Kitchen Remodels
Nicole Bickley
Is It Cheaper to Refinish Cabinet Doors or Replace Them?
Refinishing doors costs 20 to 40 percent of a full cabinet replacement and is worth it when the carcasses are sound, square and the layout is...
Nicole BickleyAll guides
Every plan, schedule and permit note on the site, newest first.
Bathroom RenovationNicole Bickley
How Do You Tank a Walk-In Shower Correctly?
Tanking is a continuous waterproof layer bonded to the substrate, carried up the walls to at least 200mm, sealed into the drain flange, and reinforced in...
Nicole Bickley
Bathroom RenovationNicole Bickley
What Is the Minimum Floor Fall for a Bathroom Shower?
A shower floor needs a minimum fall of 1 in 80, which is 1.25 percent, towards the drain, and 1 in 60 is safer where the...
Nicole Bickley
Materials & SpecsNicole Bickley
How Do You Choose a Kitchen Worktop Material?
Choose by how the kitchen is used rather than by how the sample looks: quartz or sintered stone for heavy daily cooking, laminate for a tight...
Nicole Bickley
Bathroom RenovationNicole Bickley
Do You Need a Permit to Move a Toilet?
Moving a toilet within the same room usually needs no planning permission but often needs building approval, because the soil connection changes. Moving it to another...
Nicole Bickley
Materials & SpecsNicole Bickley
Which Tile Substrate Do You Need for a Wet Room?
A wet room needs a dimensionally stable, waterproof substrate: cement backer board or a foam-cored tile backer board on walls, and a plywood or cement board...
Nicole Bickley
Permits & ComplianceNicole Bickley
Which Renovations Need Building Approval?
Approval is normally required for anything that changes structure, drainage, electrical circuits, gas installations, thermal performance or the use of a building. Cosmetic work, like painting,...
Nicole Bickley
Kitchen RemodelsNicole Bickley
What Is the Best Layout for a Galley Kitchen?
A galley kitchen works best with a single clear walkway of 1,050 to 1,200mm between the two runs, the sink on one side and the hob...
Nicole Bickley
Materials & SpecsNicole Bickley
What Is the Difference Between Porcelain and Ceramic Floor Tile?
Porcelain is a denser, lower-absorption body fired at a higher temperature, which makes it harder, more frost-resistant and more dimensionally stable. Ceramic is softer, more porous...
Nicole Bickley