Showing posts with label home remodeling. Show all posts

Monday, June 20, 2016

Tips to Stage Your Home to Sell

Put your best foot forward.

Make a good first impression.

First impressions are the most lasting.

What I’m trying to say is, when it comes to houses, prospective buyers are going to judge your house based on their first, two-second impression of it, whether or not they should.

When others make strong judgments based on first impressions, it’s usually seen as a negative. Instead, look at your home’s first impression as an opportunity for you to get a leg up on your competition by wowing potential homebuyers.

Home staging is setting your home up as a neutral space where buyers can easily imagine the drama of their life unfolding. Home staging doesn’t have to mean dropping 10 or 20 grand on remodeling. A lot of it is doing all the little things right – making your home appear as attractive as possible and then getting out of your own way so buyers can see how they, not you, would live in the home.

I asked Joe Delia with Keller Williams Royal Oak Market Place for tips on how to best stage your home for a quick sell.

The Basics

Listing Photos

Put some effort into the listing photos – maybe even hire a professional photographer. Buyers sort through many, many listings online. If your photos fail to grab their attention, they may not even give your home a chance.

Clean Up

Clean and tidy goes a long way. “When it’s dirty, people focus on that,” explains Delia. Clean isn’t enough – make your home spotless.

Declutter

The close cousin to clean and tidy is decluttering your home. People have a hard time envisioning their belongings in a home when it’s packed with someone else’s stuff.
The seller should remove as much clutter as possible. Less furniture makes the space look bigger. The furniture you do leave out should be up for entertaining. Make traffic flow obvious to buyers.

Depersonalize the Space

Removing personal items like family photos is another important thing to do. It’s hard for buyers to envision themselves in an empty home and equally as hard to envision themselves in a home full of someone else’s life and mementoes.

Make it Bright and Open

Lots of natural light and storage space are helpful too. Bright, open, refreshing and relaxing are some of the feelings potential buyers want to sense when walking through your home.

Decorating and Updating

Be Consistent

A consistent décor theme is more important than having all the newest updates/materials. A buyer should be able to come into your home and immediately sense a flow, an order to the home and be able to picture themselves in that flow, Delia states.
If you have some brushed nickel and some brass hardware in your home, for example, replace one or the other so that everything matches. Avoid a combination of styles, like ultra-modern and antique, as much as possible too. Decide on a look for your home and commit to it.
Putting in new cupboard or drawer fronts and hardware and repainting your home in neutral colors are some relatively cheap fixes that will significantly revitalize your home. Setting out fresh fruit or flowers greatly increases the appeal and hominess of your home, without making it feel personal to you.

Remodeling vs. Updating

You can go for more extensive remodeling like a whole kitchen or bathroom overhaul if you want, but just adding some nice furniture, art pieces or stainless steel appliances (that stay with the home) will be more cost effective in increasing your home’s appeal.
Make bedrooms as serene as possible; don’t make bedrooms gender specific. Update bathrooms including tub, shower and vanities, clean grimy walls, change fixtures, clean shower doors. Paint out dated tiles on bathroom walls.

Outdoor Tactics

Remember that first impression? It started with the images the buyer saw online and is largely cemented in their mind when they drive up to your home, so make it look great!

Power wash your driveway, deck, outside of home, etc.
Cut the grass regularly
Keep bushes and shrubs well-trimmed
Clear out weeds
Add flowers or other colorful accents to improve curb appeal
Get rid of any dead plants

The bottom line is that it’s absolutely worth spending some time, effort and a little money to increase the appeal of your home. At the same time, don’t think you need hardwood floors, granite countertops and vaulted ceilings to get people to look at your home.

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Wednesday, June 15, 2016

7 Remodeling Tips

Julie Laughton Designer and General Contractor

This is the busiest time of year for remodels. Most homeowners like to start their remodel now so it is completed by the new school year and the holiday season. Summer is a convenient time for a family to travel while their home is being worked on.

The home remodel experience should be fun and rewarding. You are essentially getting a new home to meet your family’s lifestyle and needs without moving. However, you may have heard stories from friends and family whose remodel turned into a nightmare. For example, a job that was supposed to take six months to complete went on for over a year. Not only is your happiness about the remodel squashed, but you also have a bitter taste in your mouth and won’t feel the same about it in the end. The delays and the stress take the joy out of it. If your remodel needs to go on hold in the middle of the job, then the original budget goes out the window.

The keys to not having this happen are to know what to look for, who to hire, and see the warning signs. Here are 7 tips to help avoid a nightmare remodel.

1) Moving Out or Staying in Your Home: Are you prepared to either move out or stay and camp out while your remodel is being done? To move out means additional costs if you don’t have a second home to go to. To stay in your home means living with a temporary kitchen and in a more confined space with inevitable added stress.

2) Hiring the Essential Players: The architect, designer, space planner, kitchen and bath designer, and contractor are the four most essential players to the project. You should also be aware that hiring a professional educated interior designer who does space planning is much different than hiring a decorator who does furniture and drapes. You need the appropriate person to draw the plans because it is not only about the home’s design architecturally, but also how the space is designed and functions along with the overall style. Letting your contractor play designer doesn’t work.

3) Creating Good Plans: You need to have plans that work. This allows you to achieve a budget and stick to it. Sometimes a homeowner will think they hired the right person to draw them. However, the architect or designer who drew the plans has to understand city rules, residential design, and construction in general. They also need to understand space planning and kitchen design or the plans just won’t work. Even if the plans are complete but not everything is reviewed in advance, there will be surprises and added costs.

4) Making Decisions and Selections: For budget and timing reasons, all design decisions and material selections should be made in advance of starting the project. A well-known fact in all remodels is the “unknown” behind the walls. This cannot be avoided. The other unknown to the professionals is how the client will react and how many changes they will make “after” the jobs starts. My best advice to a client is if they have a budget, they want to stick to. Do not under any circumstances make changes or add to the scope of work after the work starts. It’s a nightmare of additional costs on top of delays.

5) Determining Your Style: It’s best to work with a professional designer to help guide you through this process. The professional design process is executed in a way that is supposed to allow you to see all the options and, at same time, fine-tune the options while establishing the style. In the end, it has to not only have style, but it also must function so it will all work for the homeowner. Getting there can be overwhelming and proper guidance is the key.

6) Avoiding the Owner-Builder Route: The biggest nightmare is when a homeowner starts their project without a permit or a plan. They try to hire all of the sub-contractors themselves as an owner-builder without hiring a contractor. They manage the project with no experience and think the process is easy because it’s their house. The risk to the homeowner is very high in this situation. A homeowner will usually spend much more time and money in the end if they choose to go the owner-builder route. Then it will be too late when they realize that they need a professional to take over and finish the job right.

7) Checking References: It’s amazing how many contractors aren’t who they say they are. You want to make sure that your contractor is legitimate: licensed, bonded, and insured. Actually check his license and make sure it’s valid. Check his references. Ask for proof of insurance. It’s illegal to work without it. If they don’t have it, then you stop.

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Thursday, April 28, 2016

Tips for building an outdoor kitchen for clients

By Steve Constable

Outdoor kitchens have been growing in popularity over the years. The benefit of learning how to build an outdoor kitchen is that the profit margins are traditionally higher than standard indoor kitchen remodels given that the select group of contractors with the skill of installing them is small and their services are in demand.

The outdoor kitchen is comprised of four distinct zones: the hot zone, which is where your grill, cook top and pizza oven goes; a wet zone, which is where your sink goes; a cold zone where you keep your cooler or refrigerator; and a dry zone, which is where you want to keep cooking and storage items dry.

Of all the zones within the outdoor kitchen the dry zone requires the most specialized equipment. Special water-tight and water-resistant cabinets will need to be put in to keep storage items dry. Among the offerings are NatureKast high-density resin and Werever marine-grade HDPE cabinetry that are so impervious you can clean them with a water hose. Kalamazoo also makes beautiful stainless steel cabinets and appliances for the outdoors.

Werever marine-grade cabinetry

In regards to appliances for an outdoor kitchen, Kalamazoo makes the nicest, most durable appliances you can buy. They make warming drawers and side burners. They even make outdoor dishwashers, which is a real luxury item if you think about it.

Another aspect of building an outdoor kitchen is to select the right grade of tile. Tiles that work best outside are high-grade porcelain tiles, which are nearly impervious to moisture, and quarry tiles that are highly durable in structure. Another building material you can consider working with is stained concrete with a durable layer of polymer coating. If you choose to stamp the concrete you want a very low stamp level, which will make cracking less of likelihood. Also if you want to put wood deck flooring in your outdoor kitchen, pick the most water-impervious grade of wood you can. Epay wood is a highly recommended outdoor wood flooring option. Remember sourcing the most durable materials you can and paying more initially is better in the long run as the life of the kitchen can be extended into many decades of time.

Although many keep the outdoor kitchen as closely adjacent to the indoor one as possible, it should not be relegated to just the backyard. You can put outdoor kitchens on the roof as well.
Building an outdoor kitchen is not a necessity but it is a luxury symbol. Many homeowners appreciate what an outdoor kitchen can provide in terms of entertaining guests, and may be eager to have one custom built.

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Friday, April 22, 2016

6 spring chores to do now to protect your home's value

Lisa Kiplinger

As of early Sunday morning on the East Coast, spring officially has sprung. But before you break out in your happy dance, you've got some work to do. To protect what's probably your biggest investment, it's important to take care of a few spring chores. Nino Sitchinava — principal economist at Houzz.com, a leading platform for home remodeling and design — offers her top tips for getting your property back in shape after winter:

1. Tackle any drainage issues. The 2016 Houzz Landscaping Trends study revealed that drainage issues are the top challenge homeowners face when updating their yards. After winter, you likely know where excess water pools around your home. Spring is the best time to fix this to avoid erosion and mold issues.

2. Fix a leaking roof. During winter, it's common to patch or tarp a roof as a temporary fix for leaks, but now is the time to resolve issues for good. According to the 2015 Houzz & Home study, which had more than 170,000 respondents in the U.S., homeowners are nearly two times more likely to remodel their kitchen (27%) than roofing (15%), an important update when needed. "Fixing leaks and maintenance repairs should be prioritized ahead of other remodeling," Sitchinava says. "Leaks can cause problems like pests and mold. Often these repairs are also lower budget and require less planning."

3. Refresh your entry or mudroom. During winter, you're likely to track snow, road salt and mud into your entry or mudroom. In spring, make sure to thoroughly clean your walls, floors and doors to avoid any long-term damage.

4. Clean and repair gutters. Winter debris can build in gutters, and it's important to remove it before spring rains. To avoid water running down the side of your home, check for places where the gutters may have pulled away from the house. "Termites and other pests, which become most active during this time of year, are attracted to moisture," Sitchinava says. "Standing water can create mold issues and cracks in driveways and paths create tripping hazards."

5. Clean siding. Similar to your entry or mudroom, salt and mud can build up on the exterior of your home during the winter. Depending on the type of siding, you can use a hose or pressure washer to clean your siding.

6. Update paths and your driveway. Often driveways and paths crack during the winter, especially in regions that experience freezing conditions. During landscaping projects, more than half of homeowners update their paths (51%) and 17% update their driveways, according to the 2016 Houzz Landscaping Trends study.

"Often, it's not an option to resolve these issues during the winter because it's too cold to have workers on site and there may still be snow on the ground in colder climates. So, it's important to address them ASAP in the spring."

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Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Tips for building an outdoor kitchen for clients

By Steve Constable

Werever marine-grade cabinetry

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Tuesday, March 1, 2016

The Property Brothers' Top 15 Home Remodeling Tips

Find out what you missed from the Capital Remodel + Garden Show

by Michelle Goldchain

Photo via Shutterstock/Naphat_Jorjee

This past Saturday, the Capital Remodel + Garden Show hosted over 375 companies, more than 4,000 square feet of "dream gardens," and two frontrunners that stole the show, Jonathan and Drew Scott. These real estate and home renovation celebrities, known for their HGTV show, Property Brothers, spoke on everything from when to be bold to where to find home remodeling inspiration.
For those who missed the show or wish to relive it, Curbed listed the top 15 tips and tricks these two brothers discussed below:

The home is the largest investment you'll ever make, so surround yourself with people who will help you succeed. Get someone who understands how you work as well.
Dream big. For one moment, forget everything about price. After listing everything you truly desire for your abode, narrow it down to the must-haves. These must-haves should be things that will make your life easier and will up the property value.
Get a couple of contractors to come through and quote everything. Do your research. Plan ahead. Take your time. Otherwise, you'll likely blow your budget.
Do not be afraid to be bold, but you need to think of resale value. Don't do any renovations that may be too specific to your needs or may go out of style soon.
You don't need to get rid of everything during a renovation. Repurpose when you can.
Do not be in a rush to buy whatever is trendy at the moment. If you want to buy something, know the pros and cons to that product.

Property Brothers — Photo courtesy of Dennys Ilic

Breaking down a wall or two to make more space can be unnecessary. Sometimes, just changing furniture layout is enough.
Do not look at houses until you know what you can afford.
When you make your budget, do not base that budget off of your current income situation. For example, are you planning a baby? Expect some changes to that budget.
Once you make your budget, stick to it.
Do not do renovations on credit cards.
When selling your home, take the emotion out of it. Take a step back and look at your home from the eyes of a homebuyer. You need to resolve any issues as you only have one chance at a first impression.
Look for inspiration online.
Value your time. It can be worth paying someone to do a job if they will do it quicker than you and with less stress.
Be careful when you look to the Property Brothers for home remodeling advice. You will never be able to renovate at the same cost as them. Why? They don't charge for their time.

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Thursday, February 25, 2016

How to Tell if Your DIY Project Is a Disaster—and How to Dig Out

When you first envisioned your renovation project, it was the stuff of rainbow-colored daydreams. A few weekends of manual labor, a forcibly fun painting party, and your house would be totally transformed. A new you!

Indeed, it was fun for a while. The first weekend you blasted out the walls, ripped up the floors and channeled your inner Bob Vila.

That was 11 weekends ago.

Since then you’ve taped some stuff off, laid down some plywood and covered everything with plastic tarp so the settling dust wouldn’t get into your morning coffee. Is it time to accept you are in over your head? Maybe. Or maybe not. You might need a good contractor, but you also might be able to rally and get this done yourself. Here’s how to tell:

1. Are you on the highway to the danger zone?

Even small DIY home projects are risky (safety first, kids!), but have you tackled something that really could land you in an ER waiting room? Some projects are better left to the pros.

“Anything that involves permitted trades like electric, plumbing, or HVAC repair,” says Sabine H. Schoenberg, founder of PrimeSitesCT and host of ThisNewHouse. “Trade licenses mean something, and you really do not want to learn on your own house.”

Look at your project from a safety perspective. If you could do serious damage to yourself—or your house—you might be better off quitting while you’re ahead.

2. Going through ch-ch-changes?

Sometimes, life throws you a curveball. Sometimes, even a knuckleball! Maybe work has gotten busier. Maybe that one-day-a-week volunteer project has taken way more effort than you thought. Maybe your kid joined the varsity Serbo-Croatian debate team. Sometimes, you find that you just don’t have the time or energy to finish a DIY project. And when that happens, you may decide that it’s easier to let it languish than deal with it.

“It’s OK to admit it to yourself,” Schoenberg says.

If you’ve been too busy lately to devote any time to your project, ask yourself how long your preoccupation might last. If you can give yourself a solid deadline to get back to the project, stick with it. If you can’t, call for backup.

3. Missing a piece of the puzzle?

Money is often a big factor in why DIY projects go dormant. If you’ve been waiting weeks (or months) to save up for an expensive piece of your project, change your approach.

Check secondhand construction stores such as Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore. You can also hunt for missing pieces in antique stores, flea markets, and on sites like Craigslist. Secondhand materials can save you a bundle.

4. More gusto than knowledge?

At some point we’ve all gotten excited about a DIY project and dived right in, only to realize later that we can’t do everything we thought we could.

If you’re stuck on a part of a project (how do you get those tiles to lie evenly, anyway?), you might be able to teach yourself. Search for how-to videos online—including realtor.com’s library of free video guides.

Know when to call for help—and how to get it

Of course, learn-at-home videos aren’t foolproof. If you’re still at a loss simply watching the pros, it might be better to bring them in, in person—even if it’s only for part of your project.

“Finding pros who want to step into a project started by a DIY person is not easy,” Schoenberg says.
But it can be done. Just make sure you’re clear with the contractor. Explain that you need help with this part, but ultimately want to finish the job yourself.

You’ll save some cash overall, but don’t expect the pro to work for cheap.

“They know they will likely have to rip out and redo a bunch of installations,” Schoenberg says. “To price that is difficult.”

But be careful when you’re looking for a contractor.

“The only way to gauge things a bit is by multiple bids,” Schoenberg says. “The right price is usually in the middle. Toss the highest and the lowest numbers.”

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Monday, February 8, 2016

The positives of remodelling, renovating our homes

Bob Weinstein | Living Better

Reflecting on my prior columns about remodelling and renovating our homes, I tended to focus more on the negatives rather than the positive side of a remodelling project. The reason for concentrating on unforeseen problems, hidden costs and surprises was to open homeowners’ minds so that they approach remodelling projects prepared for all eventualities, especially expensive surprises that could turn a relatively simple project into an overwhelming and expensive nightmare.

Over the past decade, the DIY market has catapulted into a multi-billion dollar niche industry. What better evidence than the proliferation of DIY magazines, newsletters, and especially DIY websites and network and cable television shows? A wealth of information is available on virtually any home project. For the most part, the information is excellent and comprehensive, especially if it’s coming from knowledgeable and articulate professionals. By the same token, some of the information is too simplistic, because it stresses project positives over negatives, when both ought to be given equal space and importance. While I don’t always hit my mark, my goal is to give readers the whole story — the truth — so they approach all projects, simple or complex, with open minds prepared for all eventualities.

Looking back, I failed to spotlight the positives, which are the reasons why we undergo the expense and headache of a remodelling or renovation project, and the accompanying upheaval, which turn our lives topsy-turvy. Temporary chaos is disconcerting and stressful, and we can’t wait till we return order and structure to our nests, and our daily routines.

That said, here are some positives to consider if contemplating a remodelling or renovation project:
Increase value of home. Although disconcerting and disruptive, most remodelling projects increase the value of our homes. Realtors throughout North America say that updating and remodelling bathrooms and kitchens can significantly increase the value of our homes, for example.

Maintain structural integrity. Our homes are no different than all the inanimate objects in our lives, such as our cars, trucks and the myriad electronics and technological gadgets, from cell phones and video games to televisions and smart homes that make our lives easier and more efficient. Over time, pipes break, wood rots, paint fades and electrical wiring and plumbing deteriorate. Whether we do the work ourselves or hire people to do it for us, there is no escaping obligatory home-maintenance projects. Fail to maintain our homes, and they will go to seed.

Opportunity to clean house and eliminate clutter. Remodelling projects are the ideal time to delcutter our homes. Many people, myself included, have a hard time getting rid of stuff they no longer use. During the upheaval of a remodelling project is when homeowners see the futility of hanging onto things that serve no purpose. It’s an opportunity to either give stuff away to people who could use it or throw it away if it serves no purpose or is broken.

Change improves our lives. Scholars and social scientists have written countless books and articles about our ambivalence toward change — why we fear it and why it’s so vital for improving our lives. People fear change because they’ve become so comfortable in their routines, they reason that they must be the best way to do things. But that’s only an excuse, a flawed justification for maintaining the status quo. To improve and better our lives, we must change the way we do things. To achieve that end, we must embrace the unknown and take chances. This applies not only to our homes, but to all aspects of our lives — our feelings, attitudes, jobs and friends. Once we embrace change and see the benefits, a door opens in our minds. We become more flexible and open-minded, and welcome the excitement, fun and process of discovery, all of which make change so vital for learning and growth.

Bob Weinstein is editor-in-chief of Edmonton-based the Global Times, a news and commentary website, author of SO WHAT IF I’M 65 and an obsessive do-it-yourselfer.

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Tuesday, November 10, 2015

An Expert’s Advice on Remodeling

Courteys of Inside Style

Jill Abelman, interior designer and owner of Inside Style Home, shares tips on how to get a remodel started without breaking the bank and where to best invest hard-earned time and money.

If your budget is limited, what are the smartest rooms to remodel first?

The powder room is a great place to start, as everyone who visits your home will see it. Give it a facelift with updated lighting fixtures and hardware, such as new door and drawer handles, towel racks and faucets. In the living room, add new accent pillows, area rugs and a fresh coat of paint.

What are some projects that can be done without the assistance of a professional?

Painting is the least expensive way to make the biggest impact—not only on the walls, but, perhaps, on a piece of furniture. I just painted a favorite nightstand in my guest room bright orange and I love it.

With a substantial budget, what should homeowners splurge on?

Flooring is always a game changer and an investment that makes a huge difference. Our clients request we replace carpeting with wood or tile.

If you want to concentrate on the kitchen, obviously new cabinets, appliances and countertops will make the most impact. The kitchen is the heart of the home and most often updated first. After all, this is the space where we spend the most time. If this is too much for your budget, simply change the stain color of the cabinets; add a backsplash material and new handles. There are so many great backsplash options to choose from that will completely change the look. This remedy should only take a week or so in labor time once materials arrive.

What would people be most surprised to hear about the ROI on some popular remodeling projects?

Wallpaper is an excellent way to change a space in a big way for a minor investment. We often wallpaper just the bed wall in a bedroom and use accent paint colors to pull it all together. We concentrate on selecting interesting textures instead of prints so that the wallpaper is classic and timeless. New lighting fixtures throughout the home can make a big difference, and there are tons of high-impact, low-cost options.

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Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Renovation Solutions: 4 tips to successfully navigate the first phase of remodeling

Before: When you are planning a remodel, look at your house as if you were a prospective buyer. Try to see the pros and cons of your house as if you were going to buy your house again today. Trina Knudsen

Ann Robinson & Annie V. Schwemmer

Summary

Determining what actually needs to be done takes some effort and analysis. You need to determine what is working about your house and what isn’t, as well as what you like and what you don’t — remodeling should impact your life for the be

Most people spend years dreaming before they actually make a move to start the process of remodeling their home. However, all that wishing and hoping will actually help in the first phase of remodeling, which is called programming. This is where you determine what needs to be done to give you the house of your dreams — or at least a home that functions well for your situation and adds a little peace and happiness to your life every day.

In this phase, we can begin with the dream but need to move beyond that to create goals based in reality. Reality consists of the constraints of an actual budget, your current and future family circumstances, and any immediate needs that may be pertinent.

Determining what actually needs to be done takes some effort and analysis. You need to determine what is working about your house and what isn’t, as well as what you like and what you don’t.
Remember, remodeling should impact your life for the better, not just your house. If you spend $100,000 on a new addition and you still hate the rest of your house, then what was the point? You may have been able to better use that money to remodel a different area in a different way to make your whole house more useable and more functional on a daily basis.

Here are three tips to successfully execute the programming phase.

See your house with different eyes

Really looking at your house objectively and analyzing how it functions for your family is one of the hardest parts of programming. Usually one of two things happens. Sometimes a homeowner misses the problems in the house because they are so used to living with them. They don’t see how bad it is because, frankly, they simply don’t notice the issues anymore. They don’t see the problems that an outsider would identify.

The other option is when the homeowner is so sick of the house that they can no longer see the good qualities and potential the home possesses. They are fed up with everything! They just want to tear the whole thing down and start over when that may not be necessary. It is important to see your house for what it is and how it truly works for you.

Be honest

It is important to be honest. We often make excuses for the shortcomings of our houses. We factor in vague future plans and good intentions so we excuse them. However, to accurately determine what needs to be done, you need to be honest with yourself about your house.

Try this experiment. Imagine you are a visitor pulling up to your house. What do you see? What do you notice? Don’t let yourself make excuses for yourself. Just see it. Notice what needs to be fixed or changed. Notice what is outdated or lacking. Give yourself a tour of the house. Honestly walk through as if you were a prospective buyer. Would it fit your family’s needs? What is it lacking? What are the deal breakers that would stop you from making an offer on your own house if you could buy it again today? Looking at your house in this way will help you know what you need and what needs to be done in a remodel.

Dream a little

In the programming phase you can let yourself dream a little. Determine what needs to be done, but also consider what you want. Now is the time to put down your wishes for your house. If something doesn’t get out on the table, it will never make it into the plan at all.

When it comes to the design, an architect should present several alternative plans for you to choose from in the beginning. There is nothing wrong with making one of those plans be the dream of all dream plans. While the reality of a budget usually stifles the dream to some extent, a good architect has a way of adapting the dream to a reality with an affordable price tag.

Crunch some numbers

First, determine the current value of your home. If you were to put it on the market today as is, what could you expect it to sell for? A conversation with a realtor familiar with your area will at least give you a price range to plug into your financial equation.

Second, determine what amount of money you are willing to invest in your home. This may not be the same number as the equity you are estimating from your real estate research. You may want to hold on to some of that for other financial goals (college funds, travel, etc.), or you may decide to spend more if that meets your personal and family needs. Figure out what you want to spend on your remodeling project.

Third, if you are going to finance all or part of the project, find out what your borrowing power is. Talk to a banker or mortgage company to see what you can realistically count on for your remodeling project.

Dreaming alone will not get anything done, but bring your dreams along with an honest assessment of your home and financial information pertinent to your circumstances to a residential architect and this may be the year you change your home and your life.

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Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Cool Spaces: 5 tips to weigh the best resale home improvements

Carpenter Nick Rossi, of Newton, Mass. / Associated Press/Steven Senne

By Alex Viega

The cost of remodeling

Check out the Free Press’ graphic presentation online at on.freep.com/remodel showing the cost of various remodeling projects in metro Detroit and the percentage payback owners can expect in added value to their homes.

Homeowners are opening their wallets. A rebound in the housing market has made them more willing to invest in renovations that could boost the value of their homes even more in a rising market.
Spending on home remodeling has picked up over the past 18 months and is expected to rise nearly 20% to $151 billion by the fourth quarter, according to a report by the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University.
Those looking to sell should know that not all home improvement projects will boost the value of a home.
Here are five tips before investing in an improvement project: :

Don't overimprove

Some home improvements can help lift a home’s resale value, especially updates to features like cabinets and appliances that are dated. The key is to select finishes and appliances that a buyer might find in similarly priced homes in the area.
Consider a homeowner in a neighborhood with modest homes who splurges on pricey countertop finishes like quartz or marble. They’re not likely to recoup the cost when appraisers look at recent sales of comparable homes.
This applies to everything from lighting to flooring and bathroom fixtures.

Keep original footprint

A room addition that expands the size of a home beyond its original floor plan is least likely to produce a return on investment, says Richard Borges, president of the Appraisal Institute, a professional association of real estate appraisers.
Projects that require tearing down an exterior wall often involve moving doors, windows and other features, which can drive the costs higher.
The more expensive the project, the harder it can be to recover one’s costs.
Also, making major changes to the original structure runs other risks. “When you become the oddball, the only home in the neighborhood with four bedrooms, probably the fourth bedroom is not going to be that desirable,” says Borges.

Consider cost-to-value

Estimate how much of what you spend will be recovered at resale.
For example, if you spend a $1,000 on siding, and it only adds $500 to the resale value of your home, that upgrade is giving you a 50% return on your investment.
■ Graphic: Remodeling, what's it worth?
When home prices are rising fast enough, like during the last housing boom, it’s easier to recover costs spent on home improvements, regardless of the upgrade. The alternative scenario also holds true.

Prioritize repairs and curb appeal

If you need to upgrade your roof or fix window seals, do so. Those fixes may not be aesthetic upgrades, but often make a home easier to sell.
Replacing your front door might cost you $1,500, but it’s the type of upgrade that can make a home attractive to buyers, says Sal Alfano, editorial director of Remodeling magazine.
The magazine says replacing the front entry with a 20-gauge steel door is the upgrade from which homeowners can expect to recoup the most money among renovations that cost less than $5,000. The magazine estimates a recovery of 85.6 percent of the cost.

Consult an expert

Consult with a real estate agent or an appraiser who knows your market.
They should be able to gauge how the upgrade could affect the sales price of your home. That can help you determine how much of your investment you’re likely to recoup.
A consultation could cost between $500 and $1,000.
Real estate agents might be willing to offer their assessment for free.

To order your copy of Remodeling Hell, CLICK HERE

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Wednesday, July 1, 2015

Renovation Solutions: Common oversights when remodeling

By Ann Robinson & Annie V. Schwemmer

After: Dedicating part of the budget to landscaping will enhance the final project. That may include both hardscape (like patios, walks, etc.) and softscape (plants).

We find it a healthy exercise to talk about mistakes as a way to inform homeowners and to help them dodge a bullet or two. Here are a few more potential areas for problems during a renovation project and some advice on how to avoid them.

Editor's note: This is the third in a series about avoiding common remodeling mistakes. The first is "Avoiding common home remodeling mistakes" and the second is "5 tips to avoiding costly remodeling mistakes." Both are on deseretnews.com in the Family section. Portions of this column were previously published.

This month, we are discussing common home remodeling mistakes. We find it a healthy exercise to talk about mistakes as a way to inform homeowners and to help them dodge a bullet or two. Here are a few more potential areas for problems during a renovation project and some advice on how to avoid them.

Consider the landscaping.

One of the most common oversights when remodeling is not having a budget for repairing or replacing landscaping once the project is complete.

It is fairly obvious that projects involving additions will impact your yard, but even interior-only projects can affect the exterior of a home. The driveway and possibly part of the yard will be used to stage supplies and equipment, and the main access to the project will probably not be the front door, so workers and equipment may traipse around the house and through the yard.

Homeowners usually don’t think about replacing or repairing the landscaping until they see how torn up the yard may be by the end of the project.

The second reason to focus on landscaping is that it goes out of style just as other design elements do. You don’t do yourself any favors by leaving the giant 30-year-old, spider-infested pfitzers in front of your newly updated home, even if they do survive the contractors.

Landscaping always pulls the short stick because by the time the homeowners have spent their last dime on remodeling the home, they don’t have the capital to create a new and beautiful yard to match the new and improved structure. They may not even have the funds to get the yard back to where it was before the remodel. The best time to refurbish the landscaping is right after a remodeling project, when the yard is at least partially demolished. It is smart to put aside some money for landscaping as part of the project, so you don’t have to pay to tear up the yard again next year.

Avoid inferior materials.

Last week we mentioned that remodeling is something you usually do only once or twice in a lifetime. This next piece of advice goes specifically to the brave do-it-yourself remodeler, but it also applies to anyone trying to save money on their remodel. We understand sticking to a budget.

Honestly, we are all about stretching the dollar and getting the most bang for your buck. However, there comes a point when penny-pinching goes too far.

Don’t sacrifice quality on basic, long-term materials and fixtures. The bottom line is you get what you pay for. If you can’t afford to do it right, you should probably wait until you can. A better way to lower the cost of the whole project without sacrificing quality is by shaving off square footage with smart design. Remember, a project is priced out by a cost per square foot. With the right design, you can actually save money on gross square footage, which can then be put toward quality materials.

Think about everyday design.

Remodeling is not cheap, so it doesn’t make sense to undertake a remodel that doesn’t benefit your everyday life. For example: the bonus room.

We feel bad when we see someone spend money on a bonus room that simply adds square footage to the house. Most days, it just sits there unused with no purpose other than being available if the family should need it occasionally. When a client comes to us and says they are thinking of adding a bonus room, we say, “Why do you want a bonus room? What activities or function will it serve?” Often it is a question that they cannot answer. Even with an extra room, families will have the same problems with the rest of their house that they have always had. This kind of remodel won’t solve anything.

A good remodel that reconfigures a home’s existing space or possibly adds a small addition can do wonders for a family’s everyday life if it addresses a critical need or situation. When you are thinking about a remodel or an addition, think about how the space you are adding will impact your life every day. Realtors and bankers love square footage above all else; architects don’t. If you don’t have a good reason for creating additional space, it is our opinion that you are wasting your money.
Choose to go green.

When you are cutting into the walls, floors or roof of your home, this is the time to beef up the insulation to make your home as energy-efficient as possible. Not choosing to go with green appliances, windows, equipment and materials is a mistake on several different levels. You will have to consider pay-back schedules and returns on investment as you make vital decisions. This is the same idea as not updating the electrical or plumbing when the wires or pipes are exposed.

If you open up the wall and see a problem, fix it. Sustainable designs and green options are a new classic worth investing in. Consider tankless water heaters and ductless HVAC systems.

The more-efficient systems will cost more money up front, but it will be worth it in the long run. It is smart to invest in the efficiency of your home.

Have a contingency fund.

You will have issues with your project if you design to use every last penny of your budget. It is not really that difficult to understand that every remodeling project has its own surprises. Because this is residential construction, the issues are not usually huge, but they almost always require extra money to solve. While a few hundred or even thousand dollars is not a lot in the big picture of things, it can seem insurmountable when thrown at you during the stress of a remodeling project. On the other hand, if you know you have that contingency fund, the mountain becomes a much more manageable molehill. We recommend that you set aside 5 to 10 percent of the total budget for your contingency fund.

We hope this discussion is helpful and not discouraging. Overall, we can’t stress enough the importance of planning ahead! Plan, plan, plan. The more details you figure out before construction begins, the better off you will be and the fewer mistakes you will make.

To order your copy of Remodeling Hell, CLICK HERE

For more information about Remodeling Hell, CLICK HERE

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Monday, June 22, 2015

3 proven tips to stage your home to sell

Paul Takahashi

Staging a home for sale can pay off big for Realtors and homeowners.

On average, redecorating and remodeling a home can bring three times the return on investment at closing, according to Greg Williams, a new owner of Showhomes Houston.

“(Staging) helps homes sell faster and for more money,” Williams said.

Williams and his partner Steven Cook are the new owners of the local franchise of Showhomes, a Nashville, Tennessee-based company that provides home staging and managing services to help sell residential real estate.

Williams, an interior designer, and Cook, a senior vice president with Space City Credit Union, have more than five years of experience with Showhomes, managing and staging luxury homes for high-end Realtors and clients.

Staging is a science more than an art, and has become an integral part of selling homes, Williams said. Unlike interior design, staging is done not to suit the current homeowners’ tastes, but to make the home appealing to a wide range of prospective buyers.

“Our goal is to bring out the positive features of the property and improve its show quality,” Williams said. “We want to show the buyer the potential that the home has for them. Everything we do is geared toward getting more money at closing.”

Here are five tips to stage a home to sell, according to Williams.

1. Update carpets, wall paint and countertops.

Remodeling is costly, but replacing the carpets, putting a fresh coat of paint and upgrading the countertops can really make a difference in selling a home.

Williams recommends carpets that are low-profile, sleek and don’t take over the space; light, neutral paint colors; and light-colored quartzite or Carerra marble countertops that are more durable and dense than dark granite countertops.

“Buyers have certain expectations,” Williams said. “They don’t want fixer-uppers anymore. They want immediate gratification.”

2. Declutter. Less is more.

Williams recommends using a few focal point pieces — larger-scale art and furniture — to bring buyers’ eyes to the space, but not detract from it.

In particular, buyers pay close attention to the kitchen and master suite, which are often cluttered with knick knacks.

Williams recommends decluttering the kitchen and creating a spa-like atmosphere in the master bedroom and bathroom. That means: removing unused appliances from kitchen countertops, getting rid of decorative pillows from the bed and putting clean white towels in the bathroom, he said.

3. Homes need a lived-in look.

Vacant homes often take longer to sell because buyers think the homeowner is desperate to sell.

Getting a so-called “home manager” to live on the property to give it a lived-in look can help reduce the chance of getting low-ball offers, Williams said. Even when staging homes, the changes should feel organic, he added.

“Homes shouldn’t have that staged look,” Williams said. “They should look like someone lives there.”