With gas creeping toward $5 a gallon, the cost of food inching upward and the "staycation" quickly becoming this summer's mantra, bargain-hunters are turning their sights on a new arena: remodeling. Rather than scrapping plans to get that new kitchen or bathroom of their dreams, homeowners are employing creative cost-cutting measures to revamp their living spaces. And they're doing it in droves. While some might still opt for high-end finishes and the latest Euro fixtures, there are still a lot of us who just want a little more space or a purely utilitarian second bathroom, and don't have the ability to sink a college fund's worth of cash into getting it.

Before remodel

One local homeowner embraced this remodeling ethos when he called on Master Builders Association member, Total Home Improvement Inc to add equity and utility to his home. The owner of a 1913 Ravenna Craftsman, he loved the charm of his house but was tired of the bathroom situation common to homes of that period. The home's sole bathroom was exceedingly cramped, with the wall-mounted sink jutting nearly to the bathtub and perilously close to the toilet. The owner had naturally tired of twisting into yoga poses to navigate the room, telling the contractor, he "practically had to step into the tub to get to the toilet."

With resale in mind, the owner wanted to open up the space, update the fixtures to a level on par with the rest of the house and add a second bathroom without completely breaking the bank. Following this strategy, Total Home Improvement devised a plan that worked within the existing structure of the house, utilized minimal framing and didn't involve gutting any spaces.

After remodel

Beginning with the existing bathroom, Total Home Improvement mapped out the solution to the puzzle that had long eluded the homeowner. With limited room on either side of the bathroom, they borrowed space from the closet of the small bedroom that shared a wall with the bathroom sink. The closet was divided in two, with half the space given to the bathroom and the other half retrimmed into a functional bedroom closet. THI then rerouted the plumbing lines from the basement into the new bathroom space, and added a recessed sink and custom cabinet, cleverly designed to offer both storage space and access to the relocated plumbing lines. A new medicine cabinet was installed above the sink and recessed lighting used to illuminate the alcove. They then updated both the shower surround and the new sink deck with period-appropriate subway tile.