A --In addition to creating a relaxing, enjoyable room, improving your bathroom can substantially increase the future resale value of your home. If you are doing much of the work yourself and your budget is limited, make gradual improvements over a year or two.
Other than your kitchen, your bathrooms (especially a master bath) are the rooms that consume the most energy and water in the typical home. By making the proper design improvements and selecting the proper new products, you can make your bathroom much more efficient.
When remodeling a bathroom, the first item to consider is how you will heat it. Selecting the best heating method is somewhat complicated because bathrooms are used at many different times.
A combination of various types of radiant heat is often the most efficient and comfortable heating method for all uses. It is gentle, quiet, and can provide rapid heating to provide the best comfort. These radiant heating methods include wall and ceiling heating panels and cove or electric warm-floor heating units.
A wall or ceiling radiant panel provides heat quickly without chilly breezes. This allows you to keep the bathroom cooler when it is not being used, which results in energy savings. These heating units can be hidden in the ceiling or mounted against a wall or ceiling.
Electric warm-floor radiant heating provides the ultimate comfort when you step out of a shower. It is ideal for use under decorative ceramic tile that tends to hold the heat and radiate it slowly and continuously. Since a radiant floor does not provide rapid heat like wall or ceiling panels, consider putting it on a timer. Turn it on only during regular high-usage times in the morning and at night.
If you have ever used a towel warmer after bathing in a hotel, you know how great it feels. There are many attractive home-size models available that plug into a standard wall outlet. If you are tearing out the walls during your remodeling, hard-wire them in. They are made of brass, real oak, and chrome, and are designed to mount on a wall or on door hinges to save space. Using one lets you set the bathroom air temperature lower, without feeling chilly, so you can save on utility bills.
Most people add a whirlpool or hydro-massaging, multihead shower when remodeling. Some five-head showers use a small pump that recirculates the warm water to reduce water usage and the energy to heat it. If you will use a single shower head, select a low-flow model.
Select one of the new super-quiet automatic combination vent fan/lights. If you tend to forget to switch the fan off, consider getting one with motion and humidity sensors. These ensure that the light and fan run neither too long nor too little. If you get up often at night, consider a model that also has a built-in night-light.
Definitely install a new low-water-usage toilet. The one-piece models, although more expensive than two-piece models, are usually the most attractive. Pressure-assist toilet designs provide a positive, quick flush with low-water usage, but they are sometimes slightly noisier than standard gravity toilets.

Write for Utility Bills Update No. 507 for a list of manufacturers of concrete/foam blocks. Include $3.00, a business-size SASE, and Update number. Mail requests and questions to James Dulley, Kentucky Living, P.O. Box 54987, Cincinnati, OH 45254. Go to www.dulley.com to instantly download.