Sometimes remodeling can be a lame notion

Sun., Feb. 18, 2007

The Spokane Association of REALTORS®

Remodeling isn’t always a good idea. Sometimes it is like tossing money away. And, we certainly don’t want to make mistakes that we wish we hadn’t tried to accomplish. Actually, Holly Slaughter, a consumer-experience expert for RealEstate.com calls these mistakes the seven deadly sins in home improvement. Better to check out her view of the best and worst things to study before the big remodel job you may be thinking about.

•Overexpanding. Outdoing all the homes on the block is never a good idea because it makes the house more expensive than the others and therefore harder to sell.

•Making your home something it’s not. Changing the style or the architecture is usually a big mistake.

•Changing the purpose of a room. Keep kitchens as kitchens and baths as baths.

•Under budgeting. People routinely under budget 20 or 30 percent fewer dollars and underestimate even more in guessing the time the job will take.

•Doing the job yourself. Unless you have first-rate skills, hire somebody who does.

•If it’s not broke, don’t fix it. Buyers won’t necessarily pay for what makes a seller happy. Windows, kitchens and bathrooms are the home improvement winners, according to Remodeling Magazine.

•Neglecting regular upkeep. They may seem boring, but cleaning the gutters, keeping the house painted and trimming the shrubs are the most valuable home improvements.

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