There are plenty of reasons to consider home renovation. Some of these reasons include increasing a home’s property value, improving the home’s safety, making the home ecofriendly, and more. Of course, there’s also the question of whether a home even needs renovation, especially considering how big an investment that can be for homeowners.
In order to help homeowners in South Florida make informed decisions about their homes, and whether or not renovation is necessary, Taylor Builders is here to offer some tips. One good starting point is to consider the needs of both the current homeowner and a potential homebuyer. As such there are really three main questions to consider: are you planning to sell your home? Are there any structural problems that compromise safety? Is accessibility an issue?
Putting Your Home Up for Sale
When putting a home on the market for sale, renovation could either increase or decrease the home’s value depending on the reason it’s being renovated. If the home is old and certain features are outdated or no longer functional like plumbing and electrical appliances, renovation is highly recommended. Similarly, if there is evidence of wear and tear found throughout the house or have mold growing on the walls, this would also be grounds for renovation. If the home is located in an area that’s prone to extreme weather conditions or natural disaster and the home isn’t built to withstand these conditions, renovation is also recommended.
The only time renovation can potentially decrease a home’s value is if the homeowner decides to make changes to the home in an attempt to make it more appealing to a potential homebuyer. One major reason for this is that homeowners cannot predict the individual needs of potential buyers who may have different priorities factor into their home purchasing decisions. Another way renovation can impact a home’s value is if it changes size of the home or livable space in any significant capacity. The more space a home occupies per square inch, the more likely the property will go up in price. Similarly, the less liveable space there is, the less likely a buyer will consider buying the home, especially if they have a family and there aren’t enough rooms.
Fixing Structural Issues with the Home
For homeowners who like their homes and don’t intend to relocate, renovation could be considered if the home is old and/or has multiple structural issues. Some of these issues could include electrical problems like flickering lights, plumbing being too slow to drain in multiple parts of the house, and windows or doors not being able to open and close with ease. Structural problems can also be as obvious as holes in walls, blistering and peeling paint, sloping floors, damp wood, leaking roofs and poor insulation. Not only can these issues reduce a home’s efficiency, but they can even make the home potentially unsafe to live in.
While renovation isn’t recommended for every single issue that can be fixed individually, if there is more than one structural problem to address, this often indicates a problem with the home’s foundation. In this case, home renovation would reduce the long-term costs of fixing each structural issue on an individual basis. To successfully renovate a home, however, there are still important things to take into consideration. This includes how much time the renovation will take, the homeowner’s budget, weather conditions, and whether or not the homeowner will need to temporarily stay in a hotel while renovations are taking place.
Improving Home Accessibility
One last reason home renovation could be considered is making the home accessible and safe for elderly homeowners or homeowners with disabilities. For homeowners who have restricted mobility, the home may need to be equipped with ramps or lifts if the home is elevated or has more than one floor. For wheelchair users, smaller doors may need to be replaced with 36-inch doors or wider to accommodate easy mobility. Similarly, entryways and hallways may need to be made wider so that wheelchair users can access other parts of their home. Floors may also need to be remodeled with more durable material such as vinyl and may need to be slip-resistant.
Accessible bathrooms are another matter of concern for elderly and disabled homeowners. Sinks, for example, will need space for wheelchair users slide under in order to wash their hands. Toilets may also need to be moved to a different part of the bathroom that offers enough space for a wheelchair user to move and may need to be equipped with handlebars. Bathtubs may need to be replaced with shower stalls that enable easy walk-in or roll-in. Showers may also need to be equipped with grab-on bars and hand-held showerheads.
Related to accessible bathrooms is the need for accessible kitchens. Many of the same adjustments made to bathrooms also need to be made to kitchens to make them more accessible to elderly and disabled homeowners. For wheelchair users, they will still need kitchen sinks and stoves that are wheelchair friendly. They will also need cabinets and drawers that are easy to reach, and the kitchen space may also need to be made wider to facilitate easy mobility.
For more information on how Taylor Builders can renovate your home, please visit our services page or contact us.