The Hidden Traps of Kitchen and Bathroom Remodeling: How to Avoid These 5 Costly Mistakes

by Cynthia Murphy | May 24, 2024 | Bathroom, Budget, kitchen

The Hidden Traps of Kitchen and Bathroom Remodeling: How to Avoid These 5 Costly Mistakes

There’s no secret that remodeling projects are an investment in your future. The last thing you want is costly mistakes that with thoughtful planning could easily be avoided.

In fact, almost all unwanted cost overruns can be eliminated by avoiding these (5) Costly Mistakes during your design and planning phase.

Costly Mistake #1. Getting cost proposals based on ideas and what ifs.

Don’t fall into the trap of contacting a remodeling contractor for an estimate before you have flushed out your design details. Signing a contract based on Material Allowances puts all the stress on you to stay within their predetermined costs, costs that are often based on nothing more than guesswork and their own agendas. Accepting any Contract created from Material Allowances is a sure way to end up regretting all your decisions.

The best remodeler’s understand that the happiest homeowners take the time to design and plan before they sign a contract to build.

Costly Mistake #2. Skipping the plans and drawings.

When it comes time to sign a Remodeling Contract make sure to reference and include all the documents as part of your agreement. That includes cabinet plans, drawings and renderings of all materials to be installed. Visual representation of the work to be completed is often the only thing you have that communicates what you expect. Nothing adds more unexpected costs than having to redo work that ends up not looking like you thought. Visual communication is meant to confirm what your detailed Scope of Work describes.

A detailed set of plans and renderings is critically important to getting what you want.

Costly Mistake #3. Vague Scopes of Work.

Certainly one of the most epidemic problems in the home improvement industry is poorly written work scopes. Vague scopes of work are at the center of almost all homeowner contractor disputes. A properly written scope of work should state who, what, when and how the tasks of your project will be completed. It provides you, as the homeowner, the opportunity to ask questions and clarify that the best practices within the current residential construction guidelines are being followed.

Don’t be caught off guard with unexpected change orders for things you thought were included in the cost.

Costly Mistake #4 Navigating without an Experienced Guide.

DIY-ing your design, plan and hiring decisions can cost you thousands of dollars in regretful mistakes.

There’s absolutely no reason to go it alone when help that fits any budget is readily available. The old saying “you don’t know what you don’t know” becomes painfully obvious once your project mistakes start to creep in. Getting experienced professionals to guide you; provide answers to your questions, context, feedback, and cost effective solutions is not just for wealthy homeowners; virtual and group services provide an amazing value for a smaller investment than Design Build Remodeling.

Remember this; fixing mistakes will always be more expensive than the cost of getting feedback from a pro before they happen in the first place.

Costly Mistake #5 Ignoring Best Practices for Hiring.

Hiring for your Home Remodel is time consuming and frustrating but doing it well is critical to protecting your financial investment. It takes researching, verifying, and being aware of the proper contract attachments with terms and conditions that are recommended by your State or Local Government. All too often this comes to light once problems start popping up, leading to uncomfortable conversations. The projects we hear about that are associated with abandoned or poorly constructed work have one thing in common; the warning signs were in plain sight. A hiring system illuminates the blind spots that we as homeowners would naturally miss.

Following a system for hiring makes sure you don’t miss red flags, all while saving your time and frustration.

Smart homeowners realize that by completing their design and planning first, before hiring, everything becomes easier. By following a system, guided by experienced professionals, that walks you through each step you can design and plan your project so that it impacts your life emotionally and financially for many years to come.

That’s why we make our project development services available to you in 1-1 In Person and Virtual, plus Small Group Collectives. If you want to learn more about how we can help you check out our design and planning services here.

About The Author

Lauren Murphy is Murphy’s Designs Selection Specialist and has been working for the company since 2010. She has a background in photography, and a certificate in Home Staging and Redesign. She loves to spend time researching new products and materials and staying up to date on all the Kitchen and Bath design trends.

The 1,500 Dollar Powder Room

by Cynthia Murphy | Jul 14, 2021 | Bathroom, Budget, Learning Center, Terrace Turnaround Project, Uncategorized

The 1,500 Dollar Powder Room

Well, here we are… again. I had big dreams of remodeling our home but I have to be honest I didn’t think that they were going to go like this. Making Emergency Remodel bathroom selections are very different than making selections when you’ve saved and prepared for a remodel. I had planned on saving a good deal of money for our kitchen/ main living area remodel but when our dishwasher flooded back in May all of those plans changed. Our hardwood floors were ruined, a few of our cabinets were ruined, mold was able to grow, it was just a mess. I had planned on having time to make my selections, I had planned on a very different experience. The truth of the matter is with remodels you don’t always get to have what you planned. Sometimes there are air ducts that cant be moved, electrical that can’t be moved, mushrooms magically appearing and forcing you into an impromptu renovation during a global pandemic. Things come up. It happens. Luckily, it’s part of my job to figure it out.

If you’re just joining me and haven’t seen my previous posts about the Terrace Turnaround Project, I recommend giving them a quick read for a little back story about this house and all that we’ve gone through with it.

So, it’s time for the Terrace Turnaround Powder Room selections. This is the only half bath in the house, we thought about ripping it out completely but ultimately we decided against that. I did not want to spend a lot of money on this postage stamp of a potty so I kept my selections modest. I did however want to gain some space because it’s a tight bathroom.

Saving Money On Tile

Typically, the larger the tile the more affordable. This works out for two reasons.

1. It covers more square footage for less material

2. It didn’t cost as much to manufacture. The more intricate the tile, the more expensive it’s going to be.

If you want to dress up your large scale tile take something like a square and turn it to lay in a diamond shape. It adds class without adding cost.

Another way to save is by purchasing tile by the square foot instead of by the piece this can also save you money depending on the circumstance.

One more reason I went with tile in the powder room was because we’re having actual hardwood floors laid throughout not LVP, our current floor in the powder room is hardwood and years of water damage from toilet leaks have taken there toll, something I’d like to avoid in the future!

Saving Space & Money On Vanities

Pedestal Sinks, they might not be your first thought when you’re considering updating your powder room but you shouldn’t dismiss them too quickly. Pedestal sinks have come a long way as far as style goes and they can go a long way in stretching your budget and space saving anywhere from 3″-5″ in depth and anywhere from 300-500 dollars in cost! You’ll also save on cost here because if you were going to swap out vanity hardware you don’t have to now, because there isn’t any!

Saving Space with a Round Front Toilet

This choice wont necessarily save you a lot of money but combined with the pedestal sink it will definitely save you space. A round front toilet is about 2″ shorter in depth than an elongated one. So if you get yourself a pedestal sink and a round front toilet you could gain about 7″ between the vanity and the toilet. If you have a postage stamp size powder room this could give you some much needed leg room.

You can also save money in other ways like visiting your local Home Goods or Target for a mirror instead of buying one online from Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware, or one of those places. Lighting is also an area that you can save money on, In such a small space it doesn’t have to be super fancy. I knew the exact light I wanted for my bathroom so I decided to save in other areas like the floor tile.

This Project will begin August 1st 2021 and I can’t wait to share more with you then!

About The Author

Ashburn Virginia Bathroom Remodel on a budget Part III.

by Lauren Murphy | Dec 11, 2020 | Bathroom, Learning Center, Remodel, Terrace Turnaround Project

Ashburn Virginia Bathroom Remodel on a budget Part III.

It’s time to share the final photos of our Ashburn “Emergency” Bathroom Remodel on a Budget. We weren’t prepared for this remodel, hence the emergency part and we had to tap into our savings in order to do it. If you read my post about Mold and Mushrooms then you have the background. Basically, six months into our new home our hall bath revealed a silent problem. (If you haven’t read the entire post you can access it here:).

Now for the logistics; we were blessed to have enough savings but this was going to be a very tight budget for a full gut remodel. many new homeowners go into the first year cash poor and this project is a great example of a very tight budget for a full gut remodel. My decision to gut the bathroom was made easier as I know from my training that the only real fix is to have waterproofing installed. Plus, I’m a health and wellness specialist and getting it done, the right way, once was important to us.

First step; top of the line Schluter Systems Kerdi waterproofing. This is something we do for all of our bathrooms at Murphy’s Design. The mold problem was caused from the builder not water proofing, then previous owners not maintaining the grout and caulk. After experiencing the mushroom sprout it was even more obvious the importance of taking this step. Proper waterproofing adds to the cost of materials and to the labor but it protects your investment forever. Tip: Dont forego the Waterproofing….ever.

Because of the added expense in fixing the mold and doing the waterproofing we needed selections that were affordable, very affordable. We purchased all of tile off the shelf from our local Floor & Decor and our vanity came off the shelf from Ikea. Our Tub, toilet, and other plumbing fixtures came from build.com. For the paint in this bathroom it’s Benjamin Moore’s AURA Bath and Spa Primer and Paint. This is a special formula specifically developed to handle moisture. We probably could have gotten away with using regular primer and the Aura paint but we wanted to be extra cautious.

Something I Love,

One thing I love about this finished space is the shower tile. I am obsessed with organic nature of it and at the same time the modern geometric straight stack pattern we had it laid in. The naturaI imperfect edges mixed with the high gloss white and straight stack just gives it a nice transitional feel, blending both my natural organic preference and my partners clean modern aesthetic perfectly.

Really, photos just don’t do this space justice, the vertical straight stack pattern that this tile is laid in makes the room feel so tall and bright! When you’re in the shower it has an open and airy feel to it that I’m just so happy with.

Something else I’m really happy with is the use of a marble threshold as the base of the niche. When we use these marble pieces it makes for a nice clean surface without any grout lines when your product drips. And let’s not overlook the bronze Schluter edging. I love how it frames the niche and matches the fixtures. This is a fun way to incorporate some classy marble and a natural material while also creating a surface that is much easier to keep clean. I love how this niche takes an otherwise simple white shower and gives it a little art.

Something I’d Change,

I have to be honest and say that because we had such a tight budget for this space I didn’t do as much research on the actual bathtub as I should have. If I could go back and select a soaker tub, I would. Even though it would’ve tapped into our savings a little more, in the end, it would have been worth it. This tub will work great for small children, and it also works great as a tub for adults who don’t take a bath and primarily will use the shower. It’s easy to step over and it’s easy to bend over. What it’s not is a tub for adults to soak in. It will work fine for us and it won’t affect resale value but if I could go back I probably would’ve spent more money and gotten the bigger tub. on the positive side, by not getting the bigger tub however we saved money because we didn’t have to move the plumbing fixtures up and the less fancy tub obviously costs less. It’s definitely something I’ll think harder about from now on though.

Something That Surprised Me,

I can confidently say that I would buy another Ikea Hemnes Vanity. If you have the patience to wait for the vanity because of COVID it’s a great update. I replaced the hardware for some more high end pulls instead of their knobs and it really pulled everything together. The vanity is solid, it comes with the top, nice size drawers and has tons of storage. I may even put the white version of this same vanity in our master bathroom just for consistency.

We are thrilled with how this bathroom turned out, I learned a lot working for myself on making sure the pieces we choose works for the long haul. Hopefully, for our next space, we’ll have just a little more time to plan.

About the Author
Lauren Murphy has worked with Murphy’s Design since 2010, she has a background in photography and is a Certified Home Stager and Redesigner. She currently lives in Loudoun County Virginia with her partner, Jonathan and their dog Rory. // 703-854-1343

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Emergency Remodel Bathroom Selections Part II.

by Lauren Murphy | Jul 9, 2020 | Bathroom, Learning Center, Remodel, Terrace Turnaround Project

Emergency Remodel Bathroom Selections Part II.

Well, here we are. I had big dreams of remodeling our home but I have to be honest I didn’t think that they were going to go like this. Making Emergency Remodel bathroom selections are very different than making selections when you’ve saved and prepared for a remodel. I had planned on saving a good deal of money, I had planned on having time to make my selections, I had planned on a very different experience. The truth of the matter is with remodels you don’t always get to have what you planned. Sometimes there are air ducts that cant be moved, electrical that can’t be moved, mushrooms magically appearing and forcing you into an impromptu renovation during a global pandemic. Things come up. It happens. Luckily, it’s part of my job to figure it out.

If you’re just joining me and haven’t seen my previous post about the Terrace Turnaround Project and how I got here, I recommend giving it a quick read for a little back story. It will get you up to speed and paint a clearer picture of this situation.

So, it’s time for the Terrace Turnaround Bathroom Selections. I LOVE making selections. It’s what I’m good at, I can visualize spaces before they’re completed simply by pulling the right selections. Very few things in life give me as much of a rush as good selections.

First things First with this space, the mold. Honestly as much fun as making selections is solving that problem, getting rid of it and making sure it never returns was my top priority. So as I mentioned in my last post, we made sure the mold hadn’t spread outside of the bathroom and then cleaned the mold and sealed the sub floor and drywall with KILZ. Once all of that was done the guys added new drywall where it was needed and waterproofed the space with Schluter products. We use Schluter on every job. A good bathroom starts with great waterproofing, never let anyone cut this corner in your space. Without good waterproofing your new bathroom was basically a waste of time.

Now that I think I’ve sufficiently lectured you about properly waterproofing your bathroom I think we can move on to the fun stuff!

Tile Selections

My significant other loves clean warm grays, so we went with a white ‘subway tile’ laid in a vertical straight stack pattern. I really wanted to add height to the space and this is a good way to do it. For the niche I chose a tile that coordinated nicely with the vertical pattern as well as the marble look of the porcelain floor tile. We topped the niche off with a piece of marble threshold for ease of cleaning and to dress it up a bit.

Plumbing Selections

As far as plumbing fixtures I went straight for my go to Delta Trinsic Facuet and shower head and tub filler. They’re simple, affordable, and the style is transitional enough to work in most spaces.

The Mood Board

As a whole this space needed to have products that were quick and easy to source as it was a last minute must do remodel and they needed to be affordable. As far as the design went I wanted to be slightly masculin since this is my significant others bathroom in his office but at the same time neutral so that when we sell the house in the future it doesnt turn anyone off by having too distinct of a style. With my background in Home Staging I am constantly thinking about resale, sometimes to a fault. But we know this isn’t our forever home so in this case it was important the space work for both my significant other and future children that may inhabit the room.

My next post will share with you the after photos of the space and I am SO thrilled with how everything turned out. I’ll also talk a little about selecting a bath tub and some things I would’ve done differently in hindsight.

About The Author

A story of mushrooms, moisture, and mold Part I.

by Lauren Murphy | Jul 8, 2020 | Bathroom, Learning Center, Terrace Turnaround Project, Wellness Design

A story of mushrooms, moisture, and mold Part I.

Mushrooms, moisture and mold the backstory.

This post is the first in a series I’m calling the Terrace Turnaround Project. This one is personal to me, because it’s my own home! In this series I’m going to really open myself up to you guys, give you a little back story and then share the progress and process of my partner, Jon and I remodeling our space.

This project is different from most of Murphy’s Design’s projects for multiple reasons.

It’s going to take awhile. Not each space on their own but as a whole this house is a project.
I wont be using a lot of the materials we typically use. We just purchased this home and our budget is very tight. The quality of work will of course be high end but most of my materials will be found directly on store shelves.

Most of the reasons for the updates we’re making to the home aren’t just for aesthetics. This house has issues with airflow, moisture, and allergens. In the changes we’re making all of these things will be addressed so that we can have a happy, healthy space.

The House…

Jon and I purchased our house at the end of August in 2019 after an exhausting home search. The market was extremely hot and houses moved quick. If you didn’t make a decent offer you didn’t get the house. It was definitely a sellers market and without going into much detail, we paid the price.

Our home was built in 1991 and has all the charm of a typical 90’s home (wink, wink). No but really, the exterior of the home drew me in with its brick front steps and its dormer windows. I wanted a traditional home, a colonial. I’m a huge fan of Williamsburg and its architecture and I wanted something reminiscent of that.

We made our offer and had our home inspection which at the time came back clean minus a couple of small items we thought we could address ourselves. To the naked eye and the home inspector, everything appeared to be working properly, and everything looked very clean.

However, after living in the home for a few months we started to notice that maybe things weren’t as clean and proper as we’d originally thought.

There were some simple issues of things being outdated, normal fixes that come with buying a home.

The washer and dryer were original to the home, yup, a circa 1991 washer and dryer set. We replaced those. We had squirrels living in our roof line, we removed those. We quickly learned that the dishwasher was running, but it wasn’t spraying water anywhere near our top dishes, so we replaced that. We learned the bathroom fans were running but none of them were removing any steam or moisture from the bathrooms. So we decided those should also be replaced. And that’s where our fixing up came to a screeching halt.

The Bathroom…

One fateful day I entered the bathroom and found.. a mushroom. I was MORTIFIED. We decided to have my Dad (John Murphy) come out and inspect the situation. He (rather easily) removed several tiles and we discovered two things. The bathroom hadn’t been waterproofed before it was tiled. Believe it or not, waterproofing isn’t mandatory in the state of Virginia. And a very intricate eco system was living between the tiles and walls of our shower. My dad left that day and Jon and I knew we needed to decide what to do, as soon as possible.

Warning: The following images may be disturbing to some viewers (like me).

About 24 hours later we walked back into the bathroom and were overcome by the damp mildew smell in the space. We had only removed about 4 tiles at this point and the smell could knock you on your behind it was so strong.

We could’ve treated the mold that we could see, seal up the drywall, waterproof and retile the shower but I’m not a fan of doing half a project. And to be honest that banjo countertop was just as unappealing to me as the mushroom was. So in the end we decided that ultimately the right choice for our health was to gut the bathroom and get down to the sub floor of the situation.

The bathroom was gutted that same week and we found mold on the sub floor, around the tub and toilet, and mold along the drywall near the tub. Thankfully the mold hadn’t penetrated the subfloor or the drywall so we treated and killed it and sealed the sub floor. Within just a few hours the space smelled SO much better.

Up Next…

I promise there will be no more mold and mushroom photos! I’ll talk about the waterproofing process that we always do at Murphy’s Design. And I’ll also be sharing the selections I made for the space and why I made them. I am a stickler for staying true to the style of the home but I do have a partner that prefers more modern touches. In order to make him and myself happy I decided to take a transitional approach to the design, but let’s be real… anything without mushrooms would’ve made us both ecstatic!

Until next time,

Lauren Murphy

More of the Terrace Turnaround Project