One of the best things you can do as a homeowner is to use some of your home equity dollars to finance home improvements. Not only will the additions make your home more attractive and pleasant to live in, but certain projects will bring a significant return on investment when the time comes to sell your home. The following 5 projects have been proven to add extra dollars to the average home resell prices. The statistics are courtesy of “Remodeling Magazine.” ROI stands for “return on investment”

1. Minor Kitchen Remodeling: Average cost = $8,655. Average ROI = 88%.

A minor kitchen remodel usually includes replacing the cabinets and countertops with higher quality materials or increasing the total amount of cabinet storage and countertop surface area. It would also most likely include the addition or upgrade of appliances such as garbage disposals, built in microwaves, dishwashers, and higher quality refrigerators.

2. Bathroom Remodel: Average cost = $9,135. Average ROI = 81%

This project would include things such as installing attractive countertops such as stone, granite, or marble. The fixtures would need to be upgraded and the shower and bathtubs should be resurfaced. Also, any tiling would need to be grouted. Other things that could increase the value of a bathroom remodel would be adding an extra sink basin, converting a bathtub to a Jacuzzi, or installing additional showerheads.

3. Major Kitchen Remodel: Average cost = 31,090. Average ROI = 71%

The major kitchen remodel is very costly and will take much more work than the minor remodel. The major version will require all appliances to be replaced. Whenever possible, appliances should be made in stainless steel. The countertops should be made of stone or granite. The floors might be replaced with high quality laminate flooring. The addition of a kitchen island or a centrally located stove could work. For a major kitchen remodel, you should consult a contractor and possible an interior designer. This is definitely not a do it yourself project.

4. Outside Deck: Average cost = $8,022. Average ROI = 55%

The deck is self-explanatory. The larger the deck, the higher the return on investment will be. The deck should obviously be coated with a nice looking finish that matches the outside of your home, and needs to be treated with a high quality water seal. If you are going to work on the outside of your home a good place to start might be at the top, the roof. Read up on roofing newton ma for useful information.

5. Hardwood Flooring: Average cost = Varies. Average ROI = Varies

The cost and return on hardwood flooring varies greatly based upon the total amount of rooms and surface area is remodeled. Also, the choice in the variety of hardwood will impact the value. Certain woods like Oak and Cherry are more valuable than others. Also, it is very important to properly maintain your hardwood floors. Flooring that is scraped, scratched, dull, or water stained can actually decrease the value of your home. If you have active children, you might want to stick to carpeting.

The con artist’s philosophy is “the gullible were put on this earth to be gulled.” In the past, con artists were usually referred to as con men. This is no longer the case as more and more women have become involved in con games and numerous variations of con games. Before we proceed with some tips on “how not to get conned” you should always remember that a con artist could be a male or a female. In addition, many times the con artist will work with a child who will assist them in accomplishing their goal. That goal is to GET YOUR MONEY.

Remember, it’s YOUR hard-earned money at stake here. Don’t be so willing to “give it away” without a second thought.

Planning home improvements necessarily involves addressing numerous practical matters. That doesn’t mean you should ignore the fun stuff!

The Fun Stuff

The first thing to plan for in home improvements is the practical stuff. The second thing you need to talk to family members about is the fun stuff.

Most people have colors they like and colors they don’t like. They have things that interest them and things that don’t. Get your family to talk to you about those things. Each person’s bedroom, or bedroom area, should reflect his or her taste and interests.

A boy who likes green, football, and backpacking can easily have a sage green (it “reads” as more neutral than many shades of green if re-sale of your home is a concern) room with cream woodwork, cream interior shutters, and cream ceiling. Framed football posters and wilderness scenes might be pleasant. Bedding with a rustic motif (rows of stylized pine trees?) from L.L. Bean or Plow and Hearth would work right in. Add a touch or two of a bright color like red or yellow.

Does he need a desk in his room? A chest of drawers? A bookcase? Would he enjoy having a bulletin board? Even if they’re small, most rooms need at least three lamps so that illumination is general and even. The shades are usually best in warm, neutral colors. (Light coming through green shades tends to make people look sick.) Lamp shades should be level and the seams should be toward the wall so they’re not visible. When the bottom edge of most lamp shades in a room are the same height from the floor, the room tends to look serene and cohesive.

Hanging pictures usually look best if the bottom edges of the frames are the same height from the floor and level with each other, too. There are exceptions to this and every generalization of course. A grouping of pictures can have the bottom tier follow the “rule” while all of the other pictures are higher. A picture over a fireplace often looks good higher than the other pictures in the room.

Pictures usually look best when they have a relationship to furniture or an architectural feature. Pictures centered over a chest, bed, bookcase, or fireplace are good examples. Pictures don’t tend to look good if they’re scattered willy-nilly around a room, or if they’re up near the ceiling (unless they’re part of a grouping), or if the height at which they’re hung varies wildly with no rhyme nor reason.

A girl who loves pink, the ballet, and swimming can have woodwork the same cream as her brother’s while her walls are a soft pink (a pink with a hint of yellow in it tends to go well with cream), and her art work reflects her interests. If she loves to read, make sure she has a good reading lamp near her bed, or near a comfortable chair, or both.

A cream colored dust ruffle with widely spaced pink stripes and a quilted plaid coverlet in pink, green, yellow, and blue on a cream background might look nice. Add cream fabric window shades with large pink polka dots and I’ll bet she’ll smile.

The bigger point is to simply have fun with some of your home improvements. There is no need to look exclusively at practical matters

Getting ready to start a home improvement project? You may like to read our future home improvement articles for some helpful tips and tricks to make your job ahead just a little bit less complicated.