We almost missed it, but earlier this month our leaders over at the National Association of Home Builders released a new survey that supports what we've seen firsthand for years - Kitchens are no longer King!  According to a survey of more than 2,000 homeowners, conducted by NAHB, bathrooms overtook kitchens as the most popular remodeling project! Here are the top five most common remodeling projects during 2017:

• 81% - Bathroom Remodeling
• 78% - Kitchen Remodeling
• 49% - Whole House Remodeling
• 37% - Room Additions 
• 30% - Window and/or Door Replacements 

Beyond professional bathroom remodeling taking the number one spot, another new trend worthy of mention is that small scale renovations are slowly becoming equally as popular as large scale remodeling projects.  Remember our story from April about the difference between Remodeling and Renovating?  Once you've determined the degree of change for your project, the only thing left to do is call Diamond Bath today! 

As we all prepare for the Memorial Day Weekend, we wanted to share some quick yet important news about a notification we received this week!  We realize that just delivering great remodeling work at a fair price is not enough for a business to survive in 2018.  Businesses of every kind depend upon independent third-party companies to collect unbiased feedback and reviews from actual customers and clients. 

We're happy to report that beyond our affiliations with the Better Business Bureau, the Crystal Lake Chamber of Commerce,  Angie's List and Houzz, this week we celebrate one year of satisfied Diamond Bath customers on HomeAdvisor as well!  While we would have hoped for more than just three reviews, we realize that this is a fairly new service compared to the others and we look forward to adding even more five star ratings in the next 12 months! 

Regardless of which platform you choose to check references and reviews for remodeling businesses, everywhere you look you are bound to find legions of highly satisfied Diamond Bath customers!  Contact Us today to learn more about the design and remodeling services we provide to happy homeowners in McHenry and Lake counties in Illinois!

Last month, about the same time as when we were explaining the difference between remodeling and renovating, the Washington Post was busy identifying five new trends for master bathrooms. For those who are consistent readers of our blog (Thank You!), most of these trends will not be too surprising.  But, as usual, we felt it necessary to offer our own take, according to what we've found working with hundreds of other Northern Illinois homeowners. 

1. Smart Toilets: These devices are certainly media friendly, but the reality of people actually paying for self-cleaning or self-lighting toilets is still stuck predominantly in the single digits in the Midwest.  While the notion of seat warmers are appealing to many, especially in January, only our biggest remodeling projects tend to include heated toilet seats. 

2. Barn Doors: We know exactly which HGTV reality show raised the popularity of shiplap and barn doors with the American homeowners! And while we've seen them used frequently for closing off dens, offices and children playrooms, the majority folks we talk with each week prefer the security of a solid, locking door for their master bathroom.  

3. Free-Standing Tubs: Now here's a debate we can get behind! Actually, we already started the debate at the end of 2017 by asking about Ditching Your Tub in exchange for a Statement Shower.  Seems like the only thing we really determined is that people want MORE space for their master bathrooms so they can have both! And while free-standing tubs are certainly popular, our projects show almost twice as many request for larger, statement showers. 

4. Mixed Materials: This is absolutely a trend that we've participated with for at least five years now.  The trend isn't just about using different types of materials (like porcelain, stone and ceramic), but it's also about metal for your faucetry and even color coordination too. 

5. Voice-Controlled Technology: As Google and Amazon fight for voice control of your home, sometimes the bathroom is the last place you might consider adding these new devices, but we've installed plenty of new ceiling fans that were also bluetooth speakers.  When tied to your voice-controlled device of choice, you can get your weather forecast, news updates and music soundtrack all while enjoying your morning shower! 

If you're ready to turn your master bathroom into a more ideal space that includes some of these latest trends and technologies, do not hesitate to contact Diamond Bath Remodeling today!