Get a Great Return on Your Investment

During 2008, some of our projects included residential elevators, cosmetic fireplace resurfacing, home office spaces and multiple bathroom upgrades.  So where is the best place to invest money in your home?  What projects will give you the most return for your money?  Every home is as different as the family living there.  Renovating a kitchen, bath or office can yield as much as a 150% return on your investment.  One thing to remember is that your property is more than an investment.  It is your home and where your family lives and functions every day. 

The best way to decide what projects yield the greatest personal return is to assess what your home needs. 

Repairs

If the exterior of you house is in bad shape, make the necessary repairs to the exterior and repaint.  Replace old wood garage doors with a new decorative insulated metal style.  Depending on the style of your home, you can add hardware and create an old world carriage house effect or add some paint to give a more modern look with a metallic finish. Whichever style suits your home, updating a garage door will add instant curb appeal and the necessary repairs will also be completed. 

Aesthetics

Maybe you have lived in your home for twenty years, have no complaints, but want the look of the homes you see on HGTV or in home magazines.  You may want to give a room a facelift.  Replace your current bath sinks with undermount porcelain sinks and granite.  Add mirrors over the sinks and change plumbing fixtures and accessories with new finishes such as brushed nickel, chrome or rubbed bronze. Add new towels that coordinate with the new look.  Your bath will look like a retreat.

Functionality

Are there issues with the layout of your home, undefined spaces, or areas you don’t use or can’t access?  You need to improve functionality.  A small undefined space can usually be turned into a reading area or office.  Many times all it takes is a few furniture pieces or built-in bookshelves.  If the area is larger, changing the layout by adding or moving interior walls can give more storage space, create a hobby niche or improve traffic flow in your home.  Many of these changes are inexpensive, but can really improve the practicality of your home. 

Need to access the upstairs more often, but the only way is the front staircase? Add a back staircase or an elevator.  Having easy access to all areas of your home may actually increase the amount of usable square footage for the entire family. An elevator can provide comfort, convenience, accessibility and increase the potential use of certain areas of your home.

You may get the most return when you sell your property with a kitchen or bathroom makeover, but if these rooms are not in need of repairs, are aesthetically pleasing and functional, it may be a wise decision to upgrade another area.  Assess your home’s issues and decide what home project would give you the highest personal yield.

Bobby Sanders is owner of Sanders Design Build and is a Certified Graduate Remodelor™ (CGR) with an exclusive professional designation designed to emphasize business management skills as the key to a professional remodeling operation.

The CGR designation requires that graduates meet prescribed standards of business practice, possess a minimum of five years remodeling industry experience, have a proven track record of successful project management, complete a comprehensive education curriculum and pledge to uphold the program’s code of ethics.

For more remodeling information call us at 806.457.8599.

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