New Remodeling Trends: Drop Zones, Lifestyle Centers, and Open Family Rooms

An interesting article out of MSN last week took a look at some new trends in the world of remodeling.  One of the most intrugiung was the trend of drop zones.  Drop zones are basically debriefing rooms for your life.  They’re an area where you can sit down, take off your shoes, hang up your coat, hang up your backpack and sort your mail.

 

One trend that is on it’s way out is the two-story foyer.  We can say hasta la vista to the Sopranos look of a grand 2-story foyer with wide open spaces, vaulted ceiling and a staircase or two.  These entrances not only take up a lot of space, they are difficult to heat and thus cost more money, and people are beginning to look at their houses as things they might shack up in for awhile.  In short, stairs are a no-no as one approaches their twilight years.

Another trend that has been seeing more implementation as of late is the lifestyle room.  The lifestyle room is beginning to overthrow “Dad’s office” – typically a closed off room that housed usually one spouses work-away-from-work.  The lifestyle room is a more open and relaxed room where parents and homeowners can work on their projects and paper work.  The lifestyle room is also typically close to the kitchen so one can keep an eye on the children and/or cooking.

It’s interesting to see home design and remodeling turn to efficiency and family – with the infusion of the internet, homeowners are more savvy then ever before.  Gone are the McMansion days, homeowners have done their research and they want more bang for their buck, the most utility they can squeeze out of each space, with an eye for what will be best in the future.  If you’re looking for remodeling advice or want to implement anything you’ve seen covered – feel free to give Premier a ring: 1.855.251.3100

Increase Your Home’s Value

The most valuable asset that most people will ever own is their home. Over time, homes generally appreciate even when only essential maintenance is done. By investing just a little time and money to update and replace worn out fixtures and furnishings you can greatly increase your home’s value, often recovering more than the initial home improvement investment cost when you decide to sell your home.

Take A Look At Your Kitchen

If you can only do one project, update your kitchen. It’s corny but true that the kitchen is the heart of a home, drawing people in with its warmth and aromas. If you still have those 1970’s cabinets, consider replacing or re-facing them with one of the wide variety of cabinet styles available today. If your cabinets are in decent shape, consider painting them a bright white and replacing the hardware to make them look new again. Replacing your old counter tops with new granite countertops, a solid surface material or even Formica is a relatively simple project that can make a major difference. If your kitchen has room you might consider increasing your countertop space with an island. If your kitchen lacks room, perhaps you could remove a wall and open it up to an adjoining room. Now these may not be projects that just anyone would want to tackle on their own, but hiring an experience handyman would still be a very cost effective way to make improvements. A handyman’s expert advice and craftsmanship can save you time and money in the long run.

Bathrooms and Additions

A close second to a kitchen remodel are bathroom updates or additions. Your house will not appeal to many buyers with only a single bathroom and people particularly value a master bath. Look critically at your bathrooms. Is there old wallpaper that needs to come down or do they need painting? A new modern vanity and sink are inexpensive, again can make a big impact and can be installed by a handyman service in just a few hours. Perhaps your tub and toilet need to be replaced because they are old or don’t match. Updated ceramic tiles and hard flooring are attractive to new buyers who don’t want to go through the process of updating the bathrooms themselves.

Modernize Your Space

Another valuable change you can make is to take down walls to enlarge small spaces and create a more modern and open floor plan, particularly if the area connects to the kitchen. Ceilings can be vaulted to give the appearance of more space and sometimes make rooms seem brighter. You may choose to add on a room or bump out a wall and the increased square footage will always add value to your home.

Out With The Old, In With The New

We suggest that you inventory your house and update items that are worn out or clearly from another era such as gold or turquoise carpeting, hardware such as door handles, lighting fixtures and old heavy draperies. Painting rooms and removing clutter can also help increase your home’s value should you wish to sell or just need to get it appraised. You can also replace old flooring with wood, laminate or tile and add new windows which will appeal to buyers and can increase the energy efficiency of your home. Replacing your windows is also a project that can be done a few windows at a time as the budget allows.

All of these home improvements will add value to your home, not just when you sell but value in as far as quality of life as well. Premier offers free consultations on preparing your home for sale and evaluating which project would fare a better return on your investment. Please contact us at anytime Shannon@premierremodels.com

Deck/Patio Repair and Maintenance Tips

For many American homeowners, the early weeks of summer are an invitation to take the party out to the backyard patio or deck. Before you haul out the grill and light the tiki torches, however, take some time to do a little preventive repair and maintenance.

DECK/PATIO REPAIR

• First – complete a thorough inspection of the entire structure to ensure that it is safe and secure. Check for loose nails and screws, and either replace them or re-tighten them. Tighten any railings that have become loose during the winter.

• Second – look beneath the deck to confirm that beams and support poles remain in good working order. If you find structural components that are loose, rotten or out of position, for your own safety, quit using the deck and call a pro in to fix the problem.

As an additional safety precaution, replace broken or rotten deck boards before they break through completely. Boards that have become bowed or warped will also need to be replaced because they hold water and make the deck surface uneven, and create another potential safety hazard. If you’re replacing those boards with pressure-treated lumber, maximize the life of your deck by using stainless steel or high-grade galvanized fasteners designed to combat the corrosive effects of modern lumber treatment chemicals.

DECK/PATIO MAINTENANCE

Once everything is secure, clean the deck boards with a biodegradable deck cleaner to remove dirt, mildew and algae. These environmentally friendly solvents are now commonly available and actually perform better than previously popular outdoor wood cleaners such as bleach. Even if your deck is made from a composite material, most manufacturers still recommend a thorough annual cleaning. During the cleaning process, also take a little time to sand down any spots that have become rough or splintered.

If the deck appears to need a lot of repair, please consider having the deck surface and railing replaced with new maintenance free composite material. Normally the structure and framing of the deck is in good shape which will allow for a simple re-facing of the deck surface. This will not only enhance the living space but resale value is a premium.

For more information and any questions feel free to take a picture of your deck and send it to Shannon@premierremodels.com and we will be happy to return some added suggestions for repair and replacement options.

Increase Your Home’s Value

As we head into the “Prime Real Estate Season” it is important to consider the simple things that can help not only sell your home, but assist in increasing the value of your house.

The most valuable asset that most people will ever own is their home. Over time, homes generally appreciate even when only essential maintenance is done. By investing just a little time and money to update and replace worn out fixtures and furnishings you can greatly increase your home’s value, often recovering more than the initial home improvement investment cost when you decide to sell your home.

If you can only do one project, update your kitchen. It’s corny but true that the kitchen is the heart of a home, drawing people in with its warmth and aromas. If you still have those 1970’s cabinets, consider replacing or re-facing them with one of the wide variety of cabinet styles available today. If your cabinets are in decent shape, consider painting them a bright white and replacing the hardware to make them look new again. Replacing your old counter tops with new granite countertops, a solid surface material or even Formica is a relatively simple project that can make a major difference. If your kitchen has room you might consider increasing your countertop space with an island. If your kitchen lacks room, perhaps you could remove a wall and open it up to an adjoining room. Now these may not be projects that just anyone would want to tackle on their own, but hiring an experience handyman would still be a very cost effective way to make improvements. A handyman’s expert advice and craftsmanship can save you time and money in the long run.

A close second to a kitchen remodel are bathroom updates or additions. Your house will not appeal to many buyers with only a single bathroom and people particularly value a master bath. Look critically at your bathrooms. Is there old wallpaper that needs to come down or do they need painting? A new modern vanity and sink are inexpensive, again can make a big impact and can be installed by a handyman service in just a few hours. Perhaps your tub and toilet need to be replaced because they are old or don’t match. Updated ceramic tiles and hard flooring are attractive to new buyers who don’t want to go through the process of updating the bathrooms themselves.

Another valuable change you can make is to take down walls to enlarge small spaces and create a more modern and open floor plan, particularly if the area connects to the kitchen. Ceilings can be vaulted to give the appearance of more space and sometimes make rooms seem brighter. You may choose to add on a room or bump out a wall and the increased square footage will always add value to your home.

We suggest that you inventory your house and update items that are worn out or clearly from another era such as gold or turquoise carpeting, hardware such as door handles, lighting fixtures and old heavy draperies. Painting rooms and removing clutter can also help increase your home’s value should you wish to sell or just need to get it appraised. You can also replace old flooring with wood, laminate or tile and add new windows which will appeal to buyers and can increase the energy efficiency of your home. Replacing your windows is also a project that can be done a few windows at a time as the budget allows.

All of these home improvements will add value to your home, not just when you sell but value in as far as quality of life as well. Premier offers free consultations on preparing your home for sale and evaluating which project would fare a better return on your investment. Please contact us at anytime Shannon@premierremodels.com