Would you like to increase the market value of your home? A few home improvement projects will offer a return when you sell your home, but many home improvement projects will not provide much of a return on your home improvement investment. Pick your home improvement projects wisely and if you do take out a loan to complete your project, do your homework first and be sure that you have a good chance to recover the cost of the project when you decide to sell your home.
Kitchen remodeling is a great way to add value to your home. Upgrading your appliances, replacing door and cabinet handles and painting walls can add new life to your kitchen plus add value to your home. Kitchens sell a home, so remodeling a kitchen should be a first choice for a home improvement project. Sometimes doing it yourself can save money, but consider hiring a professional for the large jobs. The top five kitchen remodeling projects which are recommended by Realtors are painting, cabinet refacing, new counter tops, new floors and a modern cook top range.
A bathroom remodel is second only to kitchen remodeling in terms of getting the most return on your home improvement investment. A bathroom remodel can often mean making the most of your current space, by upgrading fixtures, flooring and lighting. A few inexpensive ways to make your existing bathroom more beautiful and appealing include upgrading your cabinets, counter tops, sinks, tile or your tub and shower. However, if you do decide to add a new bathroom, it is going to increase the value of your home.
Kitchens and bathroom remodeling are both excellent choices when you want to increase the value of your home. Kitchen and bathroom remodeling projects are the best at recouping their cost and adding to the resale value of your house. The average return on a bathroom or kitchen remodel is 100-105%.
Increasing the curb appeal of your home is one of the simplest and inexpensive ways to increase the value of your home. Applying a fresh coat of paint can make the inside of your home appear more appealing to potential buyers, which could mean a quicker sale. Neutral colors are a good choice when you are preparing your house to sell. Neutral colors will blend in good with a variety of other colors and can make a room look more open and appear larger.
Your roof is one of the first impressions people have of a home. With proper maintenance, a high quality roof should last a very long time. A new roof won’t add a lot of value to your home, but it will help prevent the types of repairs that can result from water leaking in from your roof.
If your carpeting or vinyl flooring is beginning to show signs of wear this can adversely affect the appearance of the whole room and detract from the value. So replace the carpeting in rooms where the wear is severe to help increase your homes value. Often, a good carpet cleaning is all that is needed.
Naturally, you can only make the home improvements that your budget will allow. But many of these suggestions that I have discussed are not very expensive . All of them however will enhance the appearance and add value to most homes.
Remember that with any home improvement project moderation is the key. Don’t go overboard. Focus on improving two or three areas in your home which need the most work.
Copyright (c) 2008 Smoky Mountain Painting
By: Tony Evans
Posts Tagged ‘Painting Walls’
A Few Home Improvement Ideas to Increase Your Home’s Value
February 10th, 2010Going ‘Green’ with Environmentally-Friendly Home Improvement Products
February 9th, 2010
Over the last few years, buying environment friendly products for the home has become an increasingly important consideration for homeowners looking to make “green” improvements to their living space. To address this growing need, products such as flooring, lighting and paneling, as well as materials like paint and varnish are now readily available for virtually every remodeling project and every room in the house.
Numerous States have now also adopted legislation that limits the use of products that contain harmful fumes or chemicals. The good thing about this is, other than the obvious Green benefits, that many of the products that adhere to the new legislation are also becoming more affordable and are therefore more likely to be found on the shelves in our local hardware and home improvement stores.
See The Light! And Still Save on Energy Bills
It’s no secret that energy prices have soared and if you are planning a home improvement project, one of the simplest ways you can protect the environment – as well as save money – is to use less electricity.
Lighting and major appliances consume the most electricity; simply by switching to fluorescent bulbs, you can save up to 30% a year on your electricity bills. You can save a noticeable amount of money on your lighting costs by painting walls a lighter color, thus distributing light more effortlessly as well as making rooms appear brighter.
Leaking ducts can account for a surprising amount of wasted energy – up to 30%. If you are planning to caulk around ducts, vents and windows be sure to use a product that complies with recent regulations concerning the use of less VOCs in its manufacture. These are volatile organic compounds which contain pollutants that damage the ozone layer, and also contribute to producing smog.
Paint may be your biggest cause of concern if you are planning a home improvement project. Read the small print on the tin to make sure it complies with VOC standards – almost 30 brands are now readily available. Typically, lighter colors of paint tend to contain fewer VOCs.
Tip-Top Countertops
Kitchen countertops are an area where it is possible to help the environment. A recent innovation is a countertop made entirely of recycled paper and water-based resin. You can also install countertops made of paper and cement so that the production involves no quarrying that damages the land.
The bathroom is one of the most important areas where you can help protect the environment. Around 75% of all water used in the home is used by the bathroom shower, toilet and sink combined. Low flow or adjustable showerheads are easy to install and a dual flush toilet – offering a full or half-flush – can potentially lower a typical water bill by up to $75 a year. An estimated 4 trillion gallons of water would be saved every year in the United States if every household installed a dual flush toilet.
The Japanese are well known for their inventive labor-saving and technologically advanced devices. One of their latest innovations may soon be commonplace in the United States – an ingenious combination toilet/bathroom sink – you wash your hands in water that is then used to flush the toilet.
Get Floored! In The Utmost Style of Course
And one of the biggest trends in home improvement? Many people, especially those moving into a new home, consider installing a new floor covering as one of their most important projects. Cork, bamboo and reclaimed wood flooring all have a strong visual appeal as well as helping the environment, and in recent years, these alternative materials for flooring have become popular.
Cork flooring has excellent insulating qualities and can save on energy costs; it also reduces noise and can help keep a home free from allergens. What’s more, it is surprisingly tough as well as being water resistant.
And one other thing to keep in mind if you are “going green” when remodeling or improving your home. Always dispose of old or unwanted materials safely – many materials can be donated for people to reuse, or otherwise recycled. If in doubt, check with your county recycling program.
The next time you are making improvements to your living space be sure to do your bit to protect our precious planet… Go Green!
By: Tom Willmar
