Should I make any renovations or should I leave it the way it was when I bought the house?



Before

 

Primed



Painted and new floor

           When it comes to purchasing a home, you should look at what it could be. A house is full possibilities specific to each individual. You must decide though if the changes you want to make will benefit you in some way and the effect the changes will have on the value of the home. Once you decide what if any renovations you want to make, the next step is to decide if you are going to do the renovations yourself or call a professional.

After I purchased my home, I watched DIY Network and HGTV like nobody’s business. Sometimes they hired a contractor or sometimes they did it themselves, hence the name. I never thought twice about doing the renovations in my house myself, or with the help of friends and family.

You would be extremely lucky to find a house that was exactly what you wanted. Sometimes a change of color or a bigger space is needed or desired. I completely changed a room that had been added on to the house. What the initial owner had the room listed as was of no use to me. The house already has three bedrooms and it’s just me there. I would have no use for four bedrooms. So I changed the addition or fourth bedroom into a den. The color scheme I chose is personal and went along with my idea for the room. I am fairly certain if I were to sell or rent the house the colors would for sure need to be something more neutral. Below you will find what is suggested be done and why.

Renovations can increase the comfort level and practicality of a home (GR, 2011). Also, it increases the chances of being sold if you were planning to move. My research warns against anything too outrageous or dramatic as in trends, because it could very soon be outdated (GR, 2011). The most important rooms in a home are the kitchen and bathroom. Open space in a home is important (GR, 2011). Below are a few other simple things you can do to make your home more practical or appealing to a buyer.

Further research indicates that natural light is important and well worth the investment (Add, 2011). A skylight is one way to do this. Turning two rooms into one is another way of making practical use of space; a kitchen and dining area for example (Add, 2011). If you chose to hire a contractor, you may want to consider moving out of the home as the renovations can be loud and messy or if your electricity or water needs to be turned off (Add, 2011). All of these things should be thought of prior to making any arrangements for renovations (Add, 2011).

After being a home owner for two years now, I feel the information provided above give a prospective buyer a good idea of what to look at and how to look at a home. I wish I had done a little more research to know exactly how much work and effort goes into making even a tiny renovation to a home; instead of thinking it would all be so easy. I will say I am very lucky to have people in my life who know a thing or two when it comes to renovating houses. I would never have had the money to invest otherwise.

                References

Add value with renovations (2011, July). Add value with renovations. Press, The. Retrieved October 5^th, 2011 from the Newspaper Source Plus Database.

This article lists steps and thoughts you should have before making arrangements for contractors to come in and start any renovations and lists easy and small renovations to improve the comfort and practicality of your home.

References

GR. (2011, May). Renovation 19. Newcastle Herald, The (includes the Central Coast Herald). Retrieved October 5^th, 2011 from the Newspaper Source Plus Database.

This resource gives examples of renovations to increase the appeal of your home if you are planning to sell.