Homeowners' 5 Biggest Remodeling Regrets

Remodeling any aspect of a home can be a big job and a lot can go wrong when owners aren’t adequately prepared. Houzz, a home remodeling website, asked a panel of renovating experts the most common remodeling blunders they see. Here are a few of their responses.

Not budgeting properly.

Underestimating the costs of a project can be a dire mistake that could leave homeowners either with an unfinished property or having to incur a financial loss. Have a detailed budget so you don’t run out of money. Remodeling experts advise always including a 10% to 20% buffer in the budget for any unexpected costs when tackling a remodel.

Assuming DIY will save you money.

Remodeling experts call it the “DIY trap,” and rookie remodelers are especially prone to it. It’s not always cheaper to do a project yourself. It may not look right and could take triple the amount of time to complete than if you would have just hired a pro. “Limit your DIY tasks to things such as painting and simple landscaping jobs, and dedicate your time to project managing the renovation,” experts told Houzz.

Selecting the cheapest contractor.

Another common pitfall is to go with the cheapest quote from a contractor. You don’t want to have to redo poor work. Don’t just focus on the affordability of a contractor’s quote but evaluate fully what it specifies, experts recommend. Gather quotes from at least three contractors and compare them in detail. Also, evaluate the quality of their work through project photos and professional recommendations.

Failing to describe what you want accurately.

Know exactly what you want before you start and use the right words to describe it. Create idea books; search online for ideas online or in magazines; and have a specific list of layouts and finishes you desire. Become familiar with the proper terminology of those looks and finishes so you communicate them correctly to the pros, the experts recommend.

Not researching the material options.

In the same regard, choosing materials often requires some homework. Builders or contractors may fall back on the same materials they always use, but that doesn’t always mean those are right for the project. “Spend time researching the various materials options available—including looks, price, pros and cons, sustainability, durability, and which ones are best suited to your location, and take this information to your builder,” Houzz notes. “Armed with this knowledge, you can decide together the most suitable materials and finishes for your project.”

View more common remodeling mistakes at Houzz.com.

Source: “10 Biggest Remodeling Regrets and How to Avoid Them,” Houzz.com (March 10, 2020)

Preparing Your Home for Sale on a Budget

Budget Improvements Start With the Exterior

First impressions count. That's why your yard needs to be inviting. Trim back the bushes and trees, especially if they block views from the windows and make your home difficult to see from the street. You can give your home some low-cost curb appeal improvements that don't cost an arm and a leg.

• Keep the lawn mowed, preferably on the diagonal.

• Plant yellow flowers such as marigolds along the walk or by the front door. The color yellow sells.

• Wash the exterior windows.

• Paint or replace the front door and buy new hardware.

• Power spray the house to get rid of dirt and cobwebs.

• Buy a new welcome mat for the front steps.

• Paint or replace the mailbox.

• Paint your house number on the curb or buy a plaque displaying your house number and install near the entry.

• Wash or replace a front porch light fixture.

Remove Clutter and Excess Furniture

Many homes contain too much furniture. You may benefit from removing 2 to 3 pieces of furniture from each room. Less furniture will make the rooms appear bigger. You can pay about $100 a month to place the furniture into storage or simply stack it neatly in the garage for free.

Remove all personal photographs from tables and walls. Patch holes in the walls or hang non-personalized artwork over the existing nails.

• Pack up your bookcases (you're going to move anyway).

• Clean out the closets and store non-essential items.

• Rearrange your kitchen pantry, kitchen cabinets, and bedroom closets in an orderly manner.

Thoroughly Clean the House Before Showing

You can hire a professional cleaning crew for about $300 or do it yourself for free. Be sure to wash the inside of the windows.

• Rent a carpet steamer to clean the carpets. You may find they do not need to be replaced.

• Dust the tops of your doorways and window frames.

• Polish all wood floors and clean ceramic flooring and the grout lines.

• Wash all light fixture coverings and ceiling fan blades.

• To give your home a more open feeling, consider removing a few doors that open into each other or otherwise block the flow of traffic.

Do a Budget Kitchen Update

Kitchens are the most important room in the house. It's the heart and soul of the home. Even if a buyer is not much of a cook, the kitchen is still where family and friends tend to gather.

• If new granite is out of your budget, consider either re-grouting the kitchen counter tiles, which is surprisingly cost-effective, or covering them with granite tiles instead of granite slab.

• For wood cabinets, stripping the finish and re-staining or painting will save you more money than re-surfacing the cabinets.

• Buy new knobs or pulls for the cabinet doors. If you have 40 or so knobs on your kitchen cabinet, at a cost of about $5 per knob, your total outlay for new hardware will be about $200. New hardware will transform the appearance of your cabinets.

• Replace a worn kitchen faucet for around $100 to $200.

• Buy new kitchen sink basket strainers for less than $25 each.

• Consider installing kitchen pendant lights over the sink.

Painting the Interior

Professional painters will probably charge you anywhere from $300 to $500 to paint each room, but with a little patience, you can paint the rooms yourself. This is not the time to get creative.

• Choose a soft color in a light brown tone (never white), and paint every room the same color.

• The painting will go faster if you paint the ceilings the same color, but ceilings really pop if they are a lighter color than the color of the walls. Lighter colors also make the ceilings appear higher. If you go that route, choose 2 shades lighter or white.

• For a 10 x 10 room, you will need 2, one-gallon cans of eggshell finish paint. For the amount of money a professional painter will charge you to paint one room, you can probably paint the entire house yourself.

Freshening Bathrooms on a Budget

If you have wallpaper in the bathroom, it's most likely peeling and should be removed. You can rent a steamer to remove the wallpaper or strip it yourself.

• Consider replacing the toilet and vanity, especially if they are stained or particularly outdated. Many home improvement stores have vanities which include the countertop, sink, and faucet. It will lower the cost and is easy to replace.

• Buy a two-light wall fixture or a light bar for over the sink.

• If the tub is stained, hire a professional to refinish it.

• Replace water-stained shower doors or clean them with a lime dissolving detergent.

• Buy a new shower curtain and tie it back with ribbons.

• Hang fresh towels and lay down a new bath rug.

• Place scented candles near a basket of tightly rolled washcloths to create a spa-like environment.

• Stash all personal items under the bathroom sink.

BY ELIZABETH WEINTRAUB

Do I Need a Permit for That? - Don't jeopardize a future sale.

When undertaking a remodel or home improvement project, how do you know when you need a building permit from your city government?

Cities require permits to ensure that the changes on a home go on record. The changes also are reviewed by an inspector to ensure they’re up to code. For example, if you decide to rewire your electricity panel , exposed wires could represent a safety issue to you and your home.

When homeowners sell their home, buyers and lenders will want to know if any remodels they did complied with building codes. So the permit could salvage a sale too.

“The general rule of thumb is that structural, electrical, plumbing, or mechanical work will require a permit,” notes Redfin at a recent blog post.

The Home Inspector’s File

A fence installation or repair, window installations, plumbing and electrical work, replacing the water heater or changes to the ventilation system, as well as gas and wood fireplaces all will likely require a permit for the work. Also, any additions or upgrades made to the home, typically of $5,000 or more, will likely require a permit.

On the flip side, permits likely won’t be needed for painting, installing floors or faucets, or landscaping work.

Permit requirements vary by city. Check with the local building department to be on the safe side.

Source: https://www.redfin.com/blog/which-home-improvement-projects-require-a-permit/