i've got a couple of 'balls in the air', so to speak, with regard to home (condo) improvement issues. not being an expert in all areas, i thought i'd ask the one group of people in the world i know with expertise/experience in everything.

i'll number the issues so that answers can be correlated to questions when it's time to take action.

in no particular order, here they are:

1. when it comes to patio/exterior doors, does it make more sense in the long run to go with pella and/or andersen or, a more middle-of-the-road unit from, for example, reliabilt? pella/andersen unit prices double the in-stock prices of reliabilt units.

2. for those of you who've lived with them, which of the following is preferable? french doors or sliding glass doors? the ultimate goal is energy savings and ventilation.

3. has anyone here removed a tub in favor or a shower base? benefits and tradeoffs? has it hurt eventual resale?

4. when an old tub/shower surround is removed, given a roughly equal price point, is tile or another surround the way to go? i do have a tile design in mind, which a surround can't accomplish, but i'm concerned about grout longevity and cleanliness.

5. does anyone here have experience with a vessel sink? how are they for livability? my sink has a small footprint, and i feel that this would marginally improve counter-top space. vessel sink example

6. in the event that i replace a tub with another tub, would it make sense to get a tub with jets (at a cost difference of ~ $80 plus running power, which shouldn't be too difficult)? i never hop in the tub, but it might be a selling point.

thank you in advance.

oh, and if you could mention how impossible/difficult these things might be, it'd be awesome. i do pretty well at home improvement stuff, but would be doing all of this by myself.

thanks again.

brett

Here's my semi-informed opinion.

Don't remember if it's Pella or Anderson, but one has sliders that the sliding panel is on the outside. This means you have to open the screen to close the slider. Not good when you have 8 billion bugs plastered against the screen.

How much you spend is dependent on how long you're going to live there. Doesn't make sense to install premium stuff it you're moving in a couple years. I installe d Marvin windows and doors (spendy) but I hope to be here another 20+ years.

French or slider? The french requires more room to operate but tend to be more energy efficient. Windows and doors now have a energy efficiency rating kind of like R value for insulation. It's called fenestration value, but unlike R value lower is better.

The downside of no tub, assuming there isn't another one in the house, is that it may put off potential buyers w/ young kids. IMHO, almost no one above the age of 10 sits in the tub regularly. Some women like to fantasize about soaking in the whirlpool tub but it rarely happens. I know a single women who uses her tub as a laundry hamper.

Tile will be higher maintenance than a surround but it looks richer and can be truly custom. You also need more time a skill to install it. You need to decide if it's worth the trade off.


Again IHMO, a vessel sink would be a pain to live with but if your counter space is that tight it may work for you.

thank you for the reply-

to help clarify the situation, the doors would be on a home which will be occupied in perpetuity, from what i can tell, while the bathroom questions apply to a single-bedroom condo.

the condo isn't a keeper, but i will be there awhile.

thanks & keep 'em coming!

brc

My door is an Anderson, You've seen it enough said. If I had the room I would have put in a French door. Much more durable and energy efficient. Durabilty is a concern as you have also seen.

I used that very same sink for a remodel a couple years ago. It's nice, I liked it a lot. However if you turn on the faucet too fast the water will flow around the bowl and right out the front onto you.

In my mind the tub would only be a selling point to families with small children. Kids get washed in tubs, most adults never use the tub, well except if it's part of a shower or a jetted tub. If the rest of the house (and neighborhood) is designed for families with small kids then maybe leave it. Otherwise put in a nice full-tiled shower, perhaps a two headed shower. Having bought/sold and lived in way too many houses I've learned that what really makes a house distinctive are the kitchen, bathrooms and closets. The other rooms are almost always identical from one house to the next. Just my $0.02.

You did that yourself That's friggen great work man

What's behind the mirror? Some sort of divine being?