Is Remodeling A Waste Of Money?
Is remodeling a waste of money? Well, while there are many projects you can do and you fail to recoup your investment, there are some that are worth it. So to answer your question, no, house remodeling isn’t a waste of money as there are plenty of remodeling projects that you can do and greatly increase the value of your house, selling it at a much higher price. Which are these remodeling projects? Here they are as given by home remodeling architects: Adding an outdoor structure Outdoor structures such as pools, fire pits, decks and others are great additions to your home as they bring extra enjoyment and add usable space in the house. While this is the case, you should be cautious of the outdoor structure you add as you can spend too much money and fail to get it back. For example, be cautious when installing a swimming pool, as chances are you won’t get your money back. There is also the risk of your house staying in the market for a long time as some homeowners view it as unsuitable for their young family. To sell your house fast and get your money back you need to invest in the right units. Some of the best ones being: Fences: A new fence adds more privacy to your house and keeps your kids safe. It can also have a significant impact on your curb appeal and improve the value of your home. Deck: Installing a new deck isn’t cheap but it pays off if you have installed the right one. A deck adds more usable space, making your home more attractive to a prospective buyer. Depending on the size of the deck, the scope of the project and the materials you use, you can increase the value of your house by up to 80%. Undertaking a Kitchen and bathroom remodel When done right, a kitchen and bathroom remodel can significantly add the value of a house. When undertaking the project, pay close attention to the functionality and accessibility of each. Also, factor in the aging population and those with disability. While a bathroom or kitchen remodel can increase the value of a house, it can sometimes fail to if you use the wrong materials. For example, when you use high-end cabinet and countertop materials. To be on the safe side, stay clear of the high-end materials as you won’t recoup your investment. Replacing an old roof An old roof with buckling, curled or missing shingles isn’t a sight to be proud of, is it? No buyer will be attracted to a house with a buckling roof, is there? To make your house attractive and valuable, you should install a new roof. For the best outcome, get a quality roof that isn’t too expensive and have it professionally installed. Also, ensure that the new roof has a good warranty. To make your house even more attractive, install solar panels that heat the water or provide an alternative power source. Replacing the windows The same way a house with an old roof is a turn off is the same way […]
Read more
What Are Some Good Tips To Consider When Remodeling A House?
Are you thinking about remodeling your house? There are plenty of tips to consider to get it right. What are some tips to consider when remodeling a house? Here they are as given by home remodeling architects: Know your why Why are you remodeling the house in the first place? This is important as it determines how you will go about the remodeling and the materials you will use. Most homeowners remodel their houses for two primary reasons: to improve the home’s look and to sell it. If you are remodeling for selling, you should pay attention to the parts of the house that add the most value. These are often the bathroom and kitchen area. You also should focus on turning the basement, attic, and other unusable areas into usable spaces. As a rule of thumb, when you are remodeling the house to sell, avoid high-end materials such as granite and marble as chances are you won’t recoup your investments. To be on the safe side, go with beautiful but cheaper materials. On the other hand, if you are remodeling the house to improve its looks to be comfortable and proud of your living situation, there is no limit to what you can do with it. As long as you are happy with the remodel, go with it. Have a budget The last thing you should do is start your remodeling project without a budget and say that you want to see the amount of money that the project will consume. This is wrong. Before you even begin your project, you should know the amount of money you should expect to spend on the various renovation costs such as labor, building materials, decorative finishes, building permits, and so on. If this is the first time you are doing it, get help from an experienced professional and come up with a budget. To avoid surprises later, have a 10% reserve of your budget for unexpected expenses that might arise later. Do your research Once you know about the materials you want and the amount of money to spend on each, begin your research. Right off the bat, get in touch with several experienced renovation contractors in your area and request estimates. This way, you get to compare the prices charged by the contractors. Of course, you should settle with the contractor providing the best service at the least cost. The other thing you should do is visit your local material stores and see what is available. Compare the prices from the different stores and settle on the one that makes the most sense to you. Work with experienced contractors. Your remodeling project will look as good as the contractors you hire, so ensure that you hire good contractors. As a rule of thumb, ensure that the contractors have at least three years of house remodeling experience. They also should be members of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) and be in good standing with the Better Business Bureau. There are plenty of ways to find the ideal contractor to work with. One way is doing a Google search […]
Read more
4 Ideas on How You Can Lower the Cost of Your Remodeling Project
When you are having a home remodeling project the last thing you want is to bust your budget. This is because you are most likely on a tight budget and you can’t afford to spend even a single cent more than you had set out to. To ensure this doesn’t happen, work on maintaining the budget or even better, bring the remodeling costs as low as possible. How do you do this? Here are ideas on how you can lower the costs of your remodeling project as given by home addition companies: Don’t increase the size of your house When many people hear about house remodeling, their mind goes into increasing the size of the house. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case. In fact, if you don’t want to go past your remodeling budget, you shouldn’t increase the size of your house. If you are simply looking for addition storage space, instead of knocking down a wall or building additional space, build space saving shelves with pullout drawers, racks and other materials. Bring in natural light One of the primary reasons people remodel their houses is to allow in as much light as possible. Most of these people hurry to cut holes in their walls and put up a window, but you shouldn’t do this. To save money, consider less invasive and less expensive ways of capturing light. For example, you can brighten up a dark hallway or bath by installing a light tube slipping between the roof rafters and funneling sunshine down into your living space. For the best outcome, work with an experienced professional that knows what they are doing. Pay in cash You might think that you still spend money when you pay in cash but it saves you a lot, as you don’t pay high interest rates. If you are doing the renovations to simply improve the look of your house, avoid paying using a loan. The only time it makes sense to pay using a loan is when you are renovating the house for sale. This way you are sure that you can include the interest accrued in the price of the house. If you aren’t renovating the house for sale, come up with ways to cut your household budget and save as much money as necessary to foot your renovation bill. It will take you long to save the money but it won’t leave you in debt once the project is over. Enlist the services of an architect It might sound out of place that you are trying to cut costs while we are telling you to enlist the services of an architect, right? Well, having an architect on board might actually end up saving you a lot of time and money in the long run. Of course, you shouldn’t hire the architect full time on a full architectural commission that involves meetings, multiple job site visits, and several construction drawings. You should tap into the architect’s design skills and ask them to sketch out a few solutions for you. These sketches can be as simple as opening up a partition wall or moving a […]
Read more
How Often Should You Remodel Your Home?
Are you wondering, how often should you remodel your home? While the time you do it depends on the condition of your property, architects builders agree that you should do it at least every 15-20 years. You should note that this recommendation isn’t set in stone, and you can always do it earlier or later than this. You should consider renovating your house if: The tiles are getting detached Detached tiles are an eyesore, a tripping hazard, and significantly reduce a home’s resale value. Even if you had professionally installed the tiles, it comes a time when you have to replace them due to wear off. In most cases, the most affected rooms are usually the bathroom and kitchen, often due to the large amounts of water there. You can replace the loose tiles using similar tiles to those that were originally there or install completely new ones. As you are placing the new tiles, pay attention to the room’s theme and maintain it. The paint has chipped. Who said you have to bring down the entire house to say that you are having a renovation project? Sometimes the renovation project is as simple as repainting your walls. The beauty is that doing the repainting work is simple and cheap. If you don’t want or don’t have the money to hire a technician, you can always paint the house yourself or with the help of your family members. The roof is leaking To keep your house in top shape, you must ensure that the roof is in good condition. Most roofing systems are known to last for decades, but they rot and get old sooner than expected due to harsh weather elements. Depending on the materials used in roofing, you can have leaking problems. If your roof is leaking, it’s time to renovate your house. If your house is old, chances are you can’t find the exact materials you had used in roofing, so you have to use modern materials. While this is the case, like when installing the tiles, be cautious of the house theme and design. The last thing you want is to install a roof that doesn’t agree with the house’s theme. You have outgrown your house. If you have a new family member such as a child or elderly relative living with you, the chances are that the house has become smaller. For everyone to be comfortable, you need to make some renovations. You can knock down a wall to make room for an additional bedroom or build an addition. Your house feels old. Do you enter your house and feel like you are in the 60s? It might be time to invest in a new house. When you are doing the renovation, avoid the trending house designs and plans as it’s a matter of time before the fad fades off and you start feeling that your house needs to catch up. The right thing to do is to work with experienced professionals that will help you choose a design that looks good and will still be good in the coming decades. You have money for […]
Read more
Will Home Renovations Pay Off?
If you are asking, will home renovations pay off? You must be thinking about remodeling your house for sale, right? The good news is that renovating the house can pay off if you invest in the right projects. Some of the best projects that always pay off include: Home additions When you hire home addition companies to add some square footage to your house, you have more room for your family and significantly add the value of the house. After all, who wouldn’t want a larger house? To maximize your investment, be cautious with the materials you choose. As a rule of thumb, don’t use highly premium materials as you might fail to recoup your investment. At the same time, avoid overextending your house as you risk not getting your money back. Redo the kitchen The kitchen is said to be the heart of every home, so you can’t go wrong by taking care of the heart, can you? You will even make a better return when you remodel an older, outdated kitchen. Some of the things you should do to your kitchen include: upgrading your cabinets, refrigerator, stove, flooring, and sinks and faucets. As you remodel the kitchen, think about older buyers and ensure that the kitchen maintains functionality and accessibility. Some of the things you can do include: installing lowered light switches, cabinets, and countertops. If you have the funds, install cabinets with a hydraulic system that allows the homeowner to move them up and down quickly. Remodel the bathroom If you have tried selling a house, you must have noticed that most prospective homebuyers rush to the bathroom to check its condition. This means that if they don’t like how it looks, chances are high they won’t even give you an offer. With this information, you can use it to your advantage and wow the prospect from the word go. According to the National Association of the Remodeling Industry report, you stand to recoup up 57% of your bathroom remodeling investment, so you should do it. Besides the usual, replacing the flooring, vanity, tub, toilet, or shower, you should develop brilliant ways to renovate the bathroom. If you have one bathroom in your house, add a shower to a half bath or add a half bath to the living area. Like with kitchen remodeling, don’t go overboard and invest in high-end materials as they might be too expensive and you fail to recoup your money. Amplify the outdoor living space Every homeowner wants a relaxing space to have as much fun as possible. The beauty of renovating the outdoor space is that you can be creative and use inexpensive materials that won’t take too much money. Some wise outdoor structures you can invest in include: fence, deck, and fire pit. While a pool gives your house a high-end look, chances are high you won’t get your money back by investing in it, as many homeowners view it as additional liability. This is because they need to maintain it, which isn’t cheap. There is also the risk of the children and pets falling into the pool. Unless you […]
Read more