Top 15 Home Improvements

[Gryphon]

http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/pac_ctnt_988/text/0,,HGTV_22056_52571,00.html?hp=Top%20Ten%20Link%20Two:%20ROI

I was surprised to see that landscaping nets a 100 percent return

[Sunny]

I was thinking of your threads last night as I watched a show on HGTV called, "What's my house worth?" On this epsisode, a 900 sq.ft 1 BR condo in South Beach sold for $600k -- amazing! (but it was the exterior that increased the value & sellability) It had a 700+ sq.ft terrace that added outdoor living area.

[Gryphon]

I was watching that show!
Im always amazed at those shows...
We have it relatively good in the southeast. What will get you a big house in a great neighborhood here gets you something that should be torn down in some parts of the country.

There was some new show on the other night...and these folks were touring houses for sale in Long Island. They had 400,000 to spend. Some of the stuff they looked at was so sad....in WV or SC it might cost $50,000.

[Scumpadelic]

I like the looks of that.

The last major inside project I did was to the bathrooms. Refinished cabinets. Updated paint, wallpaper, cabinet hardware, etc. Number 1 on the list.

The last two Springs I have been re-landscaping. Removing trash trees. Digging new planting beds. Refurbishing the lawn. Number 2 on the list.

Next week I am taking vacation to do one of two things depending on the weather. Either refinishing kitchen cabinets or painting pressure washing and painting outside. Numbers 3 and 4 on the list.

Yippee!

[Gryphon]

Are you selling soon Scrump? Or just making it a better place for yourself?

[Scumpadelic]

Nothing is imminent, but things are stirring down here, and I may yet be a yankee again in the next couple of years.

[Gryphon]

Gotcha. Well, sounds like your putting yourself in a position to make some money when you do sell.

[Scumpadelic]

If I can hide all the flaws, we'll do OK. We bought it cheap in a down market many many years ago.

[Gryphon]

thats the way to do it though.
And remember, it has no flaws. It has character. LOL

[Sunny]

As we address the many, many home improvements needed on our new purchase -- we've prioritized the main bath, the kitchen, and then the family/media room on the lower level.

The deck expansion project & landscaping will come next summer when the weather becomes cooperative. I'd also like to paint the exterior, including the garage doors, and add a hand railing to the front walkway/stairs.

We have dreams of eventually renovating the "master suite" as well, which is currently on the lower level, by upgrading the bath with a tiled multi-head walk-in shower and jet tub.

Last on our list is the unfinished 2-stall garage...husband would like finish it off, etablishing additional loft storage, a work area & possibly move the laundry there (below my handy-dandy laundry shoot).

Pretty ambitious 'honey-do' list for my husband, huh?

To begin, husband will paint every room in the house a neutral color. He's in love with this beige/tan/yellow color that we've painted our current house in. Next, the floors in the bath & kitchen are currently vinyl. I would like to have tile put into those 2 rooms. The lighting fixtures are all outdated & we'll need new appliances. The bathroom isn't very large, so it'll be challenging...I already see a demo project in the works! LOL!

Here are a few shots of the tres 70's/80's bath & kitchen:









Any suggestions?~!?

[Gryphon]

Off the top of my head...

Bathroom:
New countertop/sinks for sure. Cabinets...could get away with just fresh knobs maybe? (or new doors on the old base, if its in good shape)
Pull out the wallpaper and the vinyl. Definitely need new lights...maybe new towel bars/tissue holder/etc. would make it look fresher. Then, your own shower curtain and accessories will help a lot too.

Kitchen:
trash the wallpaper...the curvy wood trim...and maybe the "spindle"
Cant tell...does it need new countertops?
The cabinets arent bad...again, maybe new knobs? Tile would be good in there...maybe repeat the same colors of tile on the backsplash?

[Sunny]

Thanks for your expertise, Gryphon! I can really "envision" a nice place once we're all done.

I'd love to replace both the kitchen and bathroom counter-tops...but, in the bath, I think I'd like to tear the sinks/base out & find a nice cabinet with 2 mirrors rather than one. In the current issue of House Beautiful, there's a great bathroom that I'm striving for.

Something along this line:



And we want to tear the bathtub/surround out & tile the walls, along with the same tile husband just put in our house only a touch smaller in the bathroom.

The light fixtures in the bathroom are an issue of contention since the receptacles are currently in the ceiling...maybe a couple of can lights? Oh, and we're thinking about tearing the wall/door out that seperates the powder/sink area from the toilet & shower area to open the room up. Plus, new toilet & fixtures as you mentioned.

As for the Kitchen, where the spindles are, I want husband to build a breakfast bar in that area that extends into the kitchen to make additional counter space.  You can't see the other corner, but down the road, husband wants to add another section of cabinets/counterspace & possibly tear that wall out where the spindles are. Right now there's carpeting in the adjacent room where the breakfast nook is...that'll get tiled eventually too to blend with the kitchen area.

Will be a bit different than this...but thought it was funny, I have these farm counter stools:



ALL wallpaper is beyond history & will be painted with a fresh coat of paint. I love your idea of tiling the backsplash in the kitchen...for now we're going to try painting it and all of the wood trim will become white. 

[Gryphon]

Great ideas Sunny!

If youre going to the trouble of tearing out a  wall in that bath (which is a great idea in my opinion)...move the lights while you're at it.
Im guessing your ceilings are 8', so it may not be as much of a problem, but every woman I know with cans only in her bathroom cusses them because the lighting is terrible for putting on makeup.

[~Daisy~]

Sunny, the brick in the kitchen has promise. Try to make it look weathered or something. We took the brick in ours, which had been painted white, and painted it clay...


here are a couple of pictures:





Okay, theres one, anyway. I can't find the other one I'm looking for that gives you a better idea. But there's also the option of using some stucco stuff to make it look like an old Itailan bistro...

[Sunny]

You know...husband said he could always throw some stucco on it! LOL! Actually, he thinks it's that fake (half) brick--forget what it's called. So, in time, it may come down completely.

But, I like the look of yours...it's nice! And whatever's cooking.