With all of the materials needed to complete a remodel available at the design center, Orange County homeowners can avoid the stress of having the track down materials on their own. From tile, countertops and cabinets, to plumbing fixtures, accessories, and lighting, see everything come together all in one place!

How to Avoid Being Scammed by General Contractors

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

Choosing to remodel your home – and selecting the right general contractor to bring your vision to life – is a major decision. For most of us, our home isn’t just where we live – it’s our most valuable asset. Inviting someone into your home to handle a renovation of any size requires a great deal of trust. From a general contractor’s perspective, being entrusted to work in someone’s home is a responsibility that’s not to be taken lightly,

Unfortunately, we have all heard horror stories about general contractors who didn’t live up to expectations. Given these stories, it’s no wonder some homeowners are cautious when it comes to hiring a general contractor. So how can Orange County homeowners looking to complete a renovation protect themselves from hiring the wrong general contractor, but instead hiring a general contractor they can trust? There are a few simple steps you can take to ensure you’ve found a quality general contractor.

man using laptop to check general contractors license online with state website

Let your fingers do the walking to check credentials online

Warning Signs & Red Flags

First off, there are a few general warning signs, red flags, or statements made that could lead you to ask a few more questions or dig a little deeper into the general contractor.

“I’m available to start tomorrow,” or something along those lines. If a general contractor has availability to start immediately or soon thereafter, you may want to ask yourself why they don’t have other work scheduled. Some general contractors book out months in advance, allowing for proper planning, product acquisition, etc.
High-pressure sales tactics. When you start feeling rushed into a decision, or the pitch takes on that all-too-familiar used-car salesman vibe, it’s time to hit pause.
Overall job costs that seem too good to be true. Unfortunately, they likely are! If you receive a few different estimates from different general contractors and one of them comes in much lower than the others, take the time to compare the estimates you’ve received. Ensure you are getting like-for-like estimates, i.e. the contractors are providing estimates on the same scope of work with the same quality of materials. Oftentimes, if you go with the much-lower bid, you may end up seeing more change orders throughout the process bringing your job total up in the long-run.

Credentials Matter

“Jack of all trades, master of none.” Although maybe an extreme example… would you entrust your dentist to perform brain surgery? While both went to medical school and sport the name doctor, that doesn’t make their credentials to do the job equal.

While some tradesmen carry multiple licenses, it would not be recommended to hire a plumber to wire your new bathroom. Or having your electrician remove a wall to create that open-space feel.

Instead, look to hire an Orange County-based general contractor who holds a State of California license (or if you are in another state, the respective state’s license). In California, utilize the Contractors State Licensing Board (CSLB) website to verify a contractor’s license status and credentials. You can search by Company Name, License Number, or even the contractor’s first and last name.

glasses on general contractor contract pages

Do some online research of general contractors you are speaking to

Ask for References

For most legitimate companies, you can find online references on sources such as Yelp, Facebook, Google, or even Houzz. However, take the reference check one step further and ask your general contractor for a couple of references you can speak to directly.

Although review websites do their best to eliminate the spam or paid-for reviews from their sites, some testimonials do end up slipping through their review process. If you are looking online and noticing overly generic praise, repeated phrases across multiple review, or a sudden flood of five-star rating in a short timeframe, take the reviews with a grain of salt. They may be a spam or paid-for review to boost the company’s overall rankings.

Instead, ask the general contractor(s) you are considering to hire for a couple of references you can reach out to directly. This allows you to ask any questions you may have, hear from an actual homeowner about their experience, and in some cases, see the finished work firsthand! If a general contractor gives you the “I don’t want to bother my clients” excuse, maybe do some additional online research of your home prior to signing a contract with that specific company or general contractor.

Trust Your Gut!

If in your conversations and interactions you’re noticing that “ick” feeling or something just doesn’t seem quite right, trust your instincts! While there may be a delay in getting your renovation started as you find another general contractor to work with, you want to find a general contractor that you feel one hundred percent confident with and in. Hiring the wrong general contractor or team can lead to extended timelines, costly mistakes, and potentially costly repairs.

If you are considering a renovation of your home, the Inspired Remodels team would love to speak with you. Having completed hundreds of remodels in Orange County over the last 20+ years, we are confident we can assist you in building your dream space.

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