Committing to a bathroom remodel means taking many factors into account in the planning stages.  No matter which type of the structures listed above you're dealing with,  you must lean toward making any new residential bath upgrade  blend with your existing home's design existing in harmony with it's surroundings.  All efforts must be made to prevent it from appearing as a "dirt dobber" design.  Putting an ultra modern updated bath into a dated urban cottage really doesn't blend well.  The types of architecture dealt with will clash and one will override the other taking away the prospect of a blending project to your home.

     Certainly there are many upgrades available when planning a bathroom transformation.  The replacement of the tub with a new walk in shower can create a bold  look but will run you around $10,000.  There are no spending limits for bathroom remodels.   You can plan on spending around $12,000 to $15,000 for a hall bath remodel.   The price tag can approach or exceed $35,000 for a complete master suite remodel.  The type of fixtures and building components chosen alongwith the labor will compose the overall cost of the remodeling project.

     What makes a residential bathroom makeover more Austintaceous in a laid back Central Texas city like ours?  What propels a bathroom upgrade to stand alone in Austin like the proud lone star representing our beloved state?  What enhanced characteristics are shared but also contribute to all completed bathroom projects making them exclusive and individual?  Personality with pride is the only way to sum up all the major characteristics adding up to create a great Austin bathroom remodel.  There is a feeling within the new bath that only the great wide open spaces of Texas suggest denying the discomfort of confinement. We all express our individuality living here in Austin.  We meld together our backgrounds and cultural differences to form a diverse but unique city with style.  Certainly style is what is needed to compliment that pride that Texans feel so strongly. 

     Just look at the different types of housing represented througout this city and it's surrounding areas.  Smaller homes, cottages, sprawling historical townhomes surrounded by architecturally pleasing fences, rustic ranch homes, Macmansions, and sleek high rise condominiums are just a few examples of the structures that define Austin's diverse housing landscape. Economic situations along with personal preference formulates where we choose to live in a town with such diversity.

     If you're current situation is cramped but you already have a double vanity, you might gain space for a new shower expansion by either shortening the vanity while keeping the two sinks or by going with one single sink located in the middle of a shorter vanity.  This can be accomplished by capping off one sink drain completely and/or deleting the water supply stops.  If your toilet is located between the vanity and tub then shortening the vanity is all for naught.  You can move the toilet over but this means breaking out the floor to change the toilet plumbing floor flange plus the water supply.  Be careful as this alteration can be costly and should only be done to allow certain specific situations to evolve.  

     Moving on to either the tub removal bringing about a walk in shower design or the tub's replacement highlighted with a custom shower surround,  you'll have to decide what will be of the most use to you.  A tub surround limits your creativity but you can still enjoy a couple of shampoo nooks installed between your existing studs before any tiling takes place.  Replacing the old tub/shower valve and tub spout will also give you a shiny feeling of newness.  A new glass enclosure will provide a revived look plus the more expensive frameless models will bring your bathroom completely up to date.

     If deleting the tub to achieve a custom walk in shower design is your choice then you have a few options to consider.  Do you wall in two thirds of the width of the old tub placing the new door away from the shower head?   This new wall can be tiled in to match the shower and can also have glass blocks inserted into it for natural light to prevent claustrophobia.  Do you desire a full length curb to accommodate a taller ready made glass enclosure or even the more expensive frameless model set beside a glass panel?  The designs are limited only by your imagination and how you want the final product to turn out.  Be sure that all your research is justified and don't try to cram too much into your new bathroom remodel.  A good design is one that can come into being with the least time spent on alterations and additional costs.

     Who do you choose to help you with your dream?  It is true that a professional remodeling contractor with years of experience will cost you more than a handyman illegally playing among the trades at your peril but then again there are those professional guarantees to  consider.  The professional verses the handyman is more likely to seek your overall satisfaction that will follow him into his next job.  A true building professional can also orchestrate the job's smooth flow limiting the down time of a most useful room during Austin bathroom remodeling.  Subcontractors will not be covered up and each skilled  trade is brought onto the sight as needed in an orderly fashion.  Professionals normally have insurance to cover on the job accidents to protect the homeowners from having legal action brought against them personally.  Be sure you ask for a certificate of insurance from your chosen professional contractor so that you aren't held personally liable for medical expences covering a worker's accident while on your property.

     I tell my customers all the time that one of their main ways of choosing a reputable contractor with a good track record and BBB experience rating is the ability for them to do work with the particular residential building contractor they are interviewing.  Can they communicate easily relying on the contractor's experience and reputation and can they get along throughout the sometimes long and detailed construction process?  Are they compatible as human beings because the only energy that should be spent during the project should be directed toward it's completion.

     After choosing your residential construction contractor you should never pay for everything up front.  Payments should be associated with aspects of the job and you should always get something for your money.  Soft costs like designs, permits, or fees can be paid in advance to get the project rolling plus any custom made entities or materials ordered and stocked on the job sight.  Never let the contractor draw ahead of what is actually happening no matter how much you are caught up in the building process.  Paying for a little overhead to a bonified construction professional will always cost more but usually saves you a lot in the long run.  It's not always about the cheapest bid because you'll always get what you pay for.  Get every aspect of the job in writing and both you and the chosen residential construction contractor must sign the document for it to be a binding contract.

 

A Fine Bathroom Makeover With A Walk In Shower Design

     Most people remember how the old style bathtub/shower combination was a standard part of any bathroom design.  Some residential showering areas were enclosed using the multicolored vinyl shower curtain option while others had bi-passing or sliding shower doors on tracks.  The doors were framed with either chrome or gold colored aluminum matching the sliding tracks.  Modern bathroom designs have become much more sophisticated because the many available bathroom products are easier to be discovered by the homeowner.  There are millions of pictures representing fine bathroom upgrades or bathroom remodeling all across the internet.

     Young Austin homeowners are always looking for ways to bring their existing older home's bathrooms up to date.  Bathroom remodels for these smaller baths can incorporate a number of the items listed above in moderation to fit any budget.  Using beautiful ceramic tiles in an interesting design, updating plumbing fixtures, and the use of neutral colors can create a small bathroom with a "wow" factor. It is quite possible to produce a small but charmingly remodled bath on a budget.  A project that is affordable plus the fact that it will add resale value to your home cannot be denied.  Check out all the options before committing to a plan and then stick to it.  Always hire a local and professional builder.  Remember that producing change orders because no one thought of "that" can be expensive. Create the style for your Austin bathroom remodel that best gives you a feeling of pride! 

     What about the costs involved?  In general, typically projects undergoing Austin bathroom remodeling can run you about $16,000.  However a large master bathroom makeover can push up your budget to around $26,000 as an average.  Don't forget that these are average costs and the client is limited only by their bank account totals.  Just the conversion of a tub into a walk in shower design can set you back around $9,000 as a good medium price range.  But what makes the costs appear so expensive?  Basically time, the difficulty of the job and the actual labor costs performed by all the trades involved plus the expenses for purchasing the products chosen to complete the project.

     If you are benefited by having a larger space to deal with there will be increased costs due to the larger area to finish -as in more tiles for a bigger area and the labor to install them.  Your costs may go down per square foot but you are certainly dealing with more square feet and increased costs.  You need to consider that plumbers, electricians, tile setters, framers, drywall workers, carpenters, and insulation installers, just to name a few trades, will be involved in your bathroom remodel.  Now how about the demolition that will be involved before the actual construction begins?  Sometimes the preparations behind the scenes take longer than building the new bathroom remodel itself.  Perhaps there isn't enough water volume to supply your chosen bathroom fixtures requiring a pipe to be upgraded or there just isn't sufficient fall for a gravity drain to work naturally that necessitates a lift pump system be installed.  What are the new electrical requirements and layout and do these require dedicated or GFI circuits and will the existing electrical panel handle the new circuit breakers?

     Considering a new walk in shower design?   You can design the space so it doesn't require a door for splash protection or you can take the route of a clean looking frameless glass shower enclosure.   This will surely set you back at least $700.  The end result will be a sophisticated  clean look of beauty enclosing your new shower.  Whether the door sits upon a curb or you have a specific need for a curbless situation you will be satisfied with your choice.

    Let's say your tile choices include glass and marble instead of ceramic or porcelain and you choose to accent your bath with a glass block design.  All these premium finishing choices will drive up your project's bottom line well above the averaged costs mentioned above as a rule of thumb.

     Proper lighting is always an important aspect to be installed during a bathroom remodel.  It can be broken down by task.  Recessed cylindrical can lighting is used today to provide the overall luminescence for the room.  Trims with lenses can be installed above baths and showers by code to brighten darker areas.  Light strips or single wall fixtures can be designed around the new framed beveled mirror that you have chosen.  The choice of bulbs utilized is yours for now at least.  Try using dimmers to control your new lighting creating mood. 

     Ventilation is so important when planning a bathroom upgrade because of the humidity involved.  Too many times a single exhaust fan is installed above the toilet, or what is much worse, in the center of the room.   Heat and humidity naturally rise and will overtake the entire room if given a chance. Today's quiet bathroom exhaust fans should be sized according to the room's air volume.  They should be located above any bathing or showering facility and above the toilet.  Conditioned air along with adequately sized duct work supplied by your central unit will further accentuate a pleasant feeling within the bath.

     Fine cabinetry is a must for any bathroom makeover.  As for the vanity, you can work your way down from the upgraded cabinet top that has been installed at the correct height for you.  The vanity should have adequately accessible storage satisfying your needs.  Incorporating  easy operating and properly sized drawers and pull out shelves within the design can be very beneficial.  Linen, medicine, and "over the potty" wall cabinets need to be well thought out. The correct species of wood used for the construction of your fine cabinetry and the style of you cabinet doors are two very important factors to consider.  Remember, you do have a choice and you are going to be looking at these new cabinets for a while.

     Bathroom plumbing fixture choices are numerous to say the least.  Select reputable companies offering the best warranties especially when considering finishes used on control valve trims and the fixtures installed in the project.   Larger walk in shower designs should have seamless fiberglass liners to avoid leaks if the house ever shifts.  Using natural stone or glass tiles while additionally designing in glass blocks will certainly be an upgrade. 

     Colors for bathrooms today are natural and earthy creating a calming effect.  Accents of color reflected from the tiles, paint, fixtures, and woodwork are used to make things a little more interesting compared to the room's overall vanilla tones within your design.  Help is just a phone call away but be sure the one who answers has the qualified experience you need for completing your new bathroom transformation.

Bathroom Remodeling With Style In Austin

     Whether you're looking for a local residential remodeling contractor in Austin, Texas to accomplish a kitchen remodel or a construction professional to complete an entire gutting and remodel of your entire home including a home office transformation,  the final accenting finishes most likely will include the use of fine cabinetry. The choice between frameless European and Northern face frame cabinetry styles will highlight practically any design.   Choosing the correct wood species can further add to the richness of the job.  Then there are those needed additions that must blend while being added onto your home without notice.

      To begin with, kitchen upgrades and bathroom remodels return the most money at resale on the initial investment of the remodeling project.  National averages show that kitchen remodels recoup around 70% of the costs of the upgrade at the time of resale of the home.  However, your kitchen remodeling costs should never exceed 15% of the total value of your home.  Here is where you need to get your thinking cap on and plan for an affordable budget that is within your means.  Your material choices are very important and if you need to stay mid-level to fit the budget then do so.  The labor involved for the project will be around 1.6 times the cost of the materials used.  The total budget should allow $100 per square foot for your kitchen upgrade project.

     Any kitchen remodel will need to produce a better service or work triangle between the sink, refrigerator, and stove placement.  The shorter the sum of the triangle legs the more efficient the layout but islands can also be incorporated into the design to increase the efficiency.  The prep sink within the island can become it's own focal point of the work triangle displacing the duties of the main kitchen sink.  The orientation of the island toward the work triangle is very important making sure traffic can still flow freely within the designated triangle. Islands can contain all sorts of special storage areas.  Mixer lifts, produce storage drawers, wine storage, and dough board pullouts are just a few of the many useful aspects that can be incorporated into the island.

      Living with a dysfunctional bathroom layout reduces the total feeling of relaxation your master bath is capable of providing.   During those much deserved private moments you long for your bathroom's surroundings to provide both luxury and function.  There isn't adequate lighting for the many daily personal duties like applying makeup.   There needs to be adequate ventillation so you don't always feel as though you are housed in a "sweat box" while getting dressed. The outdated plate mirror extending from your vanity top's splash upward toward the drywall furrdown above has never been a design you thank the world of. You have always disliked that box above housing the poorly illuminating fluorescent tube lamps that are concealed by the yellowing plastic diffuser panel.  You are sick and tired of the poor storage facilities inherited when you purchased your home.  The height of the vanity is out of line according to your needs and it is also inadequate for your storage needs.  The existing cabinet layout contains unusable drawers beginning to come off their tracks and the cabinet doors have their own particular issues.  Your cabinets are either too deep to access what they contain or their storage capabilities have been limited by their total improper design.  What were those guys thinking?  What's more the out of fashion ceramic tiles are either partly missing or they are totally the wrong color for the day along with the colors within the rest of the room.  Having improperly working plumbing fixtures that are now also antiquated with their own set of problems is yet another quandry within itself.  The fixtures themselves can also be finished in a color that is long out of style.  So what do you do?

     It is well past time to undergo a fine bathroom upgrade and makeover.  Bathroom remodeling can either be a pain or a pleasant experience according to the participants involved.  Bathroom remodeling in Austin, Texas like most other cities includes many of the same aspects.  Be sure to choose a qualified residential construction contractor whose personality and qualifications are agreeable with you personally.  You are about to undertake a very important short term relationship in your life with someone you may know by reputation only.  The relationship needs to be comfortable and free flowing thus enabling the contractor's creativity level to be at it's highest during your remodeling project. Look at it as a partnership between your needs and the remodeling contractor's abilities.  His professional remodeling experience will include his capacity to identify many construction limitations and hazards.   These variables underlie the major pitfalls that can be avoided while making a bathroom remodeling design come into reality.  His experience can also aid you in accomplishing bathroom upgrades that include dissability issues.  Accessibility is what the project is about anyway.  The job needs to flow between the various trades involved to produce a better final outcome.  This too is a reflection on his remodeling experience for which there is no substitute.

     Bathroom plumbing fixture choices are numerous to say the least.  Select reputable companies offering the best warranties especially when considering finishes used on control valve trims and the fixtures installed in the project.   Larger walk in shower designs should have seamless fiberglass liners to avoid leaks if the house ever shifts.  Using natural stone or glass tiles while additionally designing in glass blocks will certainly be an upgrade. 

     Colors for bathrooms today are natural and earthy creating a calming effect.  Accents of color reflected from the tiles, paint, fixtures, and woodwork are used to make things a little more interesting compared to the room's overall vanilla tones within your design.  Help is just a phone call away but be sure the one who answers has the qualified experience you need for completing your new bathroom transformation.

Residential Remodeling Creating A Custom Walk In Shower

     Finding the right contractor with ADA knowledge and experience can be as much of a challenge as maintaining your independence throughout an accessible wheelchair design in Austin.  You should be looking for a contractor who understands life changes.  A contractor who offers specialty products and services standing out from the rest of the pack.  A contractor who has the ability, through experience,  to help clear the murky water impeding your accessible route and how it can be accomplished.  One who takes ADA remodeling to another level promoting safety.  A well versed construction professional can take on and solve any residential ADA challenge creating an accessible design.  These can include widening doorways, ADA compliant kitchen cabinets, or ADA compatible baths. 

     Door widening is a common problem especially where wheelchair access is a must.  All doors should be 36" wide with the correct locking hardware installed.  The rule is 32" clear within the accessible route but 32" doors don't give enough clearance because of their stops.  You also need to pay attention to which side the lockset is installed on to not limit any wheelchair access or operation of the door's locking hardware.

     ADA compliant kitchen cabinets give you the ability to freely roll under the correct depth sink with covered or insulated water and drain lines.  The sink should be equipped with a proper automatic or wrist handle faucet.  A finished cabinet top height of 34" will also be observed.  Wall cabinets should be mounted around 4" lower than usual for reachability from a sitting position.  An unobstructed five feet turning radius on the floor should also be maintained.

     Bathroom transformations complying with ADA revisions also require the same turning radius noted in the kitchen along with a correct bathing facility.  If a tub is useful, correctly placed grab bars must be installed for safety reasons.  Showers can be either the roll in or transfer type dictated by the individual user's physical abilities.  The comfort height toilet should have grab bars installed at 34" on the side wall as well as at the rear at a minimum.  The flush handle should be oriented toward the middle of the room away from the side wall.  The bathroom sink should be accessible as in the kitchen mentioned above.

A Correct Kitchen Sink With Adequate Knee Clearance in The Accessible Route

     Traditional home builders and remodelers don't really consider the needs of the disabled or elderly like ADA vanities or roll in showers which are universal in nature.  It takes a special breed of contractor to realize special needs for special people. 

     A revolution in building design standards is long overdue.  Our current building design standards do not address the needs of more than one third of our existing population.  Many more people can greatly benefit from accessible design versus conventional design.  Our rapidly aging population is experiencing the limitations of our personal living environments.  Any evolution in building practically always begins in the common areas of the commercial building sector.  The American Disabilities Act of 1990 increased the attention needed for those people having the right to equally access their work place and any recreational or leisure facilities.  These rules at least offer minimal solutions for those needing the most help with any building access.  In Austin, we now must  provide access to one bathroom on the first floor in new homes as deemed by our newly adopted building regulations.  This basic right to a handicap accessible bathroom is finally being enforced by the city's building inspectors.  What a tremendous needed and basic design improvement!

    Aging in place construction and Austin ADA remodeling has become synonymous with handicap accessible home design and modification during our lifetime.   Home modifications can be used to accommodate anyone from people with mobility impairments to those with vision loss, hearing loss, or even cognitive or developmental disabilities. Accessibility home modifications or wheelchair accessible kitchen and bathroom remodeling in Austin will allow anyone with limited mobility within your home to feel more empowered and independent.  The extent of a customized accessibility design is dependent upon the activity level of the person requiring the modifications.

     Aging in place home modifications are available through T-Square Company in the Austin area. We have an A plus rating with the local BBB and have over 30 years of remodeling experience. We are additionally a certified aging in place specialist offering complete aging in place services.  Each design/build situation will be customized to fit your personal needs increasing your accessibility. Call 512-444-0097 today to begin the accessible second chapter of your life while remaining safe and secure in your existing home. CAPS #1636580

 

    The focal point of the master bath suite has shifted in recent years from the whirlpool bath to the totally tricked out custom walk in shower.  Bubble tubs have gotten a bad reputation for the lack of sterilization associated with them.   There is also a concern with the associated link concerning long term lower back and kidney damage. Custom shower designs Austin is slowly doing away with the problem.

    Some people confuse Austin handicap remodeling and aging in place with universal design.  Both are a method to increase accessibility within the home but aging in place strictly deals with an existing home. Aging in place also implies modifying any home for it's older occupants to insure that the inhabitants can safely remain there as long as they possibly can.  This time will expire once they need assisting medically trained help for safeguarding their personal safety in a nursing home or an assisted living environment.  Universal design is just that; offering choices to all of a home's residents no matter their age or physical capabilities.  It begins with a design and then the construction begins.  The number one safety hazard for elderly people is negotiating level changes within the home--steps at the entry, stairs between floors, and curbs to step over when entering the bath or shower.  Eliminating level changes is very difficult in existing homes and almost impossible to do aesthetically and without major compromises, unless there is a major renovation.  The result is that most homeowners decide to sell the house rather than make the modifications.  When universal design is incorporated into their custom walk in shower design, homes can accommodate the needs of their owners as those needs evolve over time.  Custom tub shower conversions make the home safer and more accessible.

      The National Association of Home Builders, in partnership with the AARP and Home Innovation Research Labs, created the CAPS program, which includes training and education on the technical, business management and customer service skills essential to compete in the fastest growing segment of the residential remodeling industry--home modifications for aging in place.  David L. Traut, CAPS owner of T-Square Company in Austin, Texas is one of the select group of professionals nationwide to earn the Certified Aging-In-Place Specialist (CAPS) designation, identifying him as a home remodeler and builder with the skills and knowledge necessary to remodel or modify a home to meet the unique needs of the older population, disabled owners or their visitors.

       For additional information about the CAPS program, visit nahb.org/CAPS.  For more information about T-Square Company, visit www.tsquareco.com or call 512-444-0097

     All new construction for roll in showers or any bathroom upgrade to provide wheelchair accessibility should involve multiple shower head combinations in multiple locations to fit anyone's desires. Rain heads coming out of the ceiling, body heads coming out of the walls in many locations, or hand held units attached to the shower walls can make things very interesting.  These combinations of heads and locations can be used to create rain effects, provide relief for muscle aches through body massages, or simply provide pin point convenience with hand held variable heads.  The possibilities are endless as you dial in your bathing environment.  Steam generators are also being considered as an investment in today's fine bathrooom designs.  The steam  heads can make the difference after a tough day when you're looking for that more therapeutic spa experience. This has certainly led the way to the thermostatic shower valve with plumbed-in hand held shower that is being used specifically in homes today where the owner is planning to retire.

Roll In Showers

     Dry saunas should also be a consideration to be incorporated into any custom bath suite. The cleansing environment accented with eucalyptus cuttings helps to dry out the sinuses and also adds it's part to the body's total muscle relaxation.  There is probably no better way to completely warm up after coming in from a cold wet winter day.  Always remember to install a floor drain for the days when the sauna must be scrubbed.

A Completely Natural Dry Sauna

 Commercial Cabinets Austin, Texas

     Using larger commercial cabinetry designs can compensate for the lack of separate office space if the occupants sharing the new facility participate in only one group or a single activity.  The larger pieces can be located within a crowded common room or set aside to stand alone.  They have the capability of bringing a like group together only to accomplish a given task.

     Austin commercial cabinets incorporating multiple work stations can be used as a greeting place to begin business with your customers or as a place to conclude business. Multiple work stations are great in teaching facilities requiring access to an individual computer setup.  They can be seen in bank teller desks, sales towers (see attached photo), or the main desk in a fine hotel or airport. Use them to accomplish different activities within a given space as in a guard or security area (see attached photo) of a facility. Each is totally efficient when used for a single duty.

     Whether you are dealing in commercial bathroom remodeling, breakroom upgrades, or are in the need of an interesting reception desk you will need the help of a reputable commercial contractor.  Every design that will be located within the common area must follow ADA rules for accessibility. Service desks should have designated areas with lowered heights and roll under capabilities to serve the people with special needs.  Any commercial cabinetry not located within the common area can take on standard heights and depths.

     There are basically two styles of ADA vanities that comply with an unobstructed roll under area below the sink.  This capability has everything to do with both the water supply lines and the main waste line connecting the sink.  There must be provisions made to protect the user from being scalded when coming into contact with any one of the plumbing pipes serving the sink.  These connecting pipes may become heated merely by the water passing through them creating the problem.  The open type model should always receive both waste and supply insulating jackets applied directly to the pipes providing protection for the wheelchair user.  The closed model concealing the pipes will be equipted with a removable face or face board covering the pipes.  This pipe concealing panel must be installed at the correct angle.  This allows for the needed unobstructed legroom required for the  user.  The vanity can extend beyond the sink but the area containing the sink is required to have this roll under capability.   This section of the vanity must not be any taller than 34 inches above the finished floor with sufficient lower clearance.  Clear unobstructed reach distances around the countertop area must be observed.  Any motion controlled sensors integrated into the various dispensing devices and/or plumbing fixtures throughout the restroom present a true hands free benefit to all the restroom users.  If these aren't in the budget then at least wrist handles used for controlling the faucet can be incorporated into the design of the vanity.  Furthermore, automatic flush valves should be used on all toilets and urinals that provide for hands free use.

 

Multiple Computer Work Stations

 

     Commercial fine cabinetry can support undermounted monitors providing for the full desk top area, pull out keyboard trays which also conserve space, or CPU mounts that conceal and keep the machines out of the way or taking up space within a given cabinet. These customized cabinets can give your business a sleek, efficient, and organized appearance and assist in keeping clutter out of the public eye.  Many configurations are possible to house the work stations in any required number.  Just remember that careful thought for function is required prior to settling on a design and don't forget to make your facility ADA accessible if the general public will be served.

     Whether you are dealing in commercial bathroom remodeling, breakroom upgrades, or are in the need of an interesting reception desk you will need the help of a reputable commercial contractor.  Every design that will be located within the common area must follow ADA rules for accessibility. Service desks should have designated areas with lowered heights and roll under capabilities to serve the people with special needs.  Any commercial cabinetry not located within the common area can take on standard heights and depths.

     Commercial cabinetry, because of the increased use, must pass the durability test.  Many people use and are constantly around pieces like reception desks and the traffic must flow well.  All surfaces must be durable and be able to take a pounding.  Proper drawer guides must be adequately matched with drawer content weight.  Shelf brackets should also fit the weight of the materials they are holding up.  Counter tops must be tough but look sharp.  Reach limits must be realized and comfortable so that the user never has to leave his or her chair.