JANUARY 2007                  Make Remodeling Pay for Itself
In this Issue $AVE Money and Time Top 10 Remodeling Projects Finding the Right Contractor Tips for Managing Costs Quick Links My Handyman of Southern NH 4 Walls 1 Roof Home Builders of NH	Dear Tina,
	With today's stagnant real estate market, remodeling is a good alternative to moving. Got a great neighborhood, love your schools and just need a bigger kitchen or extra bedroom? Research can help you pick projects that pay for themselves ... and help you establish a realistic budget.   Your home should support your family's lifestyle. It's also a huge financial asset you want to protect and invest in. Big (expensive) projects should increase the value of your home and the little annoyances? fix them now and enjoy the results - it will reduce your stress when it's time to sell your home. This newsletter helps you identify projects with the greatest payback.  There's advice on the resources you need to take the next step with confidence.   Wishing you a wonderful 2007! Tina Gleisner, Your Handy Woman
$ave Money and Time
Like your annual physical or 3,000 mile tune-up, your home needs ongoing maintenance. Timely repairs can save you money, i.e. ignore a leak in the bathroom and the entire floor/subfloor may need to be replaced. Owners selling their homes scramble to fix the annoying problems they've lived with for years. By fixing the problems routinely, you avoid the stress they create and relax more. Click here and TELL US HOW OFTEN you would like to receive home maintenance reminders. My Handyman's new Preferred Customer Program can help you establish a regular maintenance schedule. You earn membership by completing one half day (4 hrs) job in the first quarter. Pay for 3 hours and get the 4th hour free, a 25% savings. We'll also waive the trip charge for you as a Preferred Customer, on all jobs that are 4 hours/longer ... through year end 2007!
Top 10 Remodeling Projects
You love your home but the kitchen size/layout isn't conducive to the parties you'd like to host. You've thought about putting an addition on or maybe just renovating your existing space but you're not sure what to do? Here's a quick overview of the 10 top remodeling projects from Remodeling Online's 2006 Cost vs. Value Report for New England. Vinyl Siding: should return 94.4% of $8,717 investment Upscale Foam Backed Vinyl Siding: should return 93.6% of $10,558 investment Wood Replacement Windows: should return 91.6% of $11,218 investment Vinyl Replacement Windows: should return 88.4% of $13,295 investment Upscale Fiber Cement Siding: should return 87.9% of $13,234 investment Upscale Vinyl Windows: should return 86.6% of $10,201 investment Minor Kitchen Remodel: should return 85.8% of $18,081 investment Bathroom Remodel: should return 84.6% of $13,248 investment Upscale Wood Replacement Windows: should return 82.4% of $17,054 investment Two-Story Addition: should return 81.2% of $106,767 investment Seven of the ten projects are exterior improvements indicating home owners are reducing home heating costs. The shift started in 2003 and exterior projects now make up 36% of the 25 projects evaluated vs. 20% in 2002.
Finding the Right Contractor
You've decided to remodel so your children don't have to change schools or make new friends. You feel any construction inconvenience will be less stressful than selling your home and moving. You've collected ideas for years and now have a budget.  Who do you call? Architect/Home Designers: are critical for large projects (size or cost). Architects insure structural requirements are met, home designers focus on function and layout while kitchen/bath designers help you match lifestyle needs to product features. Builder/Remodelers: leverage their trusted contractors, while managing the project and customer communications. Builders do heavy lifting from complete homes to major additions; Remodelers tackle smaller projects typically within your existing footprint. Specialty Contractors: are experts on one/more related products (roofing or windows/siding) based on partnerships with one/several manufacturers. Price and quality (materials & labor) are important and should be consistent with your current home's value. Don't spend too little (vinyl windows where the neighborhood is wood) or too much, i.e. put a $100,000 kitchen into a house worth $400,000. My Handyman: provides lower cost alternatives. The home owner can save money by demo'ing a room or buying materials. In the bathroom shown, My Handyman stripped the wallpaper, replaced all fixtures (home owner supplied), built a mirror to match the vanity (owners couldn't find one) and painted the room, all for $2,560 (plus materials and tile floor). Do It Yourself?: is great for those with the skills, tools and time to get it done. However, when you consider the cost of new tools, wasted materials and redo time ... the 3.5 day bathroom is likely to cost more and take 1-2 months (working on weekends).
Tips for Managing Costs
Good planning is the most effective tool for saving money. Prioritize your requirements and separate into required versus "nice to have, price permitting." While the web has incredible resources, I still prefer books and my favorites are the Idea Books from Taunton Press and the Creative Homeowner. Write up your budget: plan for 10 to 20% overrun Write up your design: get everyone working towards same goals Minimize moving pipes plumbing and/or heating Minimize structural changes: find creative solutions to keep costs down, i.e. columns when eliminating a wall A discretionary budget helps control costs - 2 to 3 items or 5 to 10% of total project cost.
Tina Gleisner, President My Handyman of Southern NH email: tina@myhandymannh.com