Entries from June 2009 ↓

Building an addition to your home can vastly increase its value. By how much is extremely important. This in part depends on your future plans. Hence, you should take the following into consideration before moving ahead with a home addition.

New Home Addition: The Importance of Value

The size of the addition will impact how much value it will add to your home. It’s important here to balance what you want with what it will bring in terms of value. For example, you can “over renovate.”

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If you have a growing family and shrinking space, remodeling the basement can give you the extra space you need. “But,” you may be thinking, “my basement is small. Is it worth it to remodel it?” And, the answer is an unequivocal yes. A basement remodeling expert can help you turn even the smallest basement into a functional, usable space you and your family can enjoy.

Following are some small basement remodeling ideas to give you some extra space, and some peace of mind.

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Metal roofs can save you money. And the best part is, they do so on an ongoing basis. Following are four reasons having a metal roof can add up to big savings.

• Increase Property Value: Did you know that metal roofs appreciate in value over time? They do. Conversely, roofs made from most other materials depreciate. What this means is, installing a metal roof will most likely increase your property value. According to some experts, it’s not uncommon to recoup 75%- 95% of the installation costs when you sell.

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According to the Metal Roofing Alliance, a roofing trade organization, metal roofs are becoming more popular. This is especially true in areas prone to turbulent weather like hurricanes (Florida) and wildfires (California). Following are some benefits of metal roofing.

• Lightweight: Metal roofing is light compared to other popular roofing options. How much lighter? It weighs approximately 33 percent less than asphalt shingles and about 20 percent less than clay or tiles.

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The thing that impacts the appearance of your house the most is its exterior siding. In addition to selecting a siding for its aesthetic qualities, more homeowners are looking for environmentally friendly options as well. Following are four eco-friendly, exterior siding options.

• Cedar Shingle Siding: This nature-friendly exterior siding is made from natural cedar. It is known for having the look of real wood and is commonly referred to as “shakes.” It can be stained, which many do in earthy colors like warm browns and cooling grays. These meld beautifully with natural surroundings. Staining cedar shingle siding, as opposed to painting it, has two benefits, ie; (i) it minimizes peeling; and is (ii) more environmentally friendly than using some paints.

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While your personal style is probably the first thing that comes to mind when choosing bathroom flooring, there are other factors to consider. Following are three, as well as some popular options in bathroom flooring.

• Your lifestyle: Do you have small children? Does an elderly parent or physically challenged person live with you? Then you want your bathroom flooring to be as slip-proof as possible. A lot of slip-and-fall accidents happen in bathrooms. Many of these can be prevented by having slip-proof flooring.

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The word that comes to mind when choosing a front door color for your home is harmony. Whether you live in the country far away from others or in a subdivision surrounded by homes, you want the color of your front door to be in harmony with what surrounds it.

Following are some factors to consider when choosing the color of your home’s front door.

• Shutter Color: Keeping the word “harmony” in mind, the color of your front door should not clash with its shutters, if you have them. Something lighter or darker in the same family is appropriate.

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When most homeowners think of remodeling projects that increase a home’s value, they think of the interior, eg, having a kitchen or bathroom remodeled. But, your home’s exterior is every bit as important.

Following are some exterior home remodeling projects that can increase its value.

• Replace Your Roof: Have you ever seen a woman or man with a really fancy hat on and thought, “Wow, nice hat!” This is what a new roof can do for your home. It is the hat that sets off the rest of the “outfit,” and upgrading it can add thousands of dollars in value to your home. For example, if you’ve always wanted to replace your simple shingle roof with a tin roof or a red-tile clay roof, then go ahead. It’s a great investment!

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When most homeowners decide to sell, they usually start with the interior, eg, painting, cleaning and clearing out clutter. However, your home’s exterior is the first thing potential buyers see. It’s what draws buyers in.

Following are some exterior home remodeling tips that can help you sell faster - and for the most money - in any market.

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When home prices fall, more homeowners choose to stay put, wait until the market rebounds and remodel, rather than sell. One of the best ways to improve the value of your home while you’re waiting for a market rebound is to remodel the bathroom.

If you don’t have to the money to do a complete bathroom remodel, replacing the largest fixture (ie, the bathtub) is an excellent way to give your bathroom a bit of a new look without spending a lot of money. The following information will help you select the best bathtub for your needs.

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