Renovate Like A Pro
15 Ways to Add Some Pizzazz to Your Home
Your home is your castle, so it’s okay for you to want to add some pizzazz to it. Smart home renovations not only improve your quality of life in the home, but also increase its value when it comes time to sell it.
So for all you Pro remodeler wannabes, here are fifteen suggested projects along with their average cost as determined by Remodeling Magazine’s 2011-12 Cost vs. Value Report to help you renovate like a pro.
1. Front door replacement. This is a little tweak to your home’s curb appeal and security. Includes a twenty-gauge steel door with a half-panel dual-glass window, exterior brick mold, new bored-lock in brass or antique brass, and aluminum threshold. Cost: $1,238
2. Garage door replacement. Some older garage doors are flimsy and low-quality, so removing and replacing them with a single-layer, embossed steel unit is a low-cost way to improve your garage. This type of door includes nylon rollers as well as galvanized steel tracks and hinges. Cost: $1,512
3. New deck. A deck is a simple way to create another entertainment space for your home without dealing with electricity or plumbing. A sixteen-by-twenty foot wood deck including a built-in bench and box planter add function and aesthetics to your home, and all of it would be supported by pressure-treated joists and posts anchored on concrete. Cost: $10,350
4. Window replacement. If your current windows aren’t energy efficient, you’re probably letting cool air escape through them in summer and warm air leak out in winter. You can choose either vinyl or wood replacement windows; the following cost estimates are for ten units and matching trim. Cost: $11,319 for vinyl, $12,229 for wood.
5. Siding replacement. If you’re worried about dry rot or leaks in your home, or you just want to give your home an exterior makeover, then putting in new siding is a good way to add value to your property. The following cost is for 1,250 square feet of vinyl siding and all applicable trim. Cost: $11,729
6. Backup power generator installation. If you’re thinking about selling your home, it may have a distinct advantage over similar residences if it comes with a backup power generator. The unit would include a two-foot-by-four-foot composite or concrete pad, a grounded cable, thirty feet of conduit, and five feet of flexible pipe to tie in to the home’s gas supply. Cost: $14,760
7. Bathroom remodel. It seems like almost every home has that one bathroom that doesn’t work well or look good. So perk it up it by putting in a new porcelain and steel tub with ceramic tile surround, showerhead with control lever, toilet, vanity counter with sink, recessed medicine cabinet, flooring, and wallpaper. Cost: $16,552
8. Kitchen remodel. This project wouldn’t involve tearing out everything in an outdated kitchen and starting over. Instead, you would only have to replace cabinet and drawer doors (not the boxes); upgrade the cooktop stove, oven, sink, and faucet; and put in resilient flooring and more modern countertops. Cost: $19,588
9. Roof replacement. The job includes tearing out the existing shingles and replacing them with thirty squares of fiberglass asphalt shingles which are warrantied for at least twenty-five years. Felt underlayment, aluminum flashing, and galvanized drip edge are also incorporated into the project cost, but new gutters and downspouts are not. Cost: $21,204
10. Home office remodel. Many newer homes come with a study or home office, so you may need to transform some unused space into a more functional work area in order to maintain your home’s value. The cost estimate includes installation of custom cabinets, laminate desktop, computer workstation, carpeting, and drywall as well as painted trim and rewiring for office use. Cost: $27,963
11. Bathroom addition. Lots of older homes were built with an insufficient number of bathrooms. So you could put in a six-foot-by-eight-foot full bathroom over a crawlspace. The cost listed is for a bathroom equipped with a tub/shower, sink/vanity, toilet, and storage closet or cabinet for linens along with all applicable plumbing, flooring, wall coverings, and electricity. Cost: $40,096
12. Attic bedroom addition. Similarly, you could boost the value of your home by turning an attic space into a functional bedroom. The project is priced for a fifteen-foot-by-fifteen-foot bedroom with shower bathroom, closet space, four new windows, and rail and baluster on stairs; as well as all the necessary plumbing, lighting, and wiring. Cost: $50,148
13. Garage addition. If your home only has a single-car garage (or just a carport), a new detached twenty-six-foot square two-car garage would make life much easier. The cost includes a slab foundation, two automatic garage doors along with one entry door, five vinyl windows, vinyl siding, asphalt shingle roof, and upgraded electrical wiring – but no interior finishing for the walls, ceiling, and floor. Cost: $57,824
14. Basement remodel. Turning a dark basement laundry room/storage area into a fully functioning entertainment space could be an excellent selling point for your home. You would wind up with a spacious entertaining area, full bathroom, and well-designed wet bar with partitions for mechanical areas, as well as a fully finished interior with electricity/plumbing upgrades. Cost: $63,378
15. Master suite addition. For some people, the master bedroom area is the most important part of a home. This project would build a twenty-four-foot-by-sixteen-foot carpeted master suite over a crawlspace, complete with walk-in closet, full bath with whirlpool tub and separate shower, and double bowl vanity sink area – along with everything that it needs to make it work perfectly. Cost: $106,196
