Interest in home improvement first started to mushroom in the 1990s with television shows like Changing Rooms, boosted by a burgeoning property market.
In more recent times, last year’s washout summer in particular has had a negative impact on the market. But ongoing government measures, such as Funding for Lending and Help to Buy are set to mean rising property prices and an increasing number of places changing hands – all of which is likely to see more of us looking to improve our homes this year.
One of the best places to start is in the bathroom, one of the rooms most likely to have an impact on the value of where you live. And one of the ways to enhance this most important area of any home is with tiling. It’s surprising just how much impact luxury bathroom tiles can have on this room’s appearance.
If you’re looking for designer tiles for bathroom improvements, the Internet is of course a good starting point. But here are some tips if you first need to remove old tiles first. This can be a messy job, not to mention a fair amount of elbow grease, but is something you should be able to do yourself.
• First, clean and protect nearby surfaces. Keep the floor covered.
• Begin at the edge of the tiling or along a grout line and hammer a chisel under the first tile, levering it upwards as you go. Make your way along the wall, removing areas of tile and collecting discarded tiles into rubbish sacks as you go.
