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Increasing the Value of Your Home Through Renovations

Selling your house is a big deal.  To most sellers it is important to get top dollar for selling their home especially after they have put money into it through updates and renovations.  The problem that most sellers run into is that they sink money into renovations that do not offer the type of return on investment that they think it will.   Some renovations are just aesthetic and really don’t get sellers a ROI however others are not only pretty to look at, they add functionality that didn’t previously exist.  In this installment we will discuss several projects that not only increase the functionality of your home but bring added value as well.

Siding Replacement – Manufactured Stone Veneer

Curb appeal, curb appeal, curb appeal… you will hear this over and over again when you are selling your home.  When you improve the appeal of your home upon first glance it naturally draws people in.  To create a high-end look to your home’s exterior consider replacing the siding on your front porch or the front of your house with manufactured stone veneer.  This offers the appeal of real stone without the weight.  Even updating a small area on the front of the home’s exterior can make a huge difference.  An industry average of this type of renovations shows that homeowners will receive about a 92% ROI.

Minor Kitchen Remodel

When buyers enter your home, they are looking at certain areas in particular to ensure that the home is suitable for their family’s needs.  The kitchen is one area within the home that gets more scrutinized then any other.  The kitchen space has become known as the heart of the home.  It is a central area to bring your family together to start or end their day.  Kitchen spaces can easily make or break the sale of a home.

When speaking with other real estate professionals we have found that even the most basic kitchen upgrades turn the impression of a seller’s kitchen from bland to exquisite. Consider new flooring, updated countertops, replacing cabinet doors and hardware, add a backsplash, replace outdated appliances, and/or replace the sink and faucets.  All of these will make a large impact on the homes space.  Kitchen remodeling, even just minor updates can net a solid 82% ROI.

Bathroom Renovations

Second to the kitchen a bathroom is another highly scrutinized area in the home when buyers are viewing a home.  Bathrooms are an essential piece of any home and therefore high on the list of considerations that can make or break the sale of a home.  Consider replacing flooring, updating fixtures and cabinetry, increasing storage, as well as updating lighting.  Bathrooms are smaller areas that renovations are more easily accomplished.  The normal return on investment for bathroom renovations is upwards of 71%.

There are a lot of things to consider while living in a home.  The return on your investments doesn’t always play a role until you go to put the home up for sale.  By taking time to evaluate your family’s needs, along with the ROI, before prioritizing renovations you will be able to maximize both your family’s comfort and profit you are adding to the (eventual) resale value of your home.

JFC Remodeling is a full-service licensed contractor out of Howell, Michigan.  Specializing in kitchen and bathroom renovations, flooring upgrades, and home remodeling services.  More information can be found online at https://jfcremodeling.com/.

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Trends in Kitchen Remodeling That Are Here to Stay

Just like avocado colored appliances the popularity of stainless steel will fade.  It’s true, most kitchen and bathroom remodeling trends eventually fade out of existence as quickly as they found their way in. There are however a few trends that will withstand the test of time in your kitchen and bath.

 

Kitchen Cleanliness

 

When it comes to cleanliness in the kitchen we are not talking about germs but instead the design of the space.  Kitchen design trends that stand the test of time work with clean lines.  Open shelving, cabinetry with glass doors or flat fronts, and overall simplicity is what keeps a kitchen from looking cluttered.  Kitchen designs should offer enough storage for unsightly, infrequently used appliances.  Counters should be clear of as much “stuff” as possible to promote this trend.

 

Neutral Color

 

Neutral kitchen spaces are something that never gets old.  What gets old is brightly painted cabinetry and colored appliances.  To create a kitchen that doesn’t show its age it is important to keep the colors simple.  White and black appliances are always in style and are easy to enhance as trends cycle in and out.

 

Dark Cabinetry

 

If you have ever had white cabinets or any light-colored cabinetry you will understand that it is difficult to keep them clean.  Unless you have hours on end to spend cleaning your kitchen it is best to stick with the ever-stylish look of dark cabinetry.  The use of exotic dark woods is another option that we find never seem to become outdated.

 

Appliances That Blend

 

It is important, especially in open kitchens that the appliances used blend into the entire space.  A home that flows from room to room never ages.  The more “hidden” appliances are, the more likely they will blend right in as another piece of furniture within the space.  No longer are large scaled ranges and huge steel refrigerators necessary.  Instead opt for long lasting pieces that conceal themselves within the design.

 

Ageless Designs

 

Once upon a time there was this fascination with moving from one home to another.  People didn’t want to live in the same home for more than five to seven years.   Today however, homeowners are looking into ways to keep their homes ageless.  They want to live in the same space forever, more commonly known as ageless design, universal design, or age in place renovations.   This means making sure your kitchen design is universal.  Layered lighting, counters of multiple heights, drawers that pull out, and kitchen cabinets hardware that is easily opened are all design options that will withstand the test of time.

 

JFC Remodeling is a full-service licensed contractor out of Howell, Michigan.  Specializing in kitchen and bathroom renovations, flooring upgrades, and home remodeling services.  More information can be found online at https://jfcremodeling.com/.

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5 Questions You Want to Ask Your Kitchen Contractor Before Your Kitchen Renovation

When it comes to renovations the kitchen is a complex home improvement projects you can get involved in.  As a homeowner you must make all decisions throughout the renovation project.  The kitchen has changed from a place of simple food preparation to an open area, multi-functional space that is the soul of your home.

No matter what size, the kitchen is a big part of every modern household.  Kitchen design contractors consider several elements including the size of the space, the desired style, trends, and the best use of space when preparing for each unique kitchen renovation.  This installment will help offer you suggestions on the working with your contractor on planning for your new kitchen.  Your contractor will go over elements such as appliances, cabinetry, surfaces, and finishes as well as material to use and extras that you desire.

Soon your dream kitchen visions will become a reality.  Before you sign on the dotted line and hire a contractor there are a few questions to ask that will help you make sure you know exactly what you are getting yourself into.  These questions will help ensure you stay within your given budget, your home is secured while contractors are working on the home and that you get your kitchen put back together in a timely manner.

  1. How will you itemize your bid breakdown?

Tell the contractor to itemize the bid by breaking down the bid into stages, this will give you a better understanding of what you are been charged. Some contractors will supply you with an overall quote, but that’s not the best way to go if you want to make sure your contractor isn’t overcharging.

  1. What are the extra costs outside the original quote?

Before your final deal signed with the contractor, make sure he or she isn’t going to add on extra fees without asking you first. This you make clear to him/her during the process of deal negotiations, that you will not bear or accommodate addition fees which are outside the real deal. Some contractors charge for things such as demolition, junk removal, painting, and other tasks. In some cases, you may be able to handle these things yourself to avoid extra charges.

  1. Who are the members of your team that will be working on the renovation?

Security of your home matters, and it is foremost in a situation like this. Depending on the size of the contracting company, there might be few or many workers deployed to your home on daily basis during the period of the renovation, if you have children, pets or other valuable, it’s important that you get to know your contracting team before allowing them to enter your home. Once hired, you want to secure a plan with the team to make sure they’re properly locking doors, securing pets and keeping materials out of harm’s way.

  1. What is the time frame on our kitchen remodeling?

Naturally, the duration of the project should be well spelled out; this will enable you to have proper time planning during the project execution having known the start and end date. It’s only natural to want a detailed timeline of your cabinet installation. Time contractors take in your home is time spent away from your kitchen, and it can be hard to spend several weeks eating out. You may even consider setting parameters for your contractor and asking for discounts and other incentives if work isn’t completed in the time frame you’ve agreed upon, and this will also propel the contractor to work hard to enable him to meet the time frame.

  1. Can you provide references? Do you offer a warranty on your work?

You might meet contractors that will play down on you with the pretense of giving you the best of renovation job, as such you need more assurance that you are dealing with the right contractor, and you do this by looking for contractors that will guarantee their work with written warranties. If they don’t offer one at the outset, make sure you request one to protect your kitchen from sub-par workmanship or low-quality materials.

Also, if the potential contractor wasn’t recommended to you by someone you trust, or even if they were, it’s perfectly acceptable to do a little reference work yourself. If your contractor is happy to supply references, give past clients a call and gauge their overall feelings on the completed work he has done for them before now.

JFC Remodeling is a full-service licensed contractor out of Howell, Michigan.  Specializing in kitchen and bathroom renovations, flooring upgrades, and home remodeling services.  More information can be found online at https://jfcremodeling.com/.

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Dark or Light Cabinetry in Kitchen- Which Is Better

You have finally decided that it is time for those kitchen renovations you have been thinking about for so long and now you are faced with the 101 important decisions that goes into every kitchen remodeling task. One of the most important decisions is in regard to kitchen cabinetry since they take up a great deal of space in your kitchen and are the first things most people notice when entering the room.

 

Along with the style of your kitchen cabinets you also must decide whether to go with dark or light cabinetry. The decision to have either light or dark cabinets will depend on many things including your own personal preference and even the reason for your kitchen renovations. Here is a look at the benefits and drawbacks of both light and dark cabinetry.

 

Light Cabinets

Choosing light cabinetry can make a small kitchen look larger and if they are the same color as the walls and back splash they can also make your kitchen appear more spacious. In addition, light cabinets especially those that are white gives your kitchen a more sanitary feel. In addition, light cabinetry is suitable for any wall and counter top color.

However, you do keep in mind that light cabinets show dirt far more easily than dark cabinets so may not be a good choice for families with small children. Light cabinets also show wear and tear more such as cracks more easily dark cabinets.

 

However, if your kitchen remodeling is being done in order for you to sell your home for a higher price the recommendation is that light cabinets may help the overall price of your home more than dark cabinetry.

 

Dark Cabinetry

Dark cabinetry on the other hand can work well in larger kitchens especially against a light-colored background such as your walls and back splash as well as a kitchen with good lighting. Dark cabinets add a warmth and richness to your kitchen you don’t get with light cabinets. They also can look quite sophisticated depending on the style of cabinets you choose. For example, dark gray kitchen cabinets can look stunning against light walls and light marbled counter tops.

 

Dark cabinets are less likely to show dirt so may work better if you have small children in the house. They are also less likely to show wear and tear such as cracks.

 

Other Considerations

There are other considerations that go into choosing light or dark cabinetry when doing a kitchen remodeling. One of the most important considerations is your own taste and the style of the rest of your home. If all of the furniture throughout your home is dark, then light cabinets may look out of the place with the rest of your home. The reverse also is true, dark cabinets may look out of place in a home that is mostly light neutral colors.

As you can see when it comes to light or dark cabinets one is not clearly better than other it just depends on your own personal style and taste and the reason for your kitchen renovation project.

 

JFC Remodeling, out of Howell, Michigan, offers a variety of construction services for the home including: kitchen and bath remodeling, flooring renovations, and home remodeling.  You can find out more information at http://www.jfcremodeling.com or by reaching out to our home renovation specialists at 810.923.1123.

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Questions You Need to Ask Before A Bathroom Remodel

Any renovation around your home, inside or out, should be strategically planned.  Once you are done with a remodel there is no turning back, you can’t change it once it’s complete.  Home improvements, once completed, are yours to enjoy (or hate) for years to come.  We encourage clients to meet with our licensed contractor and designer to discuss their project in detail to discuss the renovation.  Once you have expressed your interests to our contractors and designers they can help to create a space that you will thoroughly enjoy.  Before you commit it is important to take some time to mull over the design to ensure it is going to be perfect.

Here are a few questions to consider as you plan your bathroom remodel:

  • Should your bathroom be practical and useful or lush and lavish?

This is the first thing our licensed contractor and designer will want to know when you meet with them to discuss design options.  A bathroom isn’t a space that most clients plan on spending hours on end in however, they want a space that is simple, attractive, and functional.  However, some homeowners are remodeling their bathroom to create a space that they can retreat away from the stresses that are found in everyday situations.

  • Are you looking to create a larger space or are you planning on utilizing the existing space?

Most often the bathrooms of your home are some of the smallest spaces within the home as they weren’t necessarily the priority that bathrooms, kitchens, closets, and such were given in new construction.   It is vital when planning and budgeting to decide if you need a larger space or are fine within the space you have.  It will be important for our designers to look at the architecture of your home, along with the floor plan to determine if the space can be expanded or if they will need to create a design based the space provided.

  • Would you like a shower, a bathtub, or a combination?

Lounging in a bathtub has become something many homeowners have given up.  Maybe they don’t have the time or desire.  Whatever the case may be, leaving out a tub can make room in the budget for extras elsewhere, like a shower with multiple shower heads. If you do decide you would like the combination of a bathtub and shower our designers will plan a space accordingly to ensure your comfort and maximize relaxation.

  • How much storage will you need?

The storage within a small space such as a bathroom is of utmost importance.  The amount of storage that you need will depend on what you choose to store in the space.  Are you storing just the basics like toiletries and towels or do you need to have room to keep other daily use necessities such as a hair dryer, makeup, and such.

JFC Remodeling, out of Howell, Michigan, offers a variety of construction services for the home including: kitchen and bath remodeling, flooring renovations, and home remodeling.  You can find out more information at http://www.jfcremodeling.com or by reaching out to our home renovation specialists at 810.923.1123.