A Panelized Home: Blissful Bathrooms

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In 1742 when Thomas Gray wrote "...where ignorance is bliss, 'tis folly to be wise," he couldn't have been referring to building a house. As we have seen throughout the construction of the Hammonds' house, the more educated you are about the process than the better your chances are that your dream house won't turn into a nightmare. In many cases the families that are having their dream homes built work full-time and find it difficult to get out to visit showrooms and stores. Many manufacturers and retailers are discovering that if they can offer sales services all the time—twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week—it will allow their customers the freedom to educate themselves and purchase whatever they need on their own schedules. Years ago L.L. Bean in Maine became famous for this type of service. In today's world, companies are using the Internet to provide similar service. When Bob was renovating his own Cambridge shingle style home in Season Seven of Bob Vila's Home Again, he traveled to Wisconsin to tour the Kohler factories there. For our project we decided to tour Kohler in cyberspace—we invite you to do the same. Cybersink Kohler Co.'s website is both informative and impressive. When the Hammonds were looking for their bathroom and kitchen fixtures not only could they visit the site and find a convenient distributor, they could also browse through photographs and learn about the multitude of choices Kohler offers. Before choosing their Revival bathtub they could see photographs of several other tubs, whirlpools, and spas. Furthermore, when they decided on the Antique bath faucet and Revival hand-shower they already knew what to expect before they stepped into the showroom. Take a Test Dry Homeowners are always on the lookout for new ideas to improve their homes. As you know from any previous projects you've done, a good part of the fun is in the dreaming and the planning. Because bathrooms and kitchens are the most expensive rooms in your home you should make your decisions carefully. In order to feel, touch, and see what kind of bathroom/kitchen fixtures are available, you may want to visit your local home shows. Of course you can also visit kitchen and bath showrooms or go to real estate companies' open houses—who knows you may even discover your dream home is currently on the market. Buying a home is the largest investment most of us will undertake. It's rather odd that we are urged to test drive a car, but it's doubtful that many people selling their homes would invite you to stay for the night. However, if you're interested in experiencing the most recent advances in bathrooms and furniture and want to get in a game of golf as well, all you have to do is plan a vacation to Kohler, Wisconsin.

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