If you’ve got the renovating bug, you’re not alone. Homeowners are revamping and renewing their homes faster than you can say “get me a paintbrush.”
And everyone has a different reason for wanting to renovate: sometimes it’s the simple need for a change. Other times, the motivation is more practical, like if you wake up with a puddle in the middle of the bathroom floor and a water-stained ceiling. Yep, you’ll have to act quick.
Whatever the reason is, now that you’ve decided to take the renovating plunge, where do you begin?
The most popular areas of the home to remodel are the bathroom, family or media room, bedrooms and master suites.
Kitchens
Kitchens typically have the most wear and tear. And because kitchens tend to follow style and color trends, they often seem to get dated sooner than other rooms in the home. The most popular minor improvements include: adding functionality with dual sinks and cooking stations, and cosmetic improvements such as under-cabinet lighting, marble or granite counter tops and ceramic tile backsplashes. To add space, consider a walk-in pantry or breakfast alcove.
Bathrooms
Bathrooms have changed the most during the past century. Today, homes that have more than one sell faster and get a higher price. Popular renovations include: skylights, couples walk-in showers, glass block windows and vaulted ceilings. Raised Jacuzzi tubs, ceramic tile floors and ceiling fans have become standard amenities in affordably priced new homes. But finding space to add a bathroom can be challenging; for best results, consider a contractor.
You can’t lose by adding another bath, experts say. If you’re remodeling, his and her dressing rooms, even his and her bathrooms, are big.
Family/media rooms
Family rooms now often referred to as Media Rooms or Great Rooms are where most families gather. To enlarge the space, try lowering the floor, opening the ceiling or expanding out with box-bay windows.
Bedrooms
Bedrooms are typically listed first in real estate descriptions because we spend a lot of time in them.
Master suites have become a key concern for new buyers in many real estate markets. If you are converting a bedroom into a master suite, try to locate the closet as a buffer between bedroom and bath, and enhance the suite effect with recessed lighting, sconces and built-in adjustable reading lights.
Before you start
Keep in mind before you begin, that any home remodeling project — whether it be a simple fixture replacement or a major addition like a new bathroom — will involve at least some pre-planning and financial investment on the part of you, the homeowner. With that said, remember no one wants to become involved in a “money pit” — a series of events in which one home remodeling repair inevitably leads to a dozen unplanned repairs.
Be wise, do your homework before throwing down a hammer, breaking our walls or tearing up floors. If you feel like it all may be too much, call in expert to oversee everything from A to Z when it concerns your remodeling project.
