A bathroom should fit the owner’s personal needs with regard to maintenance and function.

Improving on your small bathroom can create big headaches if you don’t start your plan with the basics.

Joe Ferrantegennaro, owner of The Bed and Kitchen Gallery, 6406 E. Fowler Ave., advises the first thing to look at when remodeling the bathroom is your checkbook.

“You need to know what type of budget you are working with,” he said. “Think about where you are starting all the designs. You can go off on many parts. So, you have to decide where you are heading with it.”

Once you know how much you are going to spend, the next question, Ferrantegennaro said, should be on what.

Ferrantegennaro advises to keep an eye on the specifications. It’s not only important to have the right and exact materials, but you must consider the maintenance and usage of your bathroom.

“One might favor porcelain material because it requires much less maintenance,” he said. “Others might be geared toward an old design or a universal that includes grab bars or curves on the showers so it is easy to walk in and out.

“Also, you would want to design for who is going to be in there. What type of products go with the needs of the family? Is it for multiple people or just one? Is it guests? Ages of the people?”

Ferrantegennaro, who has been in the construction business for more than 20 years, has had his share of special requests when asked to remodel bathrooms.

His most common requests?

“Sometimes it’s, ‘I don’t need a big seat in the shower, but a good enough seat to shave my legs.’ Now, that’s a personal thing.”

In addition to running his business, Ferrantegennaro — along with his brother John, who runs Red Cap Plumbing in Tampa — hosts “The Home Improvement Show.” The duo answers calls and emails from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturdays on WFLA-AM 970.

http://listingnews.tbo.com/stories/279320-Remodeling_cents