Home remodeling projects

[LucyKKG]

My mom and step dad transformed our condo a lot a few years ago. The biggest change was pergo instead of crappy brown carpet. I think the whole "remodel" started when my step dad painted the kitchen cabinets all white (they were brown before). He then painted the walls below them dark green. We started getting other randomly colored walls (just one in each room!) and then it was pergo and tile floors for bathrooms/kitchen. We have dark green, dark red, dark blue, and mustard colored walls now. Some of that may sound atrocious, but I swear it totally works.

[ISUKappa]

We live in a 90-year-old house and have done quite a few projects. Many have been minor cosmetic things (new paint throughout, new carpet, new fireplace mantel) but some have been major (new back sidewalk and retaining wall, new back door). Currently, the husband is working on finishing our sunroom. He stripped out all the old lathe and plaster, insulated the walls, put in new windows, raised the ceiling to follow the roof line, drywalled and painted. He's finishing up staining the trim and then it will pretty much be done, thank goodness. This project has been ongoing for more than a year and I'm ready to have that living space back.

Our next project will be updating our tiny full bathroom. We'll also have the house painted this summer, but that's not something we want to attempt ourselves. We'd also like to fix our upstairs screened-in porch, but that will all depend on time and money.

[Scully]

The husband and I moved into our 2 bedroom co-op after we got married in 2006. It was a lot of work! Luckily, my Dad is retired and is very handy! We pulled up all of the carpet, painted every room (over orange, turquoise and peach I may add), tiled the bathroom, installed a new sink and vanity, put up new kitchen cabinets, kitchen sink and countertop, bought a new microwave and stove, hung all new doors and light fixtures and sheetrocked the living room ceiling. We spent many an afternoon at the Home Depot.

I didn't mind, though. I enjoy manual labor. It's such a nice feeling to know that you did the work yourself. It's a bit more satisfying. Now we'll know how to do everything when we move to a "real" house!

[ilovemyglo]

We are actually putting ceramic tile in the basement, that is the next portion of our remodeling... before we purchased the home the people before us had the hot water heater burst while they were out of town. The carpet that had been in there had to be taken up and they had put crappy cheap paneling dwn there that warped and had to be removed. We got a new hot water heater out of it, and they had a mold remediation company come in to be safe (so we have a fifteen year mold warranty)... but after speaking with the guy at lowes, the price difference was 2500 for them to come install the carpet with pad, versus around 500 for the ceramic (and it is the nice stuff, but 16x16 so less expensive). This also helps if there is ever a leak or something, the tile will create a barrier between any water above and the actual floor below.
Above the floor we are putting a dry bar under the stairs. We figure it can be removed if someone wants to, but will be perfect for what we are intending the basement to be for- a sports/rece room with the other big screen, surround sound, etc.

[LXAAlum]

Just make sure you're doing a remodel because you WANT it, not because you think it might (keyword here: might) add value.

Case in point - Brother-in-law/sister-in-law added an addition to their house - $80K or so (and they did a majority of the finish work) - added 30K to the value, but, they plan on being there long term, so it was a nice "investment" (they will eventually get the 80k back, but it takes time)...

Appraisers always told me the biggest "bang for the buck" in remodels adding "value" were kitchens and bathrooms....

With foreclosure rates going up, values are dropping....