25 Tips to Increase Your Increasing the Value of Your Home in 2018

Home remodeling to turn your existing house into your dream home, or to let you age in place, is an excellent investment in your comfort and continued enjoyment of the property. However, when selling your home is in the near foreseeable plan, or if you just want to be sure that your home remodeling does as much as possible to raise the property value, you will want to read the following tips. We’ve put together a list of some of the best remodeling projects to do, along with things you’ll need to consider when you’re focus is on adding value to your home.

Top Home Improvements That Increase Your Home Value

• Kitchen Remodeling

  The best return for your remodeling dollar is going to come from kitchen remodeling. General rule of thumb when remodeling is that though you may not necessarily get back 100% of what you spend, you will increase the overall value of your home when done properly, but the kitchen can be an exception. The kitchen is considered the hub of the home. It’s where we connect as a family, eat, socialize and entertain. In some markets, a stylishly modernized kitchen can even raise the value of the house by more than the remodel cost. Let it be known that in any market, a kitchen remodel will be one of the best projects you can do for getting a substantial return on your investment.

• Bathroom Remodeling

  Homebuyers are most influenced by kitchens and bathrooms, so these rooms are not only the keys to making the sale, but also where your home remodeling can make the biggest impact on value. When older homes were built, the master bath was often a very plain, utilitarian room, since no one but the homeowner would ever be in it. Times and styles have changed over the years and the trend today is a lot more luxurious. You’ll want to make sure surfaces are in good condition and aesthetically pleasing. Counters, backsplashes and flooring are surfaces that make a big impression and can easily be upgraded as part of a bathroom remodel.

• Master Suite Styling

  For the most part the bedrooms in a home are usually pretty basic, but the master suite has the potential to be a real selling point. Adding inexpensive, but stylish elements will encourage potential buyers to actually visualize themselves living in the room establishing that personal connection to aid in the sale.

• Enhanced Curb Appeal

  The least expensive home remodeling you can do to get a good return on your investment and increase the perceived value from a buyer’s standpoint is going to be outside the house. A fresh coat of paint can make the house look fresh, clean and even years newer. Landscaping can makes a vast difference for the all-important first impression that buyers will have when they arrive to tour your home.

• Increased Living Area

  This type of remodeling project commonly includes extending the concrete foundation and roof line to add additional square footage to the home. It can include demolishing and reconstructing interior walls to open up the floorplan. Though not the most inexpensive remodel project of the bunch that is focused around value, by increasing the total advertised square footage, it can lend to bumping the house up into the next tier of sizeable homes perceived by potential buyers. For example if your addition bumps the square footage over the two thousand square foot number, it then is marketed differently and can be more appealing for a family or household needing the extra space. Same can be said for jumping over the three thousand or other bench mark square footage categories in order to entice your target buyer. There are other ways of adding living square footage, such as converting an existing attic into a bedroom or office. This type of room conversion can be a relatively low-cost way to add an entire room and significant square footage that will return real value when you go to sell the home.

Specialty Remodeling Projects: An Up Close Look

If you’ve spent more than 5 minutes perusing Pinterest or Houzz, you’re likely familiar with the distinctive and imaginative project ideas that can be incorporated into your home remodeling. Though these projects seem intriguing and fun to have, if a guaranteed increase in home value is your number one priority, you’ll want to be very careful on your approach to these types of unique projects. It’s a wise to consider future buyers before doing any type of remodel for resale value purposes, so be sure to contemplate exactly how specialized the project is for your housing area. An experienced real estate professional is a wonderful resource to consult with about the current wants, needs and buyer selling points that you’ll want to be cognoscente of.

• Extravagant Wine Rooms

  Trendy, yes. Return on investment? Honestly speaking it can vary and ultimately depends on the circumstances of your home. A wine room gives a home a unique feature that can feel very special and appeal to the right buyer. The cost of adding a dedicated and standalone one of extravagant measure for a wine connoisseur does come at quite the cost nevertheless. If your future wine room comes at the cost of losing the third bedroom in your home, it can have a very different impact on the all-encompassing value of your home than if you were to be transforming say the fifth bedroom or an awkward den or closet space.

• Uber-Cool Kid Stuff

  A spiral slide from the second floor down to the first, or a built-in rock climbing wall will have a lot of appeal to a family with kids, but obviously won’t recoup your funds if you live in a predominately active adult community or high rise style housing that doesn’t accommodate and draw in families. A buyer who doesn’t have kids will likely see it and think about how much it will cost to have it removed, which lowers the amount they want to pay for the house. Those living in young family centric communities could see a larger return on investment for that unique barnyard themed built-in space or dedicated playhouse with half sized doors. The key to a successful “kid” themed remodel project is that it fits accordinlgy. Fits the style and features of the home. Fits the demands of buyers looking in your surrounding community.

• Swimming Pools

  We Phoenix-area residents love our swimming pools. According to Realtor.com, Scottsdale, Tempe, Chandler, Glendale, Gilbert and Mesa are all among the ten cities in the US with the highest percentage of homes with pools. In Scottsdale, that number is upwards of sixty-six percent. That’s a substantial amount of pools. And while they are popular with buyers, they are also quite costly to install, not to mention a lot of work (and money) to properly maintain. Many ordinances require fencing around a pool and/or water structure for safety precaution. It’s noteworthy to add that those same safety concerns and hazards have an adverse effect on the property insurance premiums too. All of these additional costs should be taken into consideration in weighing the pros and cons of building a pool of any style or complexity.

• Minor Expansions

  Enlarging a bathroom or any other room may seem to make sense when you look at the size of the rooms in a home comparable to your own, thus drawing attention to your rooms being smaller than most on the market. A minor expansion can add value to your home if the benefit outweighs the costs involved. Removing an interior wall may seem like a relatively easy modification to make, however the expense of blowing out exterior walls is much greater and comes with more red tape than many sellers want to take on at the point of selling. Changing the footprint of your home requires you to get an engineer involved, construction blueprints drawn, necessary design approvals, city building permits, inspections, etc. As a motivated seller focused on resale value, you will need to do your research of the homes in your area in order to determine if the cost of the expansion is worth the extra square foot of living space.

There’s a lot to think about when weighing your remodeling options. Let’s dig a little deeper into more specific upgrades that should be on your radar for your home.

8 Ways to Maximize Your Home’s Value When Remodeling

Retirees have traditionally been a major force in the real estate market here in the Phoenix area, and they still are—but millennial homebuyers have also become a force to be reckoned with. It’s important to take into consideration that the market is changing, so when you plan your kitchen remodeling and other home improvements, you can add as much value as possible.

You don’t need to plan your remodeling efforts with an emphasis on one group or the other, as many of our suggestions will benefit both millennials and retirees. The idea is to make your home functional and desirable to the widest market, and to ensure that you go with the top long-lasting trends in today’s developing market.

1. Put Focus on the Kitchen

   As always, the kitchen is the most important room when it comes to selling homes. In a recent survey of over 1,500 millennials, Consumer Reports found that over a third of the respondents chose a “modern/updated kitchen” as the top feature in their ideal home. Islands are popular, but if your kitchen isn’t big enough, you don’t necessarily need to expand it. You can modernize the style and function of your kitchen by painting, re-doing the countertops and floors, upgrading hardware on cabinets, and replacing the appliances to gain an updated modern feel.

   An open floor plan and sense of spaciousness are also something many of today’s homebuyers are looking for. You may be able to open up the kitchen just by removing a room divider or panel that was built in to create more of a separate space, if that was in style when your house was built. A remodeling contractor can tell you whether this would be a major or minor task in your kitchen. It will depend on what kind of structure you have and whether a supporting (bearing) wall is involved.

   Contemplating on new appliances? Stainless steel remains the popular go-to and is considered contemporary adding to the modern look of your kitchen.

2. Incorporate Universal Design

   Retirees who are looking to buy a house are likely to be seeking a home that will support aging in place—the practice of making design modifications to your home in order to make it more flexible to your family’s needs throughout all life stages as needs change. Everyday tasks such as being able to maneuver through the house, bathe, and perform daily living activities like cooking and laundry are key aspects of aging in place with independence that are supported by universal design concepts.

   The bathroom is one room that can easily make or break the accessibility of a home. Including stylish hand rails and a spacious, sleek shower with easy access are simple ways to give the bathroom a modern appeal and also assure that aging homeowners can still use the facilities comfortably.

   Many of the bathroom features that are designed in compliance with universal design standards are so sleek and clean-lined, you would assume they are high-end modern styles, not something carefully designed to meet the needs of the aging. We have many of these concepts you can see first-hand in the TWD Design Showroom in Peoria, AZ.

3. Support Stress-Free Living

   Low-maintenance homes are desirable for many reasons. People of all ages are more active today than ever before, and don’t want ornate features that have to be dusted, and wall-to-wall carpets that need attention to keep them clean and looking nice. Woods that need oiling and stone surfaces that are stain hazards, are recognized as hassles to be avoided.

   Easy maintenance is a selling feature to keep in mind when making remodeling choices. Include the systems that make your home livable in your remodeling plans, such as electrical and plumbing, so that potential homebuyers will feel confident that nothing major is about to go wrong soon after they buy your house.

   Millennials are brand-aware, so installing appliances and air conditioning systems made by companies with solid reputations and good online reviews is worthwhile. Hardwood floors are also popular and recognized as adding value to a property.

4. Finish Unused Spaces

   Basements and attics can be finished to add large rooms and greatly increase the square footage of living space that a home offers without building on to the existing property. The added room may represent a home office for a millennial or a grandkids’ playroom for an older buyer, but an unfinished basement or attic is just an underutilized storage area.

   “Flex room” is the jargon for a room that could be used for any of a number of purposes. Young homebuyers may not identify with a den or family room, but a home with a “flex room” tells them that they can do what they want with it. This opens up infinite new possibilities for a future buyer, such as the ability to make it a space that meets their needs, like a workout room, art studio or playroom.

5. Improve Energy Efficiency

   Both you and your potential homebuyer will benefit from improved energy efficiency. Your monthly bills will be lower, and so will your environmental impact. Young home buyers are highly aware of environmental factors, so offering energy-efficient home features adds value to your house. Millennials are likely to ask about insulation and window coatings to establish just how energy-efficient your house is. Energy Star certified elements will go a long way toward raising the perception of an energy-efficient home.

6. Protect and Promote with Paint

   Peeling paint on the outside of a house is an opportunity for the elements to be doing damage—and a big red flag for potential homebuyers. They will be concerned how long the paint has been that way and how much damage has been done that isn’t visible.

   You don’t necessarily need new paint to sell a house, but you do need to make sure that painted surfaces are in good shape. If your home looks drab, adding some color to the trim may be all that’s needed to brighten up its appearance.

   Inside the house, painting can add a lot of style to your décor, but what you absolutely must make sure of is that walls and doors are clean. Handprints may scrub right off, but if you have areas that are heavily soiled, a coat of paint may be necessary. Don’t paint over messes on walls, though. The stain will come right through the paint, so a thorough cleaning and use of a sealant are necessary.

7. Expand into the Outdoors

   Outdoor living spaces are extremely popular with all ages. A patio for the barbecue grill isn’t enough these days, you need a space with seating that’s large enough for a family or group of friends to enjoy eating and relaxing outdoors. A fire pit is a great addition that adds a lot of perceived value but is relatively inexpensive to install.

   In keeping with the environmental consciousness and desire for low maintenance features discussed earlier, you can avoid putting in a pool or ornate garden structures, and go with xeriscaping. In the Phoenix area this often means using cactus, but it doesn’t necessarily have to. Stone slabs and flowering shrubs can be combined to create some very different looks for your outdoor space.

8. Be Careful with Tech Spending

   Most of our advice has been in the what-to-do vein, but when it comes to high-tech renovations, what-not-to-do is equally important when it comes to getting good value from your investment when it’s time to sell the house.

   A programmable thermostat can have a high value to a potential homeowner because it creates the sense that your house is high tech. Lighting and security systems are also programmable and feel very high-tech. Millennials are used to using smart phones as controllers, so a wireless thermostat makes them feel connected.

   What you don’t want to do is spend a lot on tech that will be outdated tomorrow. Wireless technology continues to develop and become more ubiquitous, so avoid spending money on building in wired tech, like stereo systems.

Most home remodeling will increase the value of the house, though unfortunately some things more so than others, and a few upgrades that simply aren’t worth investing in with the level of true recouped value being so minor. These ideas should help you stay on track with choosing remodeling tasks that will both make your home more enjoyable, and worth more when you decide that it’s time to sell.

If you would like more information on home remodeling and the projects that will give you the most bang for your buck, give TWD a call at 623-544-1211. Likewise, we invite you to visit our Design Showroom to see the latest trends and universal design features. Our certified universal design specialists would be happy to help you come up with a plan to maximize your investment for your home. Let’s continue on and examine specific rooms that you can focus on.

3 Affordable Kitchen Upgrades to Increase Your Resale Value

If you’re thinking about doing a kitchen remodel in Peoria and greater Phoenix areas– and you plan on putting your home on the market in the immediate future – then you need to plan your design with resale value in mind. A good real estate agent will be able to give you specifics about what features to invest in, and which features won’t add the immediate value to your home that you’re looking for. However, if you’re not at the point where you’re talking to real estate agents yet, then let the following three tips guide your kitchen remodel in Phoenix.

1. Open Up the Floor Plan

   If there’s one feature that will help seal the deal when you’re selling your home, it’s an open floor plan. Today’s homebuyer tends to view the kitchen as the hub of the home, so family activities as well as entertaining all revolve around and in the kitchen. For this reason, the kitchen needs to open up to the living room and dining room, so that those in the kitchen can still easily interact with friends and family in the adjoining rooms. Furthermore, an open floor plans gives the illusion of being spacious and having extra square footage that may not be present. Rooms that are closed off and separated from each other tend to feel as if they are smaller confined spaces.

2. Lighten Up

   You may have a bold color scheme in mind for your kitchen renovation, but that bold color scheme may only appeal to a select few buyers. That means your home could sit on the market for several long months getting little to no interest – or, at best, very low bids. Future buyers tour your home mentally notating everything they would need to immediately change or update, tallying up the additional costs as they go.

   If you want to move your home fast and at a good price, then opt for a neutral and light color scheme. Neutral paint colors on the walls may seem “boring,” but they appeal to the mainstream buyer. By keeping it neutral, a buyer can instead visualize how their current belongings will fit into the space without any extra expenses and be able to see themselves moving right in. Even more important is to opt for neutral cabinetry, as this is a bigger expense if homebuyers want to change the cabinets. Dark woods used to be in vogue for kitchen cabinets, but lighter woods and lighter color schemes are in demand today.

   Secondly, think about how lighting will make your kitchen seem brighter and bigger. You can install additional windows or larger windows to bring in more natural light. Be sure to also have plenty of flood lighting, task lighting and accent lighting to really showcase the different aspects of your kitchen.

    

3. Go Stainless

   If you need to update the appliances when you’re doing kitchen remodeling in Phoenix, then you really can’t go wrong with stainless steel. If stainless steel appliances aren’t in the budget, then choose appliances that mimic the look of stainless steel. This is a fairly classic look that will stand the test of time and appeal to your mainstream buyers, whereas choosing a color may not.

4 Bathroom Remodeling Ideas To Increase Value

It’s no secret that doing a bathroom remodel in Phoenix can add value to your home. This is of particular benefit if you plan on selling your home sometime in the near future. However, not every bathroom remodel adds value. If you focus on the wrong things, you may end up with a beautiful room, but it may not be the best return on investment for your money.
So what should you focus on when your primary bathroom renovation goal is to add value to the home? Take a look at these remodeling ideas …

1. Add An Extra Bathroom

   If you have an older home, there’s a good chance it is short on bathrooms. If that’ the case, then one of the best investments you can make is to add an extra bathroom. Check out unused spaces in your home, including closets, under the staircase, the corner of a large room, or in the basement that is in close proximity to existing plumbing to help on the costs associated with the remodel. These are all good places to build a new bathroom. Keep in mind though, that by adding a 4^th or 5^th bathroom to a home, while it may be convenient to your family, is not necessary and would not increase the value of the home like it would if you were adding a 2^nd full bath or even an extra half bath. It’s recommended to speak with a professional general contractor or local real estate agent that can guide you through what a project such as this would entail, the added value it may have on your home and the demand for it in your local housing community.

2. Make an Existing Bathroom Bigger

   Another common problem, especially in older homes, is that the existing bathroom is simply too small making for confined quarters. If you have the space to expand by knock out a wall to enlarge the bathroom, it’s worth consideration. This is a great investment when doing bathroom remodeling in Phoenix. There are some general rules to this though that you’ll want to be mindful of. Borrowing needed square footage from the adjacent home office space or oversized walk-in closet is a good idea. On the contrary, stealing valuable square footage from a master bedroom or living room that doesn’t have it to spare is not. You never want to compromise a main living space to enlarge another room. Let’s face it, bathrooms and kitchens are the top deal makers and breakers. If your bathroom screams “cramped”, it may be worth looking into expanding.

3. Replace Worn Grout and Tile

   You’ve probably noticed that the grout in between your tiles looks stained, dirty and otherwise worn from collecting dirt and grime over the years. Merely replacing this grout will go a long way in freshening your bathroom on a budget. If the budget allows you can add even more value by replacing the worn tiles as well with something fresh and modern for a more updated current look. Be sure to choose durable tiles that are sure to last for years to come.

4. Update The Shower And Tub

   Chances are that you probably have the traditional tract home tub and shower combination in your bathroom. Today, though many homeowners are choosing to remove the traditional tub that doesn’t get used and are replacing it with a more spacious soaking tub or an enlarged walk-in shower. This can give your bathroom a luxurious spa-like feel, while at the same time making it easier and safer to shower. This type of upgrade not only appeals to everyone in your home, but future buyers of all ages. If you were looking at moving and were touring homes in your ideal neighborhood, would you be drawn more to a standard run of the mill bathroom or one with a luxurious shower for two, and would it play a factor in your decision of which home to purchase? Absolutely.

DIY Tips To Add Value to Your Small Scale Bathroom

While replacing the tub and shower enclosure is a terrific upgrade for your home to add value, it’s a pretty major bathroom remodel project that is costly, which isn’t always feasible when planning to sell. There are a few manageable projects that you could tackle on your own if handy, or with the help of a contractor, to add value to your small scale bathroom.

• Mirrors Make a Big Impact

  Every bathroom has a mirror, and the size can vary dramatically depending on when the house was built. If your home was built in the previous few decades, there’s a good chance your bathroom mirror is huge, perhaps encompassing the entire wall behind the sink and counters.

  The style now is to have a good-sized mirror, but not to mirror a large piece of the wall! This one change can make a enormous difference in your room. Since the old mirrors are not framed and are attached directly to the wall, it’s a good idea to take down the old one and install an updated replacement that better fits the space. Do make sure that you take proper safety precautions in removing the existing mirror.
  Your modern mirror can be a framed one that hangs like a portrait, but since the mirror is glass, and can be very heavy, it may be worth pricing out to have the installation done professionally if it’s beyond your comfortability.

• Tiles Make a Statement

  Tiles have been becoming more and more popular, and instead of just being used in the shower stall, they can be used anywhere. The bathroom is typically a fairly small room, making it a great place to indulge in beautiful wall tile. The wall section behind the sink is a great place for tile, both because it looks perfect there, but also because it is waterproof and easier to clean than a painted wall.

  You don’t have to do a wall to get great use of tiles. They can be used as decorative borders, either around the top, bottom or chair rail level of the room, and can be used to make a frame for the mirror.

• Brighten and Spruce Up

  Interior painting is one of the simplest ways to spruce up your home. Existing wall colors fade and get dingy over time, so having them painted makes good sense in adding value. To save money in your remodel budget, interior painting can be a do-it-yourself project if you’re up to it. There are benefits to hiring an experienced contractor because they are more accustomed to the entire painting process allowing them to deliver a beautiful project in a more timely and efficient manner. A freshly painted and clean bathroom makes it more appealing to homebuyers if your house is on the market as well.

TWD offers full-service remodeling, meaning that no job is too big or too small for our crews. We employ expert service technicians and nationally-certified on-staff designers who will work with you to get the most value out of your remodel budget. Visit our website at www.twdaz.com for details on all of the services that we offer, and what you can expect when you work with TWD for your next home remodeling project.

Quick and Easy Ways to Increase Your Home’s Value

Home remodeling is a necessary part of maintaining a house over decades of use, but we recognize that hiring a remodeling contractor and taking on a major renovation is a big undertaking. Here are a few key projects you can do yourself or hire a general contractor for, that are quick and easy, but will increase your home’s worth.

• Install an Updated Front Door

  A door is a door—unless it is making a big impression on visitors to your home, including potential buyers! When someone looks at the front of your house, their eye will seek out the door, so you want to make sure it lands on an inviting portal into your home.

  Front doors come in many styles, and you want to find one that works with the architecture of your house, but it doesn’t need to be the same as the original door. You just want one that says “Come in and see what’s here,” rather than “I’ve just been sitting here for decades.”

• Make the Bathroom More Aesthetic

  Bathrooms have recently become showrooms, whereas they were once little more than water closets. Upgrading to a spa-like facility is ideal, but not always practical, so it’s good to know that you can make a big impact with more focused projects. Having a remodeling contractor re-glaze the tub and update the lighting can freshen the look immediately. These tasks aren’t necessarily on a DIY level unless you already have experience with them, particularly when electrical wiring is involved. Painting is something you can do yourself though, and can provide a whole new look to your bathroom. Replacing the mirror with a framed modern mirror is another smaller change that has a huge impact on how the room is perceived.

• Incorporate Universal Design

  Especially here in Peoria and the Phoenix area, where there are many retirees who have a keen interest in aging in place, universal design features increase a home’s desirability, making it worth more and sell in a quicker manner. Universal design incorporates an understanding of human needs, and how abilities change through all of our life stages. Children and elders alike cannot safely manage heavy objects on upper shelves. Children have often been the best tools for reaching things that get shoved into the backs of lower corner cabinets that aren’t usually convenient. Universal design makes storage spaces accessible for all members of your family encompassing design practices that solve these everyday problems like the easiest way of handling dishes and small appliances from a standing position, without the need to squat or kneel. These same designs accommodate those that are or could be wheelchair-bound as well, and the best part is that recent developments make these features attractive as well as functional.

• Update Kitchen Cabinets

  If you are a wood lover, it may be hard to think of painting over your wood cabinets, but if you have dark cabinets, it’s very difficult and labor intensive to strip and re-stain them in a lighter shade. Painting the cabinets allows you to lighten up the room without doing a whole kitchen remodel. Better yet, if your cabinets are in good condition talk to your general contractor about re-facing them. Meaning swapping out the doors for new ones. The doors are the main decorative component of the cabinetry that your eye sees. By changing the style of the doors, it changes the entire character of your space. If you have raised panel doors now, consider getting shaker or sleek flat panel doors to incorporate a modern appearance.

  Don’t forget about the hardware. Swapping out brass hardware for brushed nickel or plain handles for more decorative are also ways to quickly and easily update your cabinets. There are an infinite amount of choices on the market as far as hardware goes. Before you begin scouring the internet, talk to your general contractor about any specialty lines they carry or recommend that you look at first. It may just save you hours of time online.

We been in the home remodeling business in Peoria, serving all of Phoenix for over 20 years. If you would like to find out more about remodeling, whether large or small jobs, give us a call at 623-544-1211. Our certified design professionals would be happy to share their knowledge with you.

Beware of These Renovations that Could Reduce Your Home’s Value

You’ve read about the types of home remodeling and improvement projects that will increase the worth of your home, but do you know there are projects that can actually have the opposite effect? If you plan to stay in your home for any amount of time, then your home remodeling plans should certainly make your home a more enjoyable place to live. However, increasing the sale value of the property is also a concern, and while it is rare for home remodeling to have a dollar-for-dollar value increase, there are some things you can do that will provide a much better return than others.

Some renovations, like incorporating universal design into your remodeling plans, will contribute to both the home’s desirability and value, particularly since so many home buyers here in Peoria are retired and interested in aging in place. On the other hand, some home remodeling actually reduces the sale value, and can make it more difficult to find a buyer. They aren’t necessarily even things that sound like bad ideas, so we want to point them out to help assure that you don’t end up with home remodeling plans that come with this kind of unanticipated outcome

• Never Combine Bedrooms into One

  Luxury master suites are all the rage these days, so it may sound like a good idea to knock out a wall and combine an extra bedroom with the master to make nice big open living quarters. While it might be nice, reducing the number of bedrooms has a big negative impact on the home’s value to potential buyers.

  Maybe we shouldn’t say “never” because if you live in a six or eight-bedroom house in a neighborhood where 3-bedroom homes are the norm, and your bedrooms are tiny, you might have the exception that could benefit from combining rooms into a more reasonable number of larger, more desirable rooms—but that isn’t generally the case, and you don’t usually want to reduce the number of bedrooms.

• Don’t Convert the Garage

  It may seem contrary to the previous point, but converting the garage into a bedroom (or office, family room, etc.) isn’t a good idea either. While adding a bedroom is better than adding any other kind of extra room, a home without a garage is an automatic “no” for many buyers and will prevent them from even looking at the home all together.

• Avoid DIY Repairs that Don’t Look Professional

  It is certainly tempting to save money on home repairs by doing work yourself rather than paying a remodeling contractor, but if there will be any indication that a do-it-yourselfer did it, then the job will send alarm signals to potential buyers. They will wonder what else was done that may not be up to code, or need to be redone. A lumpy drywall patch will indicate potential problems behind the wall, and that will send buyers running.

• Resist Personalized Remodeling

  No matter how much you love chickens, and see them in all sorts of kitchen décor, don’t install a chicken mosaic as a backsplash in the kitchen. A design may represent something meaningful to you, but it won’t necessarily be meaningful to most people who look at your home. Buyers want to be able to picture themselves in the home before they buy it, and personalized elements scream “this is someone else’s house.” A custom backsplash can add to the kitchen’s appeal, just be sure to go with a popular design that is impersonal and would be attractive to anyone. Then you can hang chicken paintings or tapestries and decorate counters with chicken themed items that can go with you when you move.

• Leave the Chain-link Behind

  Don’t put chain-link in the front of the house. It isn’t bad in the back yard, but just doesn’t work for a front yard, which should be welcoming. If you need to fence in the front, it’s worth the investment to put up a wood, vinyl or composite fence that will stand up to the elements. A cute picket fence can even increase the value if you work in some nice landscaping with it.

• Don’t Texture Ceilings—or Do Anything Else “As Seen on TV”

  There’s a line between trends in what’s selling in the housing market and what’s trendy on home-makeover shows on TV. If you watch enough of those, you’ll see that what one designer installs, another sees and declared that it has to go. You want your home to have long-lasting appeal, not entertain an audience every day, so before you get attached to anything you see on the tube, and discuss it with your remodeling contractor or professional real estate agent that is experiences with the housing demand and values in your area.

Remodeling Advise: The Two “R’s”

The standard advice on home remodeling is that the bathroom and kitchen remodeling are the upgrades that will give you the best return on your investment, and that’s still true because, as they say in real estate, “kitchens and bathrooms sell houses.”

Now that you know the rooms that your remodeling projects will be focused on, there is still more you’ll need to know in order to get the most value out your investment. We’ve summarize them into two “R’s” for you—research and responsibility.

• RESEARCH Your Plans

  Our most common advice for any homeowner is to do your due diligence, meaning research, research, research. There are two great resources you should consult before deciding on a remodeling plan: the internet and a real estate agent.

  1. Using the Internet

     One, the internet makes it incredibly easy to find out about new trends, what buyers are looking for and approximately how much things cost. We use the term “approximately” loosely as no two projects are the same and there simply is no industry standard price list to go off of, but you can get ballpark ranges of various remodel projects to go off of as a starting point. Determining your comfortable budget and getting an idea of what you can afford for the remodel project(s) ahead of time does let you communicate more clearly to your general contractor when the time comes to start working out details. If there’s something you really want to incorporate, but don’t think you can afford it, don’t hesitate to bring it up to your contractor. There may be a less expensive material alternative, and it’s always possible that the job won’t cost as much as you originally read about online.That brings us to the second point about using the internet as a research tool. While perusing the web, check out your general contractor(s) that you are interviewing. Now you may be wondering, what do you mean by interviewing? We suggest that you reference our previous blog if you haven’t already: Your Guide To Finding and Hiring the Best Remodel Contractor. It covers in depth tips and steps on how to find the correct type of contractor for your project, questions you should be asking your contractor, where and how to research your contractor and things that you need to beware of before hiring your contractor. The contractor that you choose to help you with your projects will be in and around your home, and you need to know who you are working with in order to establish a level of trust for your remodel to be successful.

  2. Using A Local Real Estate Agent

     Real estate agents are the experts who know best what is happening on the market, thus being great resources. Looking at the housing industry overall, homebuyers have an eye towards a more contemporary style, so you may think it best to go with modernizing over updating with traditional options. However, if you live in Glendale, there may be things that people buying in your neighborhood are specifically asking for—and finding out what they are gives you a great advantage when it comes time to sell your home.

• RESPONSIBLE Contracting

  Which general contractor you choose to work with can be a deciding factor in how happy you are with the results of your home remodeling. Look for a full-service contractor, so that you have one main point person for your entire remodel (also known as a project manager), who can then find all the people needed to do a great job. If you are caught up having to work with multiple trade contractors, suppliers and contact people, it results in lowering your confidence level that every fine detail of your project is properly being taken care of and nothing is being missed or overlooked. Let your dedicated project manager take on that time-consuming burden for you, so that you can focus on enjoy your newly remodeled space.

  Another important aspect of “responsible” contracting is to make sure you work with someone who will get all the appropriate permits. Taking shortcuts on the legal requirements can get the whole job shut down or have other repercussions later when you go to sell your home. If your project is done without the required city permitting, you can be forced to remove the work that was done in order to sell your home and receive hefty fines. That’s a headache that you just don’t want to have, ever.

  Our team is familiar with current housing trends, value-added solutions and local building codes. Our team works closely with the city to follow all ordinances to obtain the necessary building permits and inspections to make sure the job meets all requirements, so you never have to worry.

Time to Call the Professionals

For homeowners living in the Peoria and greater Phoenix areas that are ready to increase their home value with remodeling, the next step is an easy and simple one. By picking up the phone and calling (623) 544-1211, you will be connected with a friendly team member at Todd Whittaker Drywall Inc. (or better known as TWD) that will discuss your project options with you and schedule a time that’s convenient for you to meet with one of our trained estimators or designers.

As a Design/Build Contractor, we have the ability to provide all of the services that an individual trade contractor, designer and general contractor can do. This one-stop-shop type of service allows you to take advantage of having one point of contact for the duration of all of your projects, in addition to the efficiencies that come along with an experienced contractor to orchestrate your construction schedule in the timeliest manner possible. With our name and reputation on the line, you can imagine how particular we are in aligning with only the finest and most skilled trade contractors, vendors and suppliers around that perform up to our high quality standards.

We look forward to the opportunity to earn your trust on your upcoming remodel, however in the meantime, we invite you to research our company. Check us out online and in your favorite go-to referral network. Chances are that you will find us listed, along with many valuable real customer reviews and job photos. Over the last 21+ years serving Arizona homeowners, we’re proud to say that we’ve built up quite the extensive portfolio. For more information about the services that we offer or to request your appointment, visit www.twdaz.com today.