Twenty years ago, there was only This Old House to guide the do-it-yourselfer. Today HGTV, The Home and Garden Television network, is viewed by over 90 million households. Energetic hosts like Krista Watterworth have created wonderful programs that entertain as well as inform. The explosive growth of Home Depot and Lowes, one of HGTV's largest adverisers, is a natural symbiotic progression as well. Studies show that recent home buyers spend over $3,000 on home related purchases within the first year in a new home, bolstering the market value of homes, and creating higher and higher standards for levels of finish in houses on the market. It is easy to get caught up in this whole phenomena, and contractors are famous for the "While we are at its" that can add thousands of dollars to a rehab. So this week we had Krista back with some great low to no cost ideas and some great tips to keep your rehab project in line. As Krista said, Renovations can be expensive but it can be worth the return on your investment, even in shaky economic times. Here are some of Krista's ideas:
- Avoid Headaches-Don't move plumbing just replace fixtures with the neutral version white is always the least expensive because its mass produced.
- Adding a master suite is a great place to make a lasting impression on buyers (beware: can cost between $70-$100K). Other options: put a doorway between the master bedroom & hall bath or install a sink & free standing shower in the master closet.
- Try a facelift-New paint, a bath fitter system (goes right over old tub/shower alcove), and peel n' stick vinyl floor tiles.
- Mid-range restoration-The national average for a 2007 mid-range bath renovation is $12-$15,000. You can earn back about 80% of that investment, sometimes depending on where you live. Quick fixes: replace lighting fixtures, paint cabinet doors & add new hardware, reglaze worn tub and tiles, and stylish faucets.
- Splurge!-A major redo with designer tub, new flooring, frameless glass shower doors, granite countertops, basin vessel sinks and multiple shower heads can cost as much as $35-$50,000 (National Association of Home Builders).
