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Show LCCC 2 het tes eee frogs ‘ pene ee eee —Page7 j Updating bath’s counter culture from 1960 is simple Q. Both our bathrooms have 60s-style, fake double-sink marble counter tops. What new materials might bring our bathrooms up to date? A. A variety of attractive contemporary bath counter tops are available. The least expensive is a plastic laminate such as Formica, which is availabie in a variety of modern colors and designs. An excellent moderately priced choice is a cultured marble onepiece sink-counter top. A more expensive attractive option is a solid acrylic counter top, such as Corian, which offers rich, deep colors, is durable and can be repaired. Very expensive but quite attractive and virtually indestrucuble is a granite counter top. And don't overlook ceramic tile, which is never out of date Q. Whatis involved in remodeling a 5-by-8-foot bath and how much would it cost? A. To do the job properly, we recommend taking the existing bathroom back to bare studs. Most older bathrooms have wallpaper or many layers of paint, and stripping, patching and re-texturing the walls can be more costly than hanging new drywall. With the drywall removed,all wails can be insulated for sound, new plumbing can be installed from the slab up, and any new wiring, switches, lights or receptacles can be installed more easiIly. Building codes will determine, in part, what must go into your new bath. For example, codes require that the shower valve be pressure-balanced to prevent scalding,the toilet be 1.6 gallons for water conservation and any receptacles be ground fault protected to prevent electrical shock. We recommend a newcast-iron tub, which costs more than steel but has a more lustrous finish and is more durable. The showertile should be backed with a cement board rather than a moisture-resistant drywall. The cement board will not deteriorate, as the drywall eventually will. For beauty and durability, tile flooringis best. Either a pedestal sink or a vanity with a one-piece cultured marble sink/counter top and a singlelever faucet would serve you well Also you can add a mirror or mirrored medicine cabinet with a separate light bar. Of course, the new toilet should be a 1.6-gallon water saver. A primer coat, body coat and finish coat of paint can be applied to the new, freshly textured drywall Professionally instaHed, this remodel should cost about $5,000. Questions are answered by Robert A. Brobst of Old Mill Construction in Winter Park, Fla. Heis a memberof the Remodelers Council, an arm of the Home Builder's Association of MidFlorida. Address questions to Ask the Remodeler, The OrlandoSentinel, P.O. Box 211, Orlando, Fla Beautitul home under construc 11 OFFICES STATEWIDE TO SERVE YOU _UNON FARK 567-4000 SALTLAKE 067-4000 OGDEN «79-7579 WESTJORDAN seaeau0 TOOELE 642.2800 |