A lot of homes built before 1946 lack downstairs bathrooms. No one likes to trundle upstairs to use the powder room every single time. Solution: repurpose a closet. You can build a small, workable bathroom into a space as small as four-by-four feet or even three-by-five. You could also use a pantry or even an under-stairs cubby. You could even claim some space currently occupied by a hallway, back foyer or porch, though you’d need to build a new wall or two. Keep in mind that the closer the bathroom is to the existing plumbing, the cheaper the cost. You can do this for a reasonable price, and add far more than what you pay to your resale value. expired domains . Not to mention cutting out half a dozen trips up and down the stairs for your Aunt Hepzibah.
Older homes often have small, cramped master bedrooms. Your next-door neighbor loves to show off his enormous master suite, complete with walk-in closets big enough to camp out in and his dedicated bathroom with dual sinks, separate tub and shower, bidet, and Jacuzzi. There are some things you can do to expand your tiny master bedroom. Steal another bedroom by knocking out a wall and joining it to your present master. You can keep the same number of bedrooms – and keep your resale value – by converting your attic into a bedroom. Plan on spending a pretty penny on the conversion, but anticipate raising your resale value quite a bit more. You could also build a master suite over the garage, though this could be an expensive job.
Short on bedrooms? Convert the attic. This could be costly, especially if the majority of the attic provides less than seven feet of vertical space. You could end up literally raising the roof to accommodate a dormer or other add-on.
Homes built in the 1970s and earlier tend to have small, cramped kitchens. No one likes bumping into their spouse, or the family dog, when trying to fry eggs or grab a cold drink. Polls show that one of the biggest complaints homeowners have is their undersized kitchen. You could knock out a wall and absorb the dining room into the kitchen, perhaps giving yourself room for an island, peninsula, or breakfast bar as well as plenty of room for new cabinets and countertops. You can anticipate spending a chunk of your budget on a kitchen renovation, but this expenditure will provide a huge bounce in your resale value. You can even “bump out” the outer wall – in essence, build a small addition onto the house itself. That will add to the cost for a two-foot by ten-foot addition.
No “bonus room” or “man cave”? New buyers and present homeowners really feel the need for an entertainment space of some kind. The basement is an ideal place for a rec room or den renovation. Remember to keep your ceiling at least seven feet high, check into under beams, pipes and ductwork, and handle moisture and insulation issues. Like the kitchen, this reno won’t be cheap, but figure adding twice what you spend onto the house’s resale value.
In essence, every dollar you spend renovating your house will come back to you and more when you sell the house. And in the meantime, you and your family can enjoy a freshly renovated kitchen, rec room, bedroom, or downstairs bathroom.]]>
