May is Home Remodeling Month

Home remodeling is a big area; it's not just kitchens and baths, but also smaller projects like new windows. Because this is such a broad topic, we are making May Home Remodeling Month at ServiceMagic. While we will have the latest trends, from outdoor kitchens to home theaters, we'll also have budget-conscious, environmental, and space-saving remodels.

What's So Great about Remodeling Anyway?
The truth is remodeling is tough work, whether you are doing the work or whether it is being done for you. Long hours, expenses, house under construction, change orders (don't even get me started about change orders). But the end product let's us live the way we want, have a home that looks better, and often the least talked about factor, have a home that is worth more.

So for those of you who want more space, better space, and to add value to your homes, this month is for you.

So What's New this Year?
Outdoor Kitchens: We were hoping last year that everyone would have an outdoor kitchen by now and that we could be onto other things, but early signs show that these are just as popular as ever. The kinks have been worked out, the prices have settled, and if you waited until this year, you are poised for a very good investment.

Bathroom Additions/Remodels: How many beds, how many baths? Everyone asks, and no matter how great the den, the kitchen, or the deck, a potential buyer's first thought is the hard numbers. Bathroom additions are great for basements, where plumbing most likely already exists. If there is no conceivable way to add more, make sure the bathrooms you have are elegant and spacious for the heads of household. (That's you.)

Kitchens: Can we really talk about Remodeling Month and skip kitchens? We all know how much time we spend in there, the daily traffic, and how all parties gravitate toward the kitchen. However, don't forget the rooms next to the kitchen. Remodel the kitchen, please. By all means. But don't have a blow away kitchen and then have a dining room right next to it with chartruse shag carpeting (you know who you are), or a living room with a completely different color palette. These rooms are connected. Your design should be, too.

The Environment, the Budget, & Small Spaces
The Environmental Remodel: These days, thinking Green not only makes sense, but it also saves money. Think composite materials. Whether you need a new roof, a new deck, siding, or even a fence, there are composite materials—made from recycled plastic and wood fibers—that are made to look like the real thing. They are not only made from recycled materials, but they also need to be replaced less often and require little to no maintenance. That's money in your pocket.
The Budget Remodel: Let's not kid ourselves, the average kitchen remodel cost $35,000 in 2006, so when we say budget, we don't mean $500. A good standby is a fresh coat of paint and new trim; whether inside or out (or both), this little gem always delivers, and always makes the same old house not look the same or old. If you've got a little more, think new furniture. People always forget that furniture makes the house, so think furniture first. If you like what you have, then attack the walls and trim.
Space Savers: Garages and Laundry Rooms. These are the two best places to give back some space. Sometimes the answer is as simple as adding a few cabinets. You might need a stackable washer/dryer in the laundry room or some overhead storage in the garage, but these are great places to stow seasonal clothes, hardly used accessories and toys, and just a place to put those things that are somehow always under your feet or on the counter.