Remodeling Reminders

Page Summary:

#1- Newest Trends in Remodeling: Ideas that are Hot And What Is Not

#2- Consider Your Remodeling Project An Investment

Can you envision yourself or your family down the road ten years?

Ten years may seem far away, still today's smart homeowners will want to Be Informed.

Why? The main reason is that the house you own today may no longer fit your needs tomorrow, perhaps because there may be one (or two!) new family members. No matter what an owner may intend, statistics shows that the average person moves once every six years.

A house must be considered an investment , keeping an eye on the real estate market.

Contractors and homeowners would prefer to believe every dollar spent on a house automatically adds to the home's value; unfortunately, that is not true. Different projects will bring back different amounts of dollars. So which improvements will attract a potential home buyer and give you the best return? What remodeling project will be a good investment in your family's quality of life now? What is a good value in home remodeling? For many, it's the best quality at the cheapest price, period. Actually there is more to consider:

The Product: Cost at time of purchase considering the long term performance, maintenance, and health effects.

Functional & attractive layout

• Skillful craftsmanship

• Code approved

Also consider:

• Location of your property and your neighborhood (avoid over improving compared to nearby houses)

• Demand (subject to uncontrollable circumstances, ongoing and upcoming trends, economy, supply)

Here a few items that are currently in demand:

General Design & Layout: • Bright, open rooms (Especially the kitchen, bathrooms, and family rooms)

• Kitchen, dining, & family rooms are open (kitchen/eat-in/family space)

• Large master bath

• Home Office

• Guest room

• Media room

• Exercise room

• "Play room"

• Laundry room with plenty of counter space "ironing board can stay up at all times—or in wall"

• Walk-in closets

• Three-car garage

• Window walls (windows, windows and more windows)

• Skylights

• Glass blocks & Glass block venting in showers (Some with lighting)

• Vaulted ceilings and exposed beams

• Curved walls and archways

• Fireplaces , double sided, triple sided, and quad glass

• Phones & Cable jacks in almost every room

• Kitchen:

Mini office workspace (equipped with computer)• Island • Walk-in pantry • Double sinks • Stainless steel or restaurant grade appliances • Ceramic, granite or tumbled marble counter tops and back splash • Earth tones ceramic or tiles flooring • Wood floors.

Bathroom:

• Large & bright (Skylights, Architectural windows, and glass blocks) • Separate tub and showers • Double bowls vanities • Jetted & air bubbled tubs for two • Custom tiled walk-in shower with built-in bench • Earth tones and marble tiles • Heated floors.

Master Bedroom:

• Slightly smaller to accommodate his-and-hers larger closets and dressing areas • Parlor • Separate sitting room with TV and/or workspace • Fireplace * Tray Ceiling

Exterior: • Stucco, stone, brick or cedar siding or shakes • Architectural shingles, fiber cement, tile or slate roofing • Redwood, cedar, ironwood, and composite material decks • Tree fencing.

Electrical: • Home automation • Recessed lighting & track lighting • Ceiling fans • Decorative switches, dimmers, outlets and jacks • Exterior lighting options—including solar powered.

Mechanical: • Central heating & cooling • Heated floors • Central vacuum • Central Alarm.

Framing: • Engineered wood products • Steel framing.

What's Out:

The following items are considered not-so-good investments:

• Wall to wall carpet • Vinyl tiles • Vinyl sheet ("linoleum") • Wallpaper • Paneling • Flush hollow core doors • Storm windows and doors • Through the windows air conditioners • Ceiling tiles • Suspended ceilings • Marble counter tops • "Solid surface" counter tops.

When it comes time for you to remodel, and you have all the right "ingredients"- you're not going to spend a single dollar—instead it will be invested!

Is your house your most valuable asset?

Treat it right and it will become your best investment.

If you end up not selling your home - you still will have made a great investment in your family's quality of life!

“Not Everything That is Faced Can Be Changed, but Nothing Can Be Changed until It Is Faced.” James Baldwin

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Should I Remodel

Remodeling 2007 Averages