| Home $weet home ... or financial folly
The beauty of owning a home is that you can customize it to your desire. Of course, doing so takes time, money, vision, talent, and a good sense of value.
Here's when the move can be smart:
The best reason to renovate is two-pronged: You'll enjoy the improvements you make and those improvements add value to your home. Those most likely to boost equity include most kitchen and bathroom renovations and backyard decks.
It's also a good move when you're realistic about the cost and effort required. You've set aside an extra 10 percent to 20 percent for the inevitable overage costs (delays, pricier-than-expected materials, etc.).
Unless you plan to live in your home for at least five years after renovating, don't plan to get back the full average return on your renovation investment if it boosts the value of your home to more than 125 percent of current market price, according to the National Association of the Remodeling Industry.
DreamMaker owner wins local award
Tally Rabatin, co-owner of DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen in Bellingham, has been named the Bellingham/Whatcom Chamber of Commerce Most Valuable Player for January. Rabatin was acknowledged for her active role in chamber events, as well as her commitment to the success of the Whatcom Young Professionals as its acting publicity chair. She also was recognized for her personal charitable work with the Girl Scouts of America and her professional work with Building Industry Association, Habitat for Humanity and the Opportunity Council. DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen, a member of the National Kitchen and Bath Association and the National Association of the Remodeling Industry, offers design and installation services and products. Information: 738-8525 or www.DreamMakerNW.com.
Remodeling Crew Finds Bones Underneath Hill District Home
PITTSBURGH -- Pittsburgh police said business owners remodeling a kitchen in the Hill District found bones underneath the floor boards on Sunday. The bones, found on Webster Ave., were reportedly charred and were taken by the crime scene unit for investigation. It is not yet clear whether the bones were human, or from an animal. The medical examiner is set to review the bones on Monday. .
Save money: Remodeling now, upgrade later
In Part I, we talked about the worst places to save money when you're remodeling ("When remodeling, don't pinch pennies on integral material," Dec. 22, available at sfgate.com/ZCFV). Windows, roofs and exterior finishes prevailed as lousy places to cut corners. Today we'll look at some ways you can save money without sabotaging your project. The strategy is simple: Economize on items that can be easily removed and upgraded later on, not on items that have to last the life of the house. This may mean putting off some things on your wish list until later - but at least you'll have made sure it's still possible to get them. Here are some places to cut costs that will still allow for easy upgrades later: -- Built-in appliances. Buying less costly kitchen appliances is one of the simplest yet least exercised ways to save money - probably because we've been conditioned to demand kitchens with huge built-in refrigerators, restaurant-style stoves and all the other bells and whistles so beloved by appliance marketers.
Classy cabinets for remodeling the kitchen
FRESNO -- Ellen Thomas of Fresno, searched high and low for new kitchen cabinets to replace her whitewashed oak ones. There were a couple of requirements, however. "My husband said, 'I don't care what you get, as long as it doesn't fall apart,'" says Thomas, a stay-at-home mother. As for her, "I wanted the cabinets to look like beautiful furniture." So when she started her kitchen-remodeling project a year ago, she hunted for cabinets that were both elegant and functional. What they looked like was important since they would set the tone of the room, she says. After searching throughout Fresno, she finally found cabinets she liked. They were solid cherry with an amber finish. The cabinet style was modern, with a simple, clean look. But the look wasn't as stark or cold as contemporary can be.
|
