Timely Home Upgrades

• By Annette Parrish- Vice President

• In today’s economy, it’s important to maintain and protect the investment you have in your home. If you’re trying to save money now by delaying maintenance, repairs, and upgrades, keep in mind that it will only be more costly in the future because prices are at an all-time low and will only continue to go up, and because necessary repairs that are delayed will cause more damage as time goes on.

• During the recession, many people realize that extravagant, expensive purchases won’t necessarily make them happy in the long-term. However, responsible spending on things that are necessary or practical protects your investment and can give you a great deal of satisfaction and sense of security.

• When considering an up-grade, more and more people are choosing to remain in their homes, instead of undertaking the costs and labor of moving.  Here are a few trends we have seen lately in remodeling that reflect this new paradigm of investing in what’s important instead of what’s popular:

1. Replacing drafty, cold windows and doors, and inefficient boilers, furnaces and hot water heaters with new energy-efficient ones.
2. Adding caulking, weather stripping, and insulation to lower energy bills.
3. Since eating out can become an expensive habit, kitchen remodels or upgrades have given many clients the tools and space they need, maximizing their enjoyment in cooking and eating at home with the family, while increasing their home’s market value and return on investment.
4. Remodeling bathrooms and replacing old toilets with new more efficient, water-saving models.
5. Recapturing unused sun rooms, saunas, & hot tubs to create more usable living space.
6. Adding built-in cabinets to existing space to improve efficiency and organization.
7. Finishing or remodeling a basement—a more economical choice than adding on.
8. Encapsulating dangerous lead paint with a fresh coat of low VOC paint to prevent ingestion of peeling paint chips or dust—especially important around young children. (See also “Spring Checklist” from Jacobsen Brothers Painting)

Replacing your furnace can also save energy

• Our clients who are reaching retirement age and are planning to remain in their home are implementing the following home improvements that will allow them to do just that by increasing safety and mobility features:

1. Grab bars in showers, bathtubs, hallways and stairs
2. Rebuilding showers without thresholds
3. Replacing bathtubs with walk-in versions or with a shower
4. Raising bath vanities to prevent back strain
5. Improving task or safety lighting in key areas such as kitchens, bathrooms, and stairwells
6. Installing stair lifts or elevators to provide easy access to all parts of their home, and increase mobility and livable space.  Ramps can also be installed where practical.

• We always welcome your comments, questions and suggestions. Please feel free to post in the “Comments Box” below.

Installing low-threshold showers can make aging-in-place easier.