Tim Allen Produces Tool Time And America Changes Forever
Have you ever seen the classic Home Improvement tv show? Tim Allen leads a cast focusing on improvements you can make for the family life and mechanics you can employ to improve your house. And in the tv show, there is a show within a show. Originally that faux show was going to be called Hammer Time.
It was a reference to the hottest song of the moment, MC Hammer's Hammer Time / You Can't Touch This. But you know what? This television show really tapped into a piece of America that was ready to. The home improvement industry was taking off at the same moment with bib box stores like Home Depot and Lowes opening in every city. It was off the to races as the country started making all sorts of improvements to homes.
Home Improvements That Add Value
The top home improvement is rarely the hottest trend or must have interior feature. Bringing a better than ninety eight percent return on investment is the garage door. Believe it or not, replacing your home's garage door with an upscale model brings the best money for cost. Popular here is wood paneling such as a sealed cedar door.
Paint Is A Home Improvement!
It doesn't have to be some crazy expensive kitchen remodel. Sometimes the cheapest little things can have the biggest ROI when getting your house ready to sell for top dollar. Paint has got to be one the all time best house renovations you can make, dollar for dollar.
Now, that said, remember your goal. If you are painting to sell - pick a neutral popular color. This might not be to your taste. It should be geared to the vast majority of home shoppers who will be thinking of paying you top dollar for your soon to be sold abode.
If the house painting is for your own personal enrichment, still consider working with a professional to get the color correct. I've seen disasters out there. The color that looks so perfect on paper can make your home's exterior look pink in sunlight. Saw that happen to a neighbor in Stapleton. Or that perfect green in your bathroom can be so dark that after you do your makeup in that room, you look cast for a zombie flick. So be cautious! Paint a few patches on the walls to get just the right shade.
Staging To Improve Home Showings
Another great strategy to consider that really pays off big time is simply staging a space. Maybe the room has always been your space for crafts. But the room has a closet, window, all the markings of a bedroom. Staging it as a kids' room complete with a sheet and comforter set from Target and a Lego creation on a desk can help sell your house to a family seeking more living space!
Older Homes Benefit From Vinyl Window Upgrades
Keeping in mind this is a pricey upgrade. During the Great Recession I sold a lot of houses where an owner had clearly taken out a second mortgage to add top of the line windows. Seller beware! Still, this is a home improvement that delivers a great return both for selling and living. Higher quality windows can improve the view (say if your old windows are foggy from bad seal), reduce utility costs and make your living space more quiet.
The Cheapo Kitchen Revision
True story. While perusing Facebook one day my wife saw a kitchen that was for sale. Apparently the owner's wife had just completed a major renovation of their home and then suddenly passed away from cancer. It was a heart breaking story. The owner couldn't bear the new kitchen which only reminded him of his loss. So he was remodeling again. And wanted to sell all the cabinets, counters - heck, when we bought this kitchen he even through in the kitchen sink!
All told, we spend $4,000 on the cabinets and slab granite. Another $1500 for a granite company re-cut the counters to match our space. A few thousand to demo and reinstall the cabinetry and four hundred bucks on moving the stuff from one house to another.
This was the total cheapo remodel. For far less than $10,000 we completely re-envisioned our living space and when it came time to sell, got one of the best prices ever for our model in Whispering Meadows, Lafayette Colorado. You don't have to spend a ton of money to get a great return!
Wait That Was More Than Four Renovation Suggestions
Yes - always best to under promise and over deliver. If you find some value in this post - please leave a comment OR even better - share it! What home improvement should I add to this list for the future? Thanks for reading!
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