When buying an existing home, there are things you know you want to change after the house belongs to you. We've covered the things that you really can't change (location and some house features), so this article focuses on the most common house upgrades new home owners make in their first year. Yes …
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There are many reasons to remodel your home. Often you want an updated look or more functionality, the drivers for most kitchen and bathroom remodels. Sometimes you need more space which you can get by finishing an attic, basement or adding a room to your house.
Some renovations are necessary. Roofs, decks and HVAC systems need to be replaced around 20 years. Double pane windows can lower heating/cooling costs in older homes.
When planning remodeling projects, start with a budget you can afford plus the best return on investment (ROI) when you sell your house (read: Remodeling Projects: Their Cost and Value).
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- House Upgrades for Your New House
- Home Addition Costs & Value at Resale
- Home Exterior Materials & Planning for Updates
- Basement Renovation Ideas You Can Afford
- How to Remove a Popcorn Ceiling
- 9 Types of Drywall & How They’re Used
- 7 Eco Friendly Updates for Older Homes
- Should You Remodel or Move?
- Top 3 Home Renovations Before Moving Into a New House
- Photographing House Contents Before the Emergency
- Remodeling Projects: Their Cost & Value
- Which Home Renovations Have the Best Payback
- Maria’s Home Renovation Ideas (Part 2)
- Diary of Maria’s Home Renovation
- Outdoor Living Ideas: Courtyards Another Option
- Lifestyle Homes You Never Want to Leave
- Home Design Trends for an Active Lifestyle
- Home Energy Score Required in Portland, Oregon
- Inside the Biggest Kitchen and Bath Home Show
- How Remodeling Affects Property Taxes
- Top 11 Home Improvement Trends for 2016
- New Home Improvement Products – Are They Really New?
- New Home Building Products at the International Home Builder Show
- From Toy to Movie, To the Transformer House
- Open Plan Lofts Losing Their Appeal
- A Beach Kitchen for Grandkids & Entertaining
- Recycled Leather In Unusual Places
- Organizing Your Home Improvement Projects
- 2015 Home Show Bigger & Better
- Homeowner Information – Top 10 Articles in 2014
- 3D Remodeling Drawings Can Reduce Your Stress
- Old Houses with Amazing Renovations
- 13 Renovation Lessons Learned the Hard Way
- Creative Home Remodels for Sharing Your Home
- 6 Outdoor Decorating Ideas for Your House
- Outdoor Home Decorating for Summer Entertaining
- 5 Simple Landscaping Ideas in Time for Memorial Day
- 4 Amazing Outdoor Kitchens
- Open Concept Dining & Kitchen Renovation Ideas
- 6 Hottest Outdoor Living Features
- What Should You Pay for a Kitchen Remodel?
- Kitchen Remodeling Trends to Follow or Skip
- 4 Upscale Bathroom Remodel Shower Ideas
- Budget Countertop Materials for Kitchens
- Staying Warm With an Open Floor Plan
- Kitchen Remodeling Costs Are How Much?
- Home Automation and Talking Houses
- Make Your Own Compost Bin, A Homeowner’s Story
- Organizing Kitchen Cabinets: The 5 Minute Guide
- Everything But the Kitchen Sink?
- 2 Home Renovations You Can Do By Yourself
- Ideas for Creating a Home Office
- Home Automation: Keeping Home & Family Safe
- What’s in Your Emergency Supply Kit?
- Remodeling Budget & Neighborhood Home Values
- Remodeling Houses for Profit?
- The History of Showers, An Infographic
- Leaky Faucets, A Common Home Repair
- Pick A House Addition That Make Sense
- Why Load Bearing Walls Matter When Remodeling
- Wireless Homes Using Technology Similar to Cell Phones
- How Smart Homes with Home Automation, Save Us Time & Money
- Help Replacing an Incandescent Light Bulb
- Wireless Technology is Changing Our Lives
- Home Remodeling, What’s Hot This Year
- Remodeling and Home Renovations
- More Kitchen Sink Choices to Fit Your Lifestyle
- Home Additions Add Needed Living Space
- Scared to Take a Hot Shower
- Kitchen Decorating for the Holidays
- Home Theaters, Halloween & Bat Caves
- Scarecrows, Pumpkins and Priorities
- Pinterest Fun & Fear
- Alerts for Homeowners
- Pinterest Ideas for Remodeling a Bathroom
- Face the Home Paper Management Showdown
- Business Directory Madness
- Green Landscaping with Native Plants
- Patios and Your Backyard Landscape
- Composite Decking Materials for Look, Cost and Maintenance
- Your Guide to Decking in 2012
- Controlling Remodeling Costs – Picking Finishes (3 of 3)
- Remodeling Costs (2 of 3) – Completing Design First Helps Control Costs
- Tips on Controlling Remodeling Costs (1 of 3)
- Home Remodeling: Homeowner Priorities Changing
- Remodeling in 2011
- Technology Spending Exceeds Utility Bills
- Open Floor Plans to Fit Our Lifestyle
- Building Blocks & Building Houses
- Green Glue, Soundproofing & Band Practice
- Tips for Buying Kitchen Island Seats
- Kitchen Gadgets: What Do We Really Need?
- Kitchen Storage Ideas to Get Organized
- Bathtubs To Enjoy Life or Sell Your House?
- Homeowner Stories: ’70s Contemporary
- What’s a Bathroom For Anyways?
- Kitchen Pulls, Knobs & Other Hardware
- Kitchen Activity Centers for What?
- Budgeting to Replace/Upgrade Interior Home Components
- Buy Versus Reuse Building Materials
Home Addition Costs & Value at Resale
Home additions vary in cost across the country so it's a bit scary to give you "average costs" because costs in any area can be higher or lower than the national average. In fact the yearly home Remodeling Cost vs Value Report (www.costvsvalue.com), breaks the data down for 9 regions (and 81 …
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Home Exterior Materials & Planning for Updates
Planning is a key part of maintaining your home, although it's a lot harder than creating a grocery budget or setting aside money for car maintenance. Most homeowners aren't familiar with key home components and how often they need to be replaced. The easiest solution is replace materials with the …
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Basement Renovation Ideas You Can Afford
You’ve got a finished basement in need of a facelift, but your budget is a bit thin? Not to worry, there are plenty of budget-savvy basement renovation ideas to turn this room into something new and inviting. An already finished basement has most of the hard work out of the way. What you need …
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How to Remove a Popcorn Ceiling
Often removing a popcorn ceiling becomes part of a ceiling repair.It is a very messy job but many home owners feel it is worth the expense in time and/or money to get a smooth or textured ceiling more to their liking. The most common type of ceiling repair follows a water leak, from the roof or …
9 Types of Drywall & How They’re Used
There are many types of drywall so even when you think you know the type of drywall you need for a small repair, you'll probably guess wrong and have to make another trip to the store. This happened at my house recently. My husband decided it was time to patch a hole in our dining room …
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