Home Improvement Projects and Repairs
One of the most important questions when considering home improvement project is, "will this project increase the value of my home". Not all construction and home improvements will add value to your home when you resell it. In actuality, most projects will not provide you with a dollar-for-dollar return, but the following items are essential to maintain the value of your home.
Age of the House - 25-year-old homes or older often need a complete makeover, including the roof, HVAC and a new water heater may be necessary.
The Roof - The most important aspect of your home Is the roof. If the roof is past it’s useful life and you decide to upgrade the kitchen or install new flooring instead of replacing the roof and gutters, you may end up with water damage that can destroy all of your new cabinets and flooring.
The HVAC - The second most important item in your home is the Central Heating and Air system. The Average lifespan of an Electric Heat Pump is: 10–15 years and the Average lifespan of a Gas Unit is: 15–25 years. When you are ready to sell your home, buyers will want to know how old the unit is and how well it functions. If it is past it’s useful life, you may end up having to credit the buyer for a new unit.
The Water Heater - The third most important item is the water heater. On average, water heaters last: 8 to 12 years for tank models and 15 to 25 years for tankless models.
Interior & Exterior Paint – Fresh paint will keep the exterior of your home protected and interior paint is an inexpensive way to refresh your home and make if feel new again.
Flooring - There are many types of flooring these days and most people e drawn to quality laminate wood floors when purchasing. Having the same type of flooring throughout the home is also important for aesthetics. When choosing new flooring for your home, make sure that it is durable and water resistant. I recommend Tile in the kitchen and baths, because even if the flooring says it is water resistant, these areas need to be waterproof, not water resistant.
Kitchen – When updating your kitchen, you may choose to just paint or refinish the cabinets and replace the counters and flooring. If the cabinets are in bad shape and need to be replaced, there are several ways you can go, from prefab painted cabinets to custom-made wood cabinets. There are a lot of counter options as well and the cost can vary, but the main cost is the labor, so installing tile or laminate may cost almost as much as installing granite, Corian®, or marble counters.
Baths – There are also a lot of options when it comes to updating your bathrooms, form just replacing the vanity, to a removing old baths and shower surrounds and installing a whirlpool tub, walk-in tub or shower stall with tile, granite, Corian®, or marble.
When doing any home improvement project (other than paint) it is important to have it permitted by the City or County. There are three reasons for this and the extra expense and time are well worth the effort.
- When selling a home, you do need to disclose if there are any upgrades that were not done with a permit.
- Homebuyers can and will look up the records that show when a permit was pulled and why.
- This also ensures that the work was done to code by a qualified contractor.
If you are thinking of having a new roof installed, a new central heat and air unit installed, a water heater, doing a remodeling job or having your house painted, give me a call or email and I can recommend the best contractors in this area!
When you are ready to sell your home, or if you just want to know the current market value. Give me a call and I will run a “Comparative Market Analysis” for your home.
I am always here to help!
Warm Wishes,
Eve
