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Dublin, March 20, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Philippines Construction Industry Databook Series - Market Size & Forecast by Value and Volume, Opportunities in Top 10 Cities, and Risk Assessment" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The building construction industry in Philippines is expected to record a CAGR of 14.4% to reach PHP 871.1 billion by 2024.

The residential construction industry in value terms increased at a CAGR of 9.7% during 2015-2019. The commercial building construction market in value terms is expected to record a CAGR of 15.3% over the forecast period.

This report provides data and trend analyses on building construction industry in Philippines, with over 80 KPIs. This is a data-centric report and it provides trend analyses with over 120+ charts and 100+ tables. It details market size & forecast, emerging trends, market opportunities, and investment risks in over 30 segments in residential, commercial, industrial and institutional construction sectors.

It provides a comprehensive understanding of construction industry sectors in both value and volume (both by activity and units) terms. The report focuses on combining industry dynamics with macro-economic scenario and changing consumer behavior to offer a 360-degree view of the opportunities and risks.

In addition to country level analysis, this report offers a detailed market opportunity assessment across key cities, helping clients assess key regions to target within the city.

Report Scope

This report provides market size and forecast across 40+ construction segments for a period of 10 years from 2015-2024 in Philippines.

KPIs covered include the following:

Philippines Residential Building Construction Coverage: 10-year market size & forecast in value and volume (area and units) terms by:

Philippines Commercial Building Construction Coverage: 10-year market size & forecast in value and volume (area and units) terms by:

Philippines Industrial Building Construction Coverage: 10-year market size & forecast in value and volume (area and units) terms by:

Philippines Institutional Building Construction Coverage: 10-year market size & forecast in value and volume (area and units) terms by:

Philippines Infrastructure Construction Sectors: 10-year market size & forecast in value terms by:

Cities Covered

Reason to Buy

Companies Mentioned

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/gpl77i

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.

Excerpt from:
Philippines Construction Industry to Record a CAGR of 14.4% During 2020-2024 - GlobeNewswire

One day after being ordered to halt all construction activity inPennsylvania to curb COVID-19's spread, state contractors are complying. with enforcement set to start on March 21, while remaining hopeful that certain critical projects can be restarted promptly.

Pennsylvaniabecame the first state in the nation on March 19 to order all construction activity to stopas part of a sweeping measureto cease operation of all "non-life sustaining businesses."

[For ENRs latest coverage of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, click here]

The order issued by Gov. Tom Wolf (D-Pa.) immediatelystoppedthousands of construction sites across the state.

Its a whirlwind right now trying to get projects closed up today, Seth Myers, an executive vice president with Allan Myers, a Worcester, Pa., contractor, said in an email on March 20. "Planning and conference calls started last night after the governor made his announcement.

Allan Myers ranked 8th on ENR MidAtlantic's most recent Top Contractors ranking, reporting more than$168 million worth of work in Pennsylvaniain 2018.

"Although very painful and disruptive the shutdown of all construction businesses in Pennsylvania will save lives," says Robert Cottone, president and CEO of IMC Construction Inc., which ranked 18th on the ENR MidAtlantic's most recent Top Contractor list, performing more than$400 million worth of work in Pennsylvania during 2018. The Malvern, Pa. contractor is currently working on 10 projects in Pennsylvania.

While the governor's order haltedall heavy/civil and building projects, along with allspecialty trade work, a chart released by the governors office stated that in extenuating circumstances, special exemptions will be granted to businesses that are supplying or servicing health-care providers. But shortly after the order was given, industry members didn't have a clear picture of how toapply for exemptions and what the criteria will be.

Seven ongoing IMC projects in the state are in thehealthcare sector, includinghospitals andmedical office buildings.

"Healthcare organizations should be able to obtain waivers without delay for ongoing healthcareconstruction projects whose completion can help in the response effort," Cottone said."To avoid any loss of time and bureaucracy, healthcare institutions should be empowered to self-regulate the restarting of projects they feel critical."

IMC does extensive work for theUniversity of Pennsylvania Health System and is the contractor on Penn Med's $200-million facility inRadnor Township. The facility was slated to open this spring to provide comprehensive cancer care.

"Projects that can be completed and opened within 30 to 60 days should get priority" for waivers, Cottone said..

Enforcement gavefirms just one business day to secure and stabilize their construction sites. "Each project is at a different state of completion, requiring different resources," Cottone said.

Joe Castellano, senior vice president &general manager at Walbridge, says his firm "firmly" supports Wolf's "goal to protect our communities. Decisive action, followed by appropriate policy modifications, is responsible given todays dynamic environment and we will continue to follow federal, state, and local guidelines, while adhering to all precautions."

The contractor, ranked 50th on the ENR MidAtlantic Top Contractor list with $91.05 million in revenue.

"The construction industry, with its unique ability to deal with unpredictable events, is prepared to manage through the challenges ahead," Castellano said. "While the physical job site may be shut down, the work continues."

Castellano said Walbridge has been "actively implementing strategies and collaborative online meeting tools with all stakeholders"to keep offsite work moving along.

"We proactively maintain company-wide plans that safeguard our ability to perform construction services when the field work resumes," he said. "With the partnership of the men and women of the skilled trades, we will navigate this unprecedented event together."

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Pa. Contractors Rush To Respond to Construction Stop Order - Engineering News-Record

Dublin, March 20, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Germany Construction Industry Databook Series - Market Size & Forecast by Value and Volume, Opportunities in Top 10 Cities, and Risk Assessment" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The building construction industry in Germany is expected to record a CAGR of 4.2% to reach EUR 405.2 billion by 2024. The residential construction industry in value terms increased at a CAGR of 5% during 2015-2019. The commercial building construction market in value terms is expected to record a CAGR of 3.2% over the forecast period.

Construction of residential facilities has always been the driving factor for the growth of the infrastructure sector in the country. Lesser number of building permits is forcing the reduction in the number of homes built in Germany. This decline is particularly large for residential buildings.

The key reason behind the decreasing number of building permits in the country was a problem with the designation of sufficiently affordable building land by the municipalities.

The residential sector in the country is still in much demand due to the high immigration of refugees, strong urbanization and an increasing number of immigration of professionals. That being said, lesser number of approvals by the government is expected to adversely impact the construction outlook in the country.

Report Coverage

This report provides data and trend analyses on building construction industry in Germany, with over 80 KPIs. This is a data-centric report and it provides trend analyses with over 120+ charts and 100+ tables. It details market size & forecast, emerging trends, market opportunities, and investment risks in over 30 segments in residential, commercial, industrial and institutional construction sectors.

It provides a comprehensive understanding of construction industry sectors in both value and volume (both by activity and units) terms. The report focuses on combining industry dynamics with macro-economic scenario and changing consumer behavior to offer a 360-degree view of the opportunities and risks.

In addition to country level analysis, this report offers a detailed market opportunity assessment across key cities, helping clients assess key regions to target within the city.

Report Scope

This report provides market size and forecast across 40+ construction segments for a period of 10 years from 2015-2024 in Germany.

KPIs covered include the following:

Germany Residential Building Construction Coverage: 10-year market size & forecast in value and volume (area and units) terms by

Germany Commercial Building Construction Coverage: 10-year market size & forecast in value and volume (area and units) terms by

Germany Industrial Building Construction Coverage: 10-year market size & forecast in value and volume (area and units) terms by

Germany Institutional Building Construction Coverage: 10-year market size & forecast in value and volume (area and units) terms by

Germany Infrastructure Construction Sectors: 10-year market size & forecast in value terms by

Cities Covered

Reason to Buy

Companies Mentioned

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/njya3j

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.

See the original post:
Germany Construction Market Insights, 2015-2024: High Immigration of Refugees, Strong Urbanization, Rising Number of Professionals Immigrating -...

A Newton development company this week filed formal plans to replace WBZ-TV's current Soldiers Field studios and offices with a new building right next door - which would leave open a large piece of land for possible future development.

In a filing with the BPDA, National Development says the proposed 63,000-square-foot, three-story building, which would replace a small office building and part of the current WBZ parking lot, would provide a state-of-the-art TV production facility for a station that now must deal with its current antiquated building.

The new studio will let WBZ stay in Boston and more particularly, in Allston, a neighborhood that National Development says is already bursting with pride at having the TV station in its midst:

The celebrated history of this WBZ-TV/CBS facility as a significant part of the culture and community has been a source of pride for the neighborhood for decades.

National Development adds:

The design of the building faade is intended to express the forward-thinking goals and modernization of WBZs studio operations, with a mix of translucent and opaque glazing types, metal panels, and metal screening elements.

In the rear of the building, according to one rendering, employees would go to work under the stern visage of CBS news legend Walter Cronkite:

The filing does not say anything about the future of a far larger piece of the current WBZ site, which includes a helipad and a radio tower that dates to the 1940s, in addition to the current WBZ building, but National Development is not known for small projects.

Bluish land would be empty after construction of new building:

WBZ project notification form (12.4M PDF).

See original here:
WBZ could get 'forward-thinking' new studio building in Allston, should construction ever resume - Universal Hub

How to Build Sustainable, Healthy, and Profitable Office Buildings in 10 Simple Steps

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One of our responsibilities asarchitects is to understand how to implement strategies into our designs that consider the people who inhabit the spaces, our natural resource consumption, and ensuring these projects are profitable. All of this can be achieved through three main goals: Reducing our carbon footprint, creating healthy workplaces, and the design of efficient and profitable buildings.

Reducing our Carbon footprint

Create healthy workplaces

Design efficient and profitable buildings

Based on my experience with working on office buildings of different scales at TIBA Architect Studio, Budapest, this article reviews ten key actions to improve early design decisions.

A large amount of construction materials are used to build the core and structure of the building itself. Often times, these materials, such as steel and concrete, have a large environmental footprint (3). To immediately solve for ways to reduce the quantity of these materials used, there are different construction techniques that can be explored. For example, opting for cantilevered slabs instead of having columns at the perimeter, results in thinner floor plates, saves edge beams and increases the overall span with the same number of columns. This solution can save as much as 15% of structural material and it also speeds up construction thanks to its simpler geometry. Incorporating a column-free perimeter also offers plenty of design opportunities to form the building envelope's geometry.

Floor slab height ultimatelydetermines abuildings overall height and the material quantity required need for exterior cladding, structure and interior partition walls. Interiors with exposed ceilings easily adapt to tenants needs, and in most of the cases it is possible to add higher clearance at workstations without increasing structural height. Visible MEP systems give the feeling of spaciousness and an industrial, contemporary look. Eliminatingdropped ceiling means immediate material savings in the interior and rationalizing floor height can reduce exterior faade surface by 6-7%. This approach also helps to reduce waste and resources in the future when the interior fit-out changes.

One of the most productive ways to cut down material and embodied carbon is to design a building that can be easily adaptedto different circumstances and future tenant scenarios. By preparing for flexible floor divisions with strategically positioned cores, adequately sized support spaces, and independently accessible tenant areas, building owners will save significant costs and construction time when it comes time to turn over these spaces.

For a high-performance sustainable building, it is critical to understand how to develop a design that reduces a building's energy consumption. One of the first steps in the pre-design phases is to explore the site's solar orientation and develop a building form based on the results of this study. It is also important to explore a building's materiality, and understand how much glazing will beincorporated in order to factor in heat transfer and solar gain.

Sharing parking spots, providing bike and scooter storage,and creating privileged places for car sharing are great strategies that benefit both the design of a building and help the environment. There is currently so much emphasis being put on exploring the reality of using driverless cars, which means that as a whole, cities will eventually need less space for parking. As this idea grows, it will be important for new construction of parking garages to consider the designs of these structures andhow they might someday be outfitted with mechanical and electrical systems and transformed into a new program.

It is fundamental to minimize service areas to save money and avoid unnecessary environmental impact. Lowering energy loads by Simple Box Modelling in early design phase can simplify MEP systems and reduce the area dedicated to them. Optimizing fire compartments andegress routes is also a good strategy that canlower the number of people evacuating in a given direction and reducing the dimensions of corridors and emergency stairs. Service zones are normally not part of the leasable area; therefore, this action will also impact efficiency and the developers profit.

Fire stairs are not typically heavily designed and are often located in the corners of a building to maximize code requirements. We must differentiate vertical circulations by designing simple and small stairs solely for emergency, and creating attractive, spacious stairs for daily use to enhance peoples physical activity. In both cases, it is convenient to move them to the faadeto maximize natural light and ventilation.

One of the most effectivedesign strategies in a workplace is to force building users to move during their regular working activity, sometimes without them even noticing it. By locating internal stairs in a highly visible location and enhancing them with user experience elements such as artwork, lighting effects, and vegetation, employees are more likely to use them to move from floor to floor. Another strategy is to add centralized copy rooms, garbage collection points and drinking fountains that stimulate workers to stand up, interrupt their sitting activities andencouraging them to move around the office.

Well-designed communal spaces are important elements of modern office buildings. These areas helpemployees relax during the busy day, encourage social interactions, increase general well-being, and foster efficiency. These areas should be removed from typical workplace neighborhoods and given some type of design differentiation that indicates that these are socializing zones.

It'simperative to bringthe outside inby adding large windowsthat both bring innatural light and provide quality views.Buildings withdeep floor plates often times separate employees from natural light, which may disrupt their circadian rhythm, and cause other negative health side effects. Designing a variety of elements that incorporate vegetation is also key increating a healthy workplace, since spaces such as green terraces are typically hubs of social activity and reprise.

Design Credits:

RK60 multi-tenant office building, Budapest, invited competition

TIBA Studio, Lead Architects: Balzs Beczner, Zoltn Kirly, Tams Niczki

Design team: Zita Csnyi, ron Fekete, Gyula Vgh, Zoltn Virgh, Mrton Zdori

Startup office in Graphisoft Park, Budapest, invited competition

TIBA Studio, Lead Architect: Tams Niczki

Design team: Buzder-Lantos Zsfia, Kalszi Zoltn, Mester Anita

Kopaszi Tower, Budapest, invited competition

TIBA Studio, Lead Architects: Viktria Honti, Tams Niczki, Jnos Tiba

Headquarters of Magyar Telekom and T-Systems Hungary, Budapest

TIBA Studio, Lead Architects: Jnos Tiba, Viktria Honti, Flra Kszeghy, Melinda Matz (Concept Design), Zoltn Kirly, Balzs Beczner, Viktria Honti, Tams Niczki (Execution Design),

Communal Area interiors: STUDIO URBA and HD Group

Footnotes:

1- Source: International Well Building Institute.

2 - According to the 3-30-300 model, increasing by 1% the building occupants performance has 100 times more impact on the companys revenue that having the same efficiency growth in energy savings.

3 - Concrete accounts for 8%, the steel industry around 5% of total global carbon dioxide emissions.

4 - According to the Harvard Alumni Health Study, daily 3-5 flight-up can reduce by 29% the risk of having stroke or other cardiovascular and heart diseases.

Continued here:
How to Build Sustainable, Healthy, and Profitable Office Buildings in 10 Simple Steps - ArchDaily

Rendering of Vox Miami

The Treo Group closed on a $33.25 million construction loan for Vox Miami, a mixed-use project under construction next to the South Miami Metrorail station.

Centennial Bank is providing the senior construction loan to Treo. It closed on Wednesday, amid the crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic. J.C. de Onda, division president for Centennials Southeast Florida division, and Jay Brito, senior commercial loan officer, arranged the loan.

The financing is for the first phase of Vox Miami, a $125 million development that will include student housing, retail, and Class A office space. Its being built at 5949 South Dixie Highway in South Miami.

The project, designed by Perkins + Will, broke ground in February. The first phase calls for a three-story, 99-unit and 326-bed student housing component above an existing five-story parking garage. It will have 5,600 square feet of ground-floor retail space, an amenity deck with a clubhouse and resort-style pool, a fitness center, study and lounge spaces, a cafe, game room, bike storage and pet grooming area.

The second phase calls for 195,000 square feet of office space.

The project is aiming for an August 2021 delivery date, in time for that academic year.

Treo Group is also building Regatta Harbour, a mixed-use waterfront project at 3385 Pan American Drive in Miami.

Centennial Bank is a regional bank based in Conway, Arkansas, that has become one of the more active construction lenders in South Florida. Its provided loans to Moishe Mana, who is planning to redevelop the historic section of downtown Miami; and Fort Lauderdale developer Dev Motwani.

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Treo Group scores loan for mixed-use student housing project in South Miami - The Real Deal

The direction is social distancing, which seems to be defined as staying out of crowds and at least six feet away from any individual persons. No one but me has been in my car in a couple weeks, so ...

A few evenings ago, well after the pandemic had been declared but before shoppers locally had begun hoarding toilet paper, I was finishing a project for the Resident Interior Decorator and found myself in need of a wood chisel. I had one, but they apparently became lonesome and ran away from home.

Thinking to share some financial love with a local business, I drove to the nearby hardware store, which doubles as a guns and ammo store. The firearms portion of the establishment was filled with customers.

Are you expecting a big event? I asked one young fellow as he finished paying and picked up his case of ammo. I hope not, he replied.

I mentioned the crowd of customers to the clerk who took my money for the chisel.

With all thats going on, theyre stocking up on ammunition, she said.

No trees have yet been accused of stealing toilet paper or transporting illicit coronavirus that has us humans so frightened. I drove to my favorite relaxation location any place where the nearest house is at least a quarter mile away, across a field or forest, preferably invisible.

Im sitting in the car, trusting that it did not go out on its own last night to party with strangers. In the surrounding wetlands minor small depressions filled with waterlogged roots and cattails Red-winged blackbirds announce their presence, a few tentative calls at a time. They are the scouts; the main tribe has not yet arrived.

At the top of a nearby bush, partially hidden in the web of budded branches, a solitary Red-wing looks over his domain. Bored with his solitude, he jumps to a more open vantage issues a call to any young lady interested in collecting amorous verses. Hearing none, he flits back to a lower branch and regains his post.

At the far end of the pasture, a bird races across the view, too far to identify. Likely an accipiter of some sort, maybe, but too light-colored to be a Red-winged hawk. A fellow photographer drove up, stopped to ask through his window whether I had seen the harrier, and drove off.

The distinctive rumble of a Yellow-winged Stearman biplane grows louder over the north ridge. It turns a few cartwheels over the pasture before returning whence it came. The air once again quiet, a Mourning Dove calls to a mate.

Cardinals are in the backyard, and I got a picture of about two dozen robins aerating my neighbors lawn, poking among the grass blades for worms.

But no bluebirds, or mockingbirds yet.

So far (it is Wednesday evening as I write these thoughts), there is no coronavirus reported in our county, but it is to our east and north. Right now, we seem OK just staying away from each other, but there is no telling how long that will last.

Meanwhile, I will wander in the woods as often as I can, self-dosing copious amounts of woods therapy. A study out of Stanford University, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, reported people who walked for 90 minutes in a natural area saw significant reduction in depression.

So if you see me out in the forest, wave. Ill know, even without talking or shaking hands, we are sharing some of the best medicine there is.

John Messeder is an award-winning environmental columnist and social anthropologist, and lives in Gettysburg, PA. He may be contacted at john@johnmesseder.com.

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No Corona in the woods (opinion) | Covid-19 - Gettysburg Times

(MENAFN - IANS)

Mumbai, March 20 (IANS) Bollywood's livewire star Ranveer Singh shared a major throwback image that disclosed that he had tried his hands at theatre before his Bollywood debut role in "Band Baaja Baaraat".

Before Bollywood, Ranveer had worked in an English play called "Carry On At The Keyhole". It was a comedy directed by Dinkar Jani.

Sharing a poster of the play on social media, the actor said: "This is a poster for a small play in which I had a small part and the story goes that I used to be a struggler and I used to sit at Prithvi theatre with two or three others like me. We used to just sit there every day, look for odd jobs. One of them got the information that an audition is happening in a college in Andheri for a small role in a small play and nobody wanted to go -- I said I'll go because I didn't have anything at that time!"

Ranveer added: "I thought to myself -- 'acting acting hoti hai, koi bada chhota kya hota hai' (acting is acting, nothing big or small about it). I went for the audition , I got the part and they were very impressed by my acting. When we put up the performance - I remember one was at St Andrews and even then I felt proud when I was performing at St Andrews stage because I used to perform on St Andrews stage as a student when I was in school."

"So, you know, we had a few performances, I had the role of an interior decorator who was posing to be a homosexual man in order to attract more business and it was an old English double-meaning comedy play that was headlined by Darshan Jariwala and directed by Dinkar Jani," Ranveer recalled.

Ranveer claimed whoever came to watch the play used to be be impressed by his performance.

"I really took it very seriously and I gave it everything. I used to wear some of my own clothes and most of the people who came to watch the play were just friends and family whom I had informed that I am doing this performance and to come and see it, he said, adding: "I remember meeting Yogesh Sanghvi (the producer of the play) at an awards show last year which is when we re-connected and it was a very emotional moment for him and for me - to meet after all those years - just to see his moist eyes , the pride in his eyes - 'tu kahan se kahan pahuch gaya mere dost' and I was also getting a bit emotional when I met him because he used to really like me, he used to be very kind to me."

Ranveer recalled there wasn't much money in theatre but whatever the producer made, he would give to him very generously.

"He was always very fair and kind to me. So it's a very, very fond memory of mine from my struggling days," he summed up.

--IANS

dc/vnc

MENAFN2003202002310000ID1099887763

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Ranveer Singh recalls his tryst with the stage - MENAFN.COM

Dear AD Pro,

My client is sentimental about her furniture and possessions. She wont get rid of anything! How do I exercise some KonMari decluttering (and maintain my vision!) while being respectful of her cherished items?

Reluctant Minimalist

The client is always right except, of course, when the client is wrong. Nearly every designer has come up against a truly terrible heirloom piece (or three) a homeowner is intent on saving.

Even so, as decorator Patrick Mele pointed out to AD earlier this year, Its rude to get rid of peoples things. Clients have led a life before they work with you, so to dictate what should be thrown away is not the best approach.

Manhattan interior designer Josh Greene of Josh Greene Design agrees: I have always said that sometimes you have to let the client win, even if you dont like the piece. Clients appreciate it when you accommodate them and it is an aspect of customer service. If the look is dead wrong, of course, then stick to your guns, says Greene. But if it can be reworked or used in a different room, you come out looking like a magician.

Chicago interior designer Summer Thornton typically takes a harder line: I help them understand that in order to achieve the things they have seen our firm design, it is simply not possible to reuse all existing pieces, she says. If those pieces were so great and worked well, after all, why are they calling me?

Others have had success getting creativeoften very creative. Manhattan interior designer Tina Ramchandani has grown to love, or at least appreciate, repurposing pieces of sentimental value. Many things can be revamped through reupholstering, restaining, or repositioning, she says. When that becomes a struggle, she tries to get the client to pick and choose. I explain that one stand-alone piece can anchor the room, and ultimately be much more impactful than forcing several pieces together that ultimately distract from the new look, she says.

Andrew Torrey, principal of Manhattan interior design firm B.A. Torrey, goes all in with difficult pieces, particularly art. I have the entire piece mounted on a linen board and encased in Plexiglas, he says. Twice Ive taken some gruesome artwork and given it a story, making it more important than it initially appears, and it has yielded incredible results.

Whatever you do, dont wait too long to have the conversation about how you really feel about those old corner breakfronts or the Swarovski crystal animal collection. By addressing the issue early on, Im usually able to include their most beloved possessions in an integrated way, says Boston interior designer Kathie Chrisicos, while also giving a client time to consider an alternative. Maybe theres another home, a basement or storage area, or a relative who might appreciate their cherished possessions?

AD PRO

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Your Client Wont Get Rid of Their Stuff. Now What? - Architectural Digest

Homeowners looking to renovate their residence often look to spruce up the bathroom as part of this work. An improved bathroom will be functional and beautiful, and can easily improve the home's value.

You might consider putting in a new bathtub so you can enjoy a peaceful soak whenever you need to relax. If so, you'll need to decide whether to get a built-in or freestanding tub. Both options have their advantages and disadvantages, and your choice should come down to your own taste and needs.

Built-in

Built-in tubs have water supplied by plumbing in a wall, so they need to be installed where a faucet can be easily located. The interior design site Homedit says they're unfinished on at least two sides and need to placed against a wall, in a corner, or in an enclosure.

Naturally, this limits the places where a bathtub can be placed. However, it can also lead to a more efficient use of space. Laurysen Kitchens, a Canadian company, says built-in tubs will be flush to a wall, opening up more space elsewhere in the room.

The efficiency of built-in tubs has generally made them a more common choice in bathrooms. The plumbing for the feature is also readily available, and the bulk of it is concealed within the wall.

Built-in tubs can easily serve multiple purposes. Homedit says they can be used for showering simply by installing a showerhead higher on the wall. It also tends to be easier to incorporate built-in shelving for storage.

One disadvantage to built-in bathtubs is their visual appeal. Laurysen Kitchens says there are usually limited options for built-in materials, and that the design options tend to pale in comparison to freestanding tubs.

You can still create an attractive surround to make more of a visual statement, but this can lead to other problems. Building, sealing, and mounting this feature will require more effort and cost. Audrey Bauer, writing for the home design site Apartment Therapy, says a bolder surround can also potentially take up more room, eliminating the benefit of efficiency.

Freestanding

Freestanding bathtubs are finished on all sides and can stand alone in the room. The flexibility of freestanding bathtubs is arguably their biggest advantage. The bathroom fixture line Moen says they can be located in the center of a room or anywhere else you'd like to place them.

Placing the tub anywhere you like also means it's easier to install. Built-in tubs usually require a contractor and decorator to create the tile, surrounds, and other features. Laurysen Kitchens says freestanding tubs just require a plumber to connect the water pipes.

The tub is designed to be a striking feature in the bathroom. Bauer says there are a variety of designs and materials available, and the bathtub may even be a focal point in the room. Freestanding tubs also tend to be a natural choice for creating a spa-like bathroom, as they provide plenty of room for a soak.

Many freestanding tubs are made of heavy materials, such as cast iron or marble. Moen says this quality, combined with the weight of the water when filled, means you may need to reinforce the floor to ensure that it can handle the weight.

While freestanding tubs have more flexibility in where they can be placed, they also typically take up more room. Homedit says the tub usually needs to be supplied by a plumbing fixture coming out of the floor instead of one that can be efficiently built into the wall.

Unless you're taking a bath every day, a freestanding tub may not be too practical for your daily bathing needs. It's more difficult to store soap, shampoo, and other items unless you use a bath shelf or nearby freestanding storage option like a shower caddie. Laurysen Kitchens says it's also more difficult to mount a shower to a freestanding tub, and that installing a shower curtain makes the setup look considerably less appealing.

Freestanding tubs also tend to be less friendly to those with mobility issues. It's much more difficult to get into and out of freestanding bathtubs than it is with built-in tubs.

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Built-in bathtubs vs. freestanding ones - News from southeastern Connecticut - theday.com