|
|
| Home Improvement Information |
|
|
|
|
Remodeling Your Home: How Much Is Too Much?
The classic way for homeowners to increase the value of their house is by remodeling existing rooms or adding on to its current plan. Some choose to build recreation rooms and studies while others add new appliances, fixtures and cabinets to enliven rooms and make their home more attractive to future buyers. But, when should you decide to stop sinking money into a home and buy a bigger place? And how much rehab is too much when it comes time to recovering remodeling costs through a home sale For instance, if you've just spent $1,000 remodeling your living room and didn't expand your small bathroom, the chances of increasing the number of interested buyers are slim. With these concerns in mind, I can offer a few tips for those struggling to add value to their home. First, always protect the character of your home. Nothing sticks out more than a new addition that is in a completely different architectural style. Be consistent. Recognize your home's character and stay within its framework. The most financially rewarding areas to remodel are usually the kitchen and bath. Newly re-done cooking spaces and cabinets can attract more buyers and may command a slightly higher price for the home than a comparable one on the market. Simple repairs that are made to last will bring you the biggest returns upon sale. Enlarged bathrooms are the most popular attraction for new home buyers, according to the National Kitchen and Bath Association. Today, the most popular additions for younger buyers are sunken whirlpool baths and showers. But be sure to install modest, solid amenities. It's easy to quickly over-spend on bathroom fixtures. Buyers are, by convention, more interested in above-ground living space ? not basements, yards and walkways. Swimming pools can be a poor investment if installed for the sole purpose of increasing a home's value; it's rare that a pool's cost will be recovered in a home sale. It can also be a negative feature for potential buyers with very young children. Replacing worn carpeting, tiles and wood floors can give your home an immediate advantage over similar properties in the area. Updating paint colors in all areas of your home can also prove beneficial. However, it's recommended that you use neutral colors, such as gray, beige and off-white when adding new floor and wall coverings. Fewer buyers will then turn away because of differing tastes. Stay simple with your remodeling and look at your home as though you were the buyer. Chances are that if you find the upstairs bedroom could be brightened by a larger window, potential buyers will probably feel the same. Don't go overboard. Concentrate on improving two or three deficiencies in your home. More than likely, the time and money you spend adding quality to your home will be rewarded with greater profit at selling time. About The Author W. Troy Swezey is the author of "REMODELING YOUR HOME: HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH?" As a Realtor at Century 21 Paul & Associates, he has helped many individuals with their real estate needs. Visit his web site to download his free e-book, "REAL ESTATE SECRETS EXPOSED." http://www.TroyIsMyRealtor.com or mail to: TroyC21@usa.net
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Prepare for Winter Before It Arrives Even though we are still enjoying warm weather and winter seems far away, now is a great time to begin preparing. If you do a bit at a time before winter hits the tasks are not at all overwhelming. Planning Permission Tips UK - Pre-application Enquiries to the Council - Is the Delay Worthwhile? The holiday season is now in full swing & for about the next 6 weeks we tend to see a noticeable downturn in the level of new enquiries which I think is pretty much typical amongst most services. This, for us, is a time when we normally attend to the updating & improvement of our internal administration, so the forecasted lull over the coming weeks will be put to good use. The strange thing is that your Local Planning Departments tend to cite the opposite & correspondence suddenly goes unanswered or the Case Officer dealing with your application is off yet again on another 3 week jaunt. Wood Panels and Humidity Coping with wood movement Interconnects for Your Audio/Video System - Choosing The Proper Cables Research & Development I began designing audio and video interconnect cables in 1988. I was asked to develop custom interconnects for discriminating audio and videophiles, who wanted to see and hear the quality of their components and the source material without added personality from their interconnects. The cables I constructed were created to solve two specific problems in interconnect design. Prior to this point these problems had not been addressed in the ever-changing field of high-end audio/video. The first was the subtle size difference of the RCA connectors used in the manufacture of mid-fi and high-end components. The second was the inherent loss of information through long runs of cable. It was also important that the interconnects allow our clients the freedom to combine components regardless of the type of connectors utilized by the various manufacturers. The custom cables had to carry information without signal loss and not be limited to short runs. The custom cables had to be extremely flexible and durable to adapt for custom installations. Most importantly they had to maintain state of the art quality while remaining cost effective. End Connectors Each connector must tolerate the extreme heat generated by the melting of silver solder at the point of termination. The connector used should be chosen for its compatibility with the wire. Proper strain relief is also a crucial factor in interconnect design. It is important that the wire and connector have a seamless integration. Every pair should be matched and tested for continuity and fit. The connection should then be insulated with heatshrink, to protect against contamination and to create a more durable termination. In a quality interconnect, all of these processes are done by hand, one cable at a time. This combination of quality parts and craftsmanship is essential to the manufacture of a superior interconnect. Low Capacitance Research indicates that Low Capacitance is the most relevant aspect of design for Analog or Digital Audio and Video Interconnect Cables. Capacitance is determined by the number and thickness of the center conductors in relationship to the outside shield. The material and thickness of the dielectric insulation also determines capacitance. Low Capacitance custom cable provides the best imaging and sound staging in analog audio and digital audio as well as the most accurate contrast and definition in video. This is especially true where long cable runs are required. Over the years, speaker wire manufacturers have shown the importance of heavy gauge wire between the amplifier and the speakers to reduce resistance in the signal path. This notion of "The Heavier The Better" has erroneously been passed on to purchasers of interconnect cables for their components. When dealing with low millivolt signals from component to component, Low Capacitance (measured in picofarads) is the most relevant specification in cutting signal loss. It is not necessary for interconnect cables to be bulky and hard to use. In fact, Low Capacitance Interconnects are rarely heavy gauge and can be very flexible. Flexibility enables a cable to be angled to whatever configuration necessary, without affecting the integrity of the design. A cable should be selected for its purity, flexibility, durability, capacitance and individual specifications for its designated application. Successful Motor Protection Formulae As we have discussed before, all overload relays have one major limitation - because they operate on line current, they do not directly sense the motor temperatures. Styles And Varieties Of Locking Mailboxes For Sale Locking mailboxes made from durable, weatherproof materials are highly desirable due to the built in safety features and the long-lasting exterior. Your mail will arrive safely and be waiting for you upon your return when you purchase and install a locking mailbox on your property. You will find locking mailboxes for sale in a variety of styles, including large to medium size that can be bricked in to match upscale communities and contractors. Locking mailboxes give you the security you need to go out of town for several days or go on vacation and you will know that you mail will be safe upon your return. A Carefully Planned Outdoor Kitchen is Worth the Investment Do you have any idea how popular outdoor kitchens are becoming? We spend more time at home than ever before and we are fixing up those homes instead of buying new. Homeowners are opting for an outdoor kitchen over other types of remodeling projects because they extend the size of their living space. If they are spending more time at home, they are definitely entertaining more as well. Partying alfresco is a hot new trend because it is so relaxed and casual and it is less wear and tear on the house itself. Keep the guests outside as much as possible so you will have less clean up indoors. Concrete Cutting - Adding a Pre-Cast Concrete Stairway Bulkhead to Your Home Installing a pre-cast concrete stairway to your home's basement is actually quite an easy project for the advanced do-it-yourselfer or anyone that can coordinate a couple of sub contractors. Doing so will add a water tight weather proof egress to your basement that, in many cases, is necessary to comply with local building codes during a remodel. Either way, this newly added entrance will add much more function to your home and your basement. Fixing Old Wooden Chairs Fixing Old Wooden Chairs Unique and Imaginative Wall Storage Ideas Everyone can use more organization in their lives (except those misguided souls who alphabetize their spices, canned goods and color-coordinate their laundry supplies!). Additional wall storage can help bring that organization into your home. And original and unusual wall storage ideas can help organization become décor pizzazz! Here are some ideas to get you started: Soy Candles? What Will They Think of Next? Quick: What comes to mind when you think of soy candles? Before my formal introduction to soy candles, I thought organic (read expensive) and BEIGE! And not just the color beige, but beige as an overall description for soy candles-blah like baby food, ground chick peas, and a pale winter pallor. I had no idea why it would even occur to anyone to purchase a soy candle. The Versatile Reciprocating Saw: The Power Tool of Your Dreams A reciprocating saw is simply one of the handiest tools you can own. These tools are great for applications in the home or the jobsite. Milwaukee actually invented the first reciprocating saw and is still considered one of the best saws on the market. The Milwaukee Sawzall is the "Zerox" of reciprocating saws. Just go to your local hardware store and ask for a Sawzall, the salesman will know exactly what you need. These versatile tools are fabulous for cutting holes in drywall, plaster, metal pipes and through nails. Be Cool and Comfortable While Saving Money The cost of energy is on the rise, so if you want to have better air quality and feel more comfortable, you must be prepared to pay for it. People in homes and businesses are looking for ways to save money and still remain comfortably cool. Purchasing a portable air conditioner is one way to lower your energy costs. Central air conditioning an entire home is expensive. The portable model will cut down on the cost by only spot cooling the room you wish. Ceiling fans help circulate the air while a dehumidifier takes the moisture out of the air. These two work in tandem with portable air conditioners creating totally comfortable surroundings. Your sunroom might be the warmest room in the house or your bedroom might be located on the second floor. Use the FHA Mortgage Specifically Created for Home Improvement Almost everyone knows about FHA mortgages. They are tailor-made for first time homebuyers and others with less than perfect credit or other financial issues. You don't have to be low income or have bad credit to use FHA, but generally the loan limits prohibit high priced homes. Designing Your Log Home: Tips To Keep You Out of Trouble Nearly every log home is a custom design, whether you are altering a stock plan or starting from scratch. By their very nature, custom floor plans open up a large number of untested challenges - especially if you are trying to design the house yourself. With almost all log home manufacturers, an in-house architect will take your design and turn it into a set of drawings that conform to their building system. Your home will be structurally sound. However, don't necessary expect them to point out every inconvenience or snafu in your design. This is a hands-on business, and in the end, your house design is on you... and you'll have to live with it. Here are a few pointers I can suggest to make your design more efficient. The Science of Architecture You're told to take vitamins, drink plenty of water, get a good night's sleep and exercise, but has anyone ever told you that the design of your home and office can impact your health? You wouldn't be alone in raising an eyebrow and questioning how this could be so, but thousands of years ago, the ancient seers of India spent entire lifetimes observing how man-made structures impact humans beings. Their findings were compiled into a body of knowledge called Vastu Shastra. How to Finance a New Kitchen? Want to improve the look of your property? Want to add value to your property? Single Pane Glass Repair in an Aluminum Frame, Part 2 This week we are going to continue our series on single pane window glass repair. Let's talk about broken glass in a fixed window, usually referred to as a picture window. The most common type will have metal stops on the outside, around all four edges of the window glass. Sometimes these stops will be held in place with screws, and other times there will be aluminum stops that snap in place. In some rare instances there will be a rubber material in place of metal. If you have the screw type, you remove all of the screws and each piece will come out. If you have the metal snap in stops, carefully pry the stop from the frame using a small, flat screwdriver or a putty knife. You want to start in a corner and work along the stop until it comes out. Don't pry too much because the stops can bend very easily. If you have the rubber type, pry a corner away using the screwdriver, grab it with your fingers, and pull out the rubber. The glass shouldn't fall out because there is a glue or tape on the edge, holding the glass in place. Glass Sinks ? 4 Unbreakable Rules of Buying a Glass Vessel Sink 1. Know your sinks How durable are these sinks? These sinks are tempered. Tempered glass is regular glass that has been heated to a very high temperature, and then quickly cooled. This procedure strengthens the glass, making it 5-7 times stronger than regular glass. The Solar Energy Industry Grew 67% Last Year: Are You Making the Best Decision for Your Future? Are you considering using renewable energy resources to heat water or generate electricity?
|
| home | site map |
| © 2005 |