Home Remodeling 101

There are two main reasons to consider remodeling your home. The first being to increase the quality of your own experience living there. The second being to increase the value of the home to meet or even exceed what you ultimately spend on the remodeling costs. Ideally, a successful home remodel would fulfill both these considerations.

If you’re tired of cooking in an outdated kitchen or feel that having an additional bedroom/office is now necessary as you transition to working from home, there’s no need to feel overwhelmed. Whether it’s something bugging you about your home or you simply want to make smart investments to maximize the eventual closing price, start by considering our three points of advice listed below!

1.  Timing Your Remodel: A well-kept secret in home improvement are the benefits of tackling remodeling projects in the Wintertime. Spring and Summer are generally the busiest seasons for home remodeling; therefore, you’ll have a harder time finding contractors who will commit to working at a reasonable price. On the other hand, contractors are often looking for additional work during the winter and will lower their prices to fill their schedules. Additionally, when contractors have less work, they can be more attentive to your project and may even finish ahead of schedule. So if this is your first home improvement project, consider the Winter as a viable option for when to get started!

2.  Return on Investment: There is no way to know exactly what will make a specific buyer pay top dollar for your home, but there are some clear trends worth taking note of. One important statistic is that kitchen and bathroom remodels command the highest resale value compared to the costs put into them. The kitchen is often the first room potential buyers will look at, so having one that is visibly and functionally impressive will always add significant value to the home. Bathrooms are similarly important as they convey a sense of the comfort one would have while living in the space. Bathrooms are also a great choice for a first time home improvement project because they are one of the least expensive rooms to remodel.

3.  Plan First: Kicking off a home remodeling without doing your homework is a recipe for disaster. You may run into unexpected costs, noise and accessibility disturbances, and a whole host of other unforeseen consequences. To avoid this, make sure you nail down a timeframe, create a budget, and find a trusted contractor or company. The best way to find a trustworthy contractor can be as simple as asking your friends and family for a referral to someone who has done a good job in the past. Once you’ve found someone you trust, you can fill them in on your budget and time constraints, and work out a plan accordingly.

Remodeling your home doesn’t have to be scary, in fact it should be an exciting and rewarding experience! With that in mind, we wish you the best of luck with your future home improvement projects and look forward to helping you sell or buy your next home whenever that time comes!