Comments on: Home Upgrades – Which to choose?

By: Chris

Chris — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 02:47:39 +0000

Joe,

I know I’m late replying, just finished tearing out both the master bath, laundry, etc of our next house. It’s our DAVE house by the way.

Cabinets are expensive, like $5-8k. I’d refinish them if at all possible (new trands in finishes can cover alot) do new hardware and countertops. Solid Surface tops are pricy too, but do those if needed to suit the market of the home comps.

As for the tearing out of walls, once you go there you’re doing new construction, for double the cost-also check for load bearing walls, some times it’s not intuitive which ones are/aren’t!!!

In the end, if market price will bear the investments go for it, but shop around well for cabinets.

Are you living in this house while you do this? Caution, this can be very stressful on the family..

Still working the LM job – Chris

By: jsangl

jsangl — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 12:50:26 +0000

Sangl says …

Jill – you make a lot of sense!!!

Jon Smock – I DESPISE home improvement when it is on the home I am living in. I like it a lot better when I don’t have to stare at the work every day when I come home (and Jenn doesn’t have to stare at it either).

John X – I need at least 2,000 people to sign up at ING to have a chance

By: Jill Garrison

Jill Garrison — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 01:19:34 +0000

I say do the kitchen because every one can enjoy that. Unless you want everyone to come party in your bathroom.

By: Tina Harkey

Tina Harkey — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 00:49:57 +0000

I personally would go for the kitchen first. The cost for lumber etc. is only going to rise, therefore, do the larger room first. Also, it is grilling weather. You can still cook and eat at home in the summer. Save the bathroom for winter or next year.

By: Jon Smock

Jon Smock — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 20:22:40 +0000

My Dad just re-did his small master bathroom for about $2000-$2500, I believe. A master bathroom will always cost less to redo than a kitchen, so if it were me, I’d start there.

I agree with some of the other commenters, however, that updating another area (or areas) might be best, if you use them more. Even a large living room would cost less to update than a small bathroom, and unless you really botch it, that living room won’t go out of style as fast as a kitchen or bathroom would.

Isn’t home improvement fun, though?! Sometimes I wish I was a carpenter.

By: Sarge

Sarge — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 19:14:49 +0000

Kitchen and bathroom increase the value if you’re going to sell soon. If not, you might want to start on the area that is most used or important to you.

By: Rich Brott

Rich Brott — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 18:36:18 +0000

Kitchen 1st.

By: John X

John X — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 12:42:12 +0000

I say use the $25 from ING & update both! – Just kidding. I would update the kitchen. Lots of time spent there by you & everyone else in the family!

By: Julie Brown

Julie Brown — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 11:09:57 +0000

We always left those for last BECAUSE we figured that by the time we got the rest of the house done they might need updating again!