What Goes into a Bathroom Remodel?

May 16, 2023

This is a quick outline of the steps of a Master Bath Project:

THE PLAN

First you need to decide what aspects of your existing space you like and don’t. Think about what you would like to keep and what you would like to add.
Next, set up estimates with at least 3 reputable companies, such as JJ Kokesh and Son. Take this time to go over all of your wishes for the new bathroom so that the estimator can create the most accurate bid.
When you receive the bids you will want to read them over carefully and decide if they addressed all of your design requirements. Choose the company that works the best with your design and your budget.
Sign your estimate and contact your contractor to begin choosing all of the products for your remodel.

DESIGN TIME

The next step (by far our favorite) is choose all of the elements you will need for the remodel – such as faucets, tile, vanities, wall color, and flooring.
We always recommend as a first step for our clients to choose 10-20 pictures from the internet that inspire them or reflects what they want in their bathroom and send those to us.
With a good sense of what design the client is looking for, we begin to choose faucets, vanities, wall color, lighting, tile, flooring, and shower trim.
We have a great selection of showrooms all over St. Louis to send clients to choose fixtures, tile, tubs, and lighting.
Lastly, we offer recommendations to designers we work closely with for those clients that want or need more assistance in the design process.

Once all of the design elements are chosen, we begin to plan the actual timeline of the remodel by:

Ordering all of the parts
Obtaining a permit
Scheduling with the Contractor

Photos are from a master bath remodel in Webster Groves with ES Construction Services. We updated the pipe size to accommodate the new bathroom and integrated it with their existing boiler system.

DEMOLITION and INSTALL

– Both the Plumber and Contractor work during this time to remove all the design elements that won’t be in the final project.

– The Plumber will then begin to run the new water and drain lines per the new layout – this is also a great time to upgrade any old plumbing since all of the wall are open. They will also set any showers or bathtubs.

– Next, the inspector will come and inspect all of the initial plumbing and work the contractor has done such as electricity and new walls or layout.

– The contractor will then begin working on:

Moving electricity
Drywall
Building out new walls or finishing the changes to layout
Laying the floor
Setting tile

– Another inspection will happen after all of this has been completed to make sure everything is to code and installed correctly.

– The Plumber will come back and begin the finish work, such as:

Setting the vanity, hooking up drains, and installing the faucet
Connect all of the shower & tub trim
Set the toilet
Final test on all of the water and connections

– The contractor will do his final work such as installing lighting, finish trim, painting and hanging all shelves and hooks.
– Then the inspector will be called for the final inspection.

Lastly – ENJOY your new bathroom!

Photos are from the finished master bath remodel in Webster Groves with ES Construction Services. Love the design of these Newport Brass fixtures!

Ready to remodel a bathroom in your house? Give us a call at 636-391-1233 today!

View a Bold Master Bathroom Remodel Project

Toto Washlet

Apr 19, 2023

The Toto Washlet is Toto’s premier bidet toilet seat, often touted as being one of the best bidets worldwide. The Toto Washlet was first introduced in 1980, as the world’s first luxury toilet seat with electronic functionality, and has 12 different styles to suit just about everyone’s needs. The Toto Washlets are designed to fit on most standard North American toilets.

One of the many benefits of a Toto Washlet is that it is very useful for the elderly, people with medical conditions, and people with disabilities.

• Toto Washlets have a drying feature that helps people with limited mobility and muscle weakness clean themselves in a way that can be difficult to do with just toilet paper. It helps minimize the use of your wrist to get at the difficult spots, which is particularly helpful for people with Parkinson’s disease, arthritis and morbid obesity.

• Similarly, people with gastrointestinal tract issues such as Ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease can find some relief by using a Toto Washlet, which helps eliminate the use of chafing toilet paper and also the cooling jet of water can help elevate the pain and burning of more frequent and painful bowel movements.

• Toto Washlets are much gentler on the skin as compared to toilet paper. Toilet paper can very rough on the skin, irritating the skin and can even cause tiny cuts or bleeding. Toto Washlets provide a soothing stream of water to our most sensitive areas, which especially is helpful for people with hemorrhoids and anal fissures and it helps reduce pressure in that area.

• It is also very helpful for seniors with poor hand-eye coordination, who are unable to trim their nails well, it stops them from cutting themselves while trying to clean themselves, which can lead to pain and infections.

CLICK HERE TO SEE HOW THE TOTO WASHLET WORKS

Toto Washlets are much better for the environment than the traditional products for the bathroom.

• Toilet paper and flushable wipes are harsh on the environment, making toilet paper is a very labor-intensive process that involves pulping millions of trees and billions of gallons of water and flushable wipes are not biodegradable, and clump together to clog sewer systems.

• Toto Washlets are great for preventing clogs in your home and in the sewer systems. Toilet paper and flushable wipes can clog pipes, Toto Washlets only use a bit more water per flush than the usually flush and even have air dryers that climate the need to use toilet paper to dry off. In fact, more than 660 million gallons of water is needed every year to make toilet paper for just American adults alone, and the average American household of 4 uses 360 rolls of toilet paper a year, and the average American uses 90 rolls of toilet paper a year.

• Toto Washlets use way less water, no trees, and does not contribute the plastic that flushable wipes negatively effect the environment. Toto Washlets also perform a pre-mist of the toilet bowl before each use to prevent waste from adhering, which means the toilets need less cleaning, helping to keep harsh chemicals out of the ecosystem.

JJ Kokesh & Son is the only TOTO Factory Authorized Services for the Greater Saint Louis area. We have TOTO trained plumbers who can install and do repairs both in and out of warranty. Let us help you find, install and maintain your new TOTO Washlet or TOTO Neorest, helping you get the most out of your investment!

Contact Us To Learn More and Schedule Your Install

We are super excited to be part of TOTO’s history and these millions of installations!

New Apprentice – John

Mar 28, 2023

JJ Kokesh and Son is pleased to announce that we have hired a new apprentice! John Buckley is the newest member of our Kokesh Plumbing team and we are so excited to have him on our roster. Please join us in welcoming him as he takes his first steps in to the exciting world of plumbing. Below is an interview that we did with John to learn more about him, his experiences and what he sees for his future.

Q&A with John

Why did you want to become a plumber?
– My family is in the industry

What is your favorite color?
– Cobalt Blue

Where did you go to high school?
– Pattonville Senior High School in Maryland Heights, MO

What is your favorite plumbing job?
– Bathroom renovations

Why do you love being an apprentice?
– Learning about different plumbing jobs and being helpful to the plumbers

What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?
– Cookies and Cream

What is your favorite vacation spot?
– Pensacola, Florida

Where do you see yourself in the future?
– Being a Journeyman plumber at Kokesh Plumbing

He is very excited for his journey ahead and we are thrilled that John has become a member of our team. When you see him out with our plumbers please welcome and congratulate him! Don’t forget for any plumbing issues that you may have, please give us a call at 636-391-1233.

World Water Day 2023

Mar 21, 2023

It’s that time of year again, World Water Day!

Wednesday, March 22, 2023 is the United Nations’ designated day to come together and think about water; how it is used, how to make it sustainable and how to insure access to it worldwide. This year’s theme is “Accelerating change to solve the water and sanitation crisis.”

In 2015, the UN adopted, The Agenda for Sustainable Development, which provides a “blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future.”

The 6th sustainable development goal is “Water and Sanitation for all by 2030” and unfortunately, we are very off track to meet this goal. Flaws within the world’s water systems have an effect on the progress we are making and other global issues such as health, hunger, gender equality and education play a huge part in all people being able to access clean water and safe sanitation. Governments on average work 4 times faster to help meet these goal but seeing how water affects everyone, it is up to all of us to make a different by changing the way we consume, manage, and use water.

The story of the Hummingbird and its connection to World Water Day 2023…

“One day in the forest, a fire broke out. All the animals ran for their lives. They stood at the edge of the blaze, looking at the flames in terror and sadness. Up above their heads, a hummingbird was flying back and forth to the fire, over and over again. The bigger animals asked the hummingbird what she was doing. “I am flying to the lake to get water to help put out the fire.” The animals laughed at her and said, “You can’t put out this fire!” The hummingbird replied, “I’m doing what I can.”

– A story from the Quechua people of Peru

Just like the Hummingbird small acts can help us move forward to solve the water and sanitation crisis. Together we can take the small steps forward to make sure that all people have adequate access to the water and sanitation that they need to lead heathy and productive lives. To this end, the UN is holding its first water conference in nearly 50 years!

2023WorldWaterDayLogo_AcceleratingChange

image source

The UN 2023 Water Conference is being held in New York City, New York from March 22nd -24th this year. The delegates will be working on the Water Action Agenda to help come up with a plan to get us back on track for the 6th sustainable goal and you can help.

By going to www.worldwaterday.org/share-2023 and adding your commitment to the “World’s To-Do List” you can make sure that your voice is heard and we can all commit to making changes that will benefit everyone. And as always, if you want to celebrate World Water Day with us or just have general plumbing concerns, please give us a call at 636-391-1233.

Spring Special 2023

Mar 20, 2023

Happy Spring!

Our special for this season:

$15 off Backflow Tests

*Valid until June 20th, 2023.

In plumbing, the term “backflow” refers to an undesirable flow of water in the opposite direction. This often occurs with a significant change in water pressure. The contaminated water poses a serious threat to one’s health because it may contain hazardous substances like chemicals, pesticides, or human waste.

Backflow testing checks the pressure levels of your backflow preventer device. Untreated or contaminated water can back-siphon into your clean water if backflow is present. As a result, testing ensures that the water you drink and use for showering is safe and clean.

We can help! Kokesh Plumbing offers testing and backflow prevention and testing in the St. Louis area. Call us at 636-391-1233 to schedule.

World Plumbing Day 2023

Mar 8, 2023

Saturday, March 11, 2023 is World Plumbing Day!

JJ Kokesh and Son is proud to support this day dedicated to promoting the link between good plumbing with sanitation and human, environmental health.

World Plumbing Day is very important for 4 main reasons:

To help remind ourselves to be grateful for the skills of those who work on our plumbing systems.
To concentrate on communities that still need more and better plumbing to have improved living standards and a better life.
To raise awareness about the health related outcomes of plumbing that often get taken for granted.
To reflect on innovative plumbing advancements to protect public health and improve the world.

We are very grateful for all of our plumbers here at Kokesh Plumbing and the skill and wisdom that they bring to each and every job. Our plumbers work tirelessly to solve the problems facing out customer and we appreciate the work that the do every day. We salute them and all of the other plumbers in Local 562, for the great work that they do consistently.

KokeshStLouis_CelebratingWorldPlumbingDat

There are many communities in this world that need help getting adequate plumbing in order to improve their living standards and create a better life for the people in that community. Over 1 billion people gained access to piped supplies between 2000 and 2015, which is an amazing start but there is still much work to be done.

263 million people spend over 30 minutes per round trip to collect safe drinking water.

2.1 billion people worldwide do not have access to safe, readily available water at home.

4.5 billion people do not have toilets in their homes.

While there is much work to do, we can celebrate that the global population who used managed sanitation services increased from 28% in 2000 to 39% in 2015, steady improvement over time is how we help these communities and help with the overall health of the world.

Plumbing is very important to the heath of the world, and making sure that everyone has access to proper plumbing is something that we care deeply about. Poor or no pluming in communities world wide can lead to many health problems – for example, 892 million people in the world still practice open defecation which leads to 361,000 children under the age of 5 dying each year due to water borne diarrhea. The water they use near rivers and toilet areas become comminated leading to a higher risk of diarrhea, typhoid, hepatitis, polio and other diseases.

Poor plumbing is not just limited to homes, schools also lack proper plumbing which poses a problem for students worldwide. 900 million school children have no handwashing facilities in their schools and 1:5 schools do not provide any toilet facilities. This leads to an up swing in deadly diseases and can particularly prevent girls from attending school when they begin menstruation. It is important that these communities get the plumbing that they need to help prevent the spread of disease and help make a more equitable world.

THE WORLD PLUMBING COUNCIL’S MISSION IS TO:

ACHIEVE THE BEST POSSIBLE PLUMBING FOR THE WORLD THROUGH GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE WORLD’S PLUMBING INDUSTRIES.

Plumbing has come a long way in the past few years especially making advancements in tech for example, up to 30 percent of all water is lost because of leaks or burst water pipes. There are water monitoring and leak detection systems that will send alerts to phone to let you know about water usage, a detected a leak, and let you remotely shut off your water in case of emergencies. The Flo by Moen, Grohe Sense and Flo- Logic are all brands that we have installed for customers and would be happy to help you decide what would be best for your home.

We are glad to have this day to celebrate plumbing and the gifts that it has brought to our world. If you need help with your plumbing, or just want to celebrate World Plumbing Day with us, please give us a call at 636-391-1233!