Nine Things You Should Not Do When You Remodel

Building and remodeling choices are largely a matter of personal taste.  Whether you are building a new home or remodeling an existing home the goal is primarily one of making the home more comfortable and practical for your family.  But at least somewhere in the back of our minds is at least some consideration of how our decisions affect the resale value of the house.

To help you avoid some common pitfalls that can negatively affect the value of your Connecticut home, here are ten tips to keep in mind when you start thinking about remodeling.

1. Never improve a home beyond everything else in the neighborhood.  This might be wonderful for someone who is deeply entrenched in the community and wants to stay put at all costs. But prospective buyers do not have this commitment to the community and generally will not be willing to pay an excessive amount for a house that has been over-improved.  You might have the biggest and the best house, but why would someone pay more to live an a neighborhood that can’t compare?

2. Be very careful about trendy paint colors.  Ordinarily, you will be better off with neutral colors when you put your house on the market.  Some buyers will like bright colors, others will like pastels, and others will like darker colors.  These trends change very quickly, and you cannot discount the importance of personal taste.

3. Don’t install windows without moldings.  This might have been popular a few years ago, but when selling a home, it is important that it look finished.  Moldings add character to rooms and frame the view through windows.

4. Don’t use concrete block for exterior walls. This has been unpopular for many years. It is interpreted as economy building and offers an undesirable exterior appearance. If you have concrete block walls, a good home improvement project would be covering them with something more attractive (inside and outside).

5. Upscale bathrooms with spa features are very desirable, so don’t settle for a basic master bathroom. You don’t have to let this get completely out of hand and try to create a bathroom that offers everything. But you should have a spa tub or shower and some of the luxury amenities, at least in the master bathroom.

6. Don’t choose a bowl-type bathroom sink that sits on top of a counter.  These are being regarded as passé and impractical. The fad is over, so don’t leave your bathroom outdated.

7. Don’t install spiral staircases.  Experience has shown that these are dangerous and difficult for children and older people.  As the majority of the population ages, these space-saving designs will become increasingly unpopular.

8. Replace the hardwood laminate and bamboo floor covering.  Bamboo tends to warp and scratch and hardwood laminate stains easily, changes color, and doesn’t stand up to repeated sanding.  If you are looking for something environmentally friendly, it might be worth a look at cork floor covering.

9. Concrete Countertops have had their day.  Concrete was briefly popular for kitchen and bathroom countertops. It could be shaped and colored; it looked clean and modern; but it doesn’t hold up as well as promised, and the fad is done.

Although you will want to watch the latest trends and listen to your realtor’s advice about what is and is not selling well in your locality, these tips can help you avoid some costly remodeling mistakes.