The first question to ask before remodeling

Dreams are easy. They do not require a lot of effort or direction. No details are needed to enter Dreamland. When your dreams don their work clothes and become goals, you should start by gathering information and narrowing your focus. Your journey of a thousand questions begins with just one: how long are you going to live in your house?

I imagine some puzzled faces out there. More important than the budget? More important than the type of project? More important than the designer, the contractor, or the schedule? Yes. The length of time you plan to live in your home should guide you in choosing the type of project, your budget, the details of the project, and which professionals will be best suited to help you.

Why? In a nutshell, the time until your next move helps clarify the value of the projects you’ll be doing. Note that I didn’t just say “resale value” or “ROI”. Those can be useless factors if, as a recent customer put it, “I’m going to get kicked out of this place.” If you’re never moving, resale value is as dumb as a U-haul trailer on a hearse: you can’t take it with you. Here are some general rule of thumb considerations:

Move-in in one day to five years: Barring any structural deficiencies, such as a leaky roof, broken windows, faulty electrical, or other unsafe conditions, there are three rooms that sell your home: kitchen, master bathroom, and walk-in closet. Men don’t usually buy houses, we just think we do. Even if your home is a total knockout, if your kitchen is outdated or inefficient, your buyers will take notice and ask for monetary consideration so THEY can remodel it. If you’re moving in less than five years, you have basic decisions to make. DO NOT customize! You may love ultra-modern blue cabinets with an automotive finish, but they call Sacramento “Cow Town” for a reason. Traditional cabinets, especially cherry cabinets with shaker doors, travertine floors, granite countertops, and stainless steel appliances will be the most attractive. If your design sense won’t let you afford this type of remodel, I’ll tell you something most remodelers won’t tell you: save your money. If you’re moving so soon, think dollars and cents, not design sense. Another thing to consider: spend according to the value of your home. This sword cuts both ways. If you remodel beyond your home’s value, you won’t get your investment back. But if you put an entry-level master bath (linoleum floors, fiberglass tub surround, tile countertops, etc.) in an $800,000 home, you’ll pay twice as much. For the cheap remodeling first and for the credit second, your buyer will want to redo the job. Remember this: you can’t put “spinning” wheels on a Ferrari! If you bought an expensive house, you have to work to maintain the value with the rest of the house (I can hear a resounding “Amen, bro!” from real estate agents).

Moves in five to ten years: In this category you still want to keep an eye on the return. Especially since it will be there long enough for the changes to appreciate in value. Making changes will put your home higher on buyers’ lists when you have a newly remodeled area that other homes in the area don’t. Also, the value starts to change definition. Ten years is a long time (unless you’re an oak). The extra square footage makes more sense, especially if you’re adding an extra bedroom or rec room. These types of projects not only significantly increase the value of your home, but also improve life every day. Having enough rooms for the kids, a place for mom and dad to stay or for the kids to come back makes your life easier and your home more valuable. Having a rec room big enough for your kids’ friends to always come over to YOUR house (where you can keep an eye on things), has a value far beyond economics. In this category, start to personalize things more, but really think twice before choosing to put a “Kings” logo on the dining room floor.

I will never move: this is a very different balance. Now you have to consider the daily enjoyment of what you do versus the money you will spend. Resale is irrelevant. Coffee aficionados will pay premium for a built-in cappuccino machine from Miele and love it every day. $3,000 in love? Well that’s for you to decide. Is there something that has always bothered you about your house since you moved? There is great psychic value in solving that problem. If you hate the lighting or the movement of a door or the location of the laundry room and it bothers you every day, it’s like having a rock in your shoe. Every step is a reminder, “I have to deal with it.” It robs you of enjoyment and peace. Choose the projects that will bring the greatest enjoyment at the most reasonable price. This is where you can focus on the style that gives you the most satisfaction, regardless of design rules. Just be sure to consider who you might be in 15-20 years and whether that “you” will want your money back!

I hope this helps, but more importantly, I hope it starts a conversation.