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REMODEL OR BUILD A NEW HOME?     Obviously, your current home situation no longer fits your needs, or you wouldn't be asking this question. Maybe you bought that "starter house" and now, with some new additions to your family, you need to expand. Perhaps your children have just gone off to college and the size of your home feels too big. Time to downsize, and possibly change some of those bedrooms into personal rooms of interest. Whatever the reason, you are now ready for a change!     Here are some things to consider:           REMODEL >     BUILD A NEW HOME >

REMODELING:     RESALE     Will I get a return on my investment? In regard to real-estate, every situation is unique and dependent on many market variables. How much do you have invested in your current home? What are the current sale prices in your neighborhood? How old is your neighborhood? Are there any other remodels in your neighborhood? As you can see, it’s a bit hard to answer this question without a detailed analysis of your current situation. However, there are other types of returns on investment that might, in the end, make a real-estate return on investment not so significant.           EXISTING LIFESTYLE     If you love the current style of your home, neighborhood and commute to work, school, social activities, and retail locations, then remodeling should be a strong consideration. You already have a quality of life investment and remodeling can only enhance it!           LENGTH OF STAY     Do you plan on being in your home 3 years or 20? of course, the longer you plan on being in your home, the more sense it makes to remodel. If you're going to be in one place for a while, you will want to make it perfect for your lifestyle and get a lot of enjoyment out of your investment.           MOVING     The cost to move should be a significant consideration in your decision to renovate over building new. Realtor fees and commissions, taxes, transfer fees, title insurance, and moving company costs are just a few of the "non-return on investment costs" that can add up quickly; often costing significantly more than a remodel or addition.

BUILD A NEW HOME:     LOCATION     Building a new home means you get to pick the perfect location for your lifestyle, social activities, and commute.           DESIGN     One of the benefits of building a new home is that you get to build a home perfect for your lifestyle and personal tastes.           ENERGY EFFICIENCY     Building new allows you to get a home with the latest advances in insulation and equipment efficiency. The savings can be quite significant.           SAFETY     Building new means your home is built with the most up to date code standards. Also, building is a science; with the help of modern research, new homes are constructed to provide environments free of mold, hazardous vapors and chemicals, allergens, etc...           MAINTENANCE     The maintenance on a new home is minimal when compared to an older home.

DO I REALLY NEED TO HIRE AN ARCHITECT/DESIGNER?     We strongly recommend working with a design professional. No matter how big or small, the design process is one the most important phases of a project. Design professionals are trained to listen and understand your needs; making sure those needs are represented clearly through your approved design and communicated properly to the construction trades. A well developed design plan implemented before construction can eliminate expensive changes during construction. The savings of eliminated change orders, can more than pay for the design fee of a design professional.

HOW CAN I BE SURE I'M GETTING THE BEST PRICE?     Unfortunately, there is no simple answer to this question. A common method of comparison is to compare pricing based on "price per sq. ft." This method is misleading as not all construction systems are created equal and varied finish levels from room to room can skew pricing. Additionally it's difficult to establish a baseline "market value" for remodeling and new homes because resale housing market values are irrelevant for new construction. The price of materials, labor, overhead, etc… does not fluctuate in correspondence with the resale housing market. Your best value will come from choosing a reputable builder who can offer exceptional service and, through well-thought-out design, enhance the value of your home. Not only in "resale value" but "quality of life" value. remember, your home was meant to be enjoyed by you! Be sure to compare "apples to apples" and ask a lot of questions. A builder should be able to produce specification sheets and detailed scopes of work. also, make sure the builder is knowledgeable about how materials should be properly applied and work together with other systems in the construction of the house.

HOW MUCH MONEY DO I NEED?     Here are several budgeting scenarios from which you can establish a reasonable budget for your renovation project.           KITCHENS > FINISHED BASEMENT > ADDITIONS > BATH MAKEOVERS >     If you do not see the project you are considering listed here, we can provide you with a complimentary price quote. call us today!

KITCHENS     FOR STARTERS - $10,000 to add granite to existing cabinets, sink, faucet and hardware. BASIC REMODEL - $15,000 to $20,000 for standard styles of new cabinets, granite countertops, sink and hardware for existing layout. UPGRADED REMODEL - $20,000 to $25,000 for the latest upgraded styles of new cabinets, granite countertops, sink and faucet for existing layout. COMPLETE MAKEOVER - $30,000 and up for a completely redesigned kitchen with new cabinets, granite countertops, sink, faucet and flooring.

FINISHED BASEMENTS     FOR STARTERS - $22,000 for approximately 500 to 600 sq. ft. of finished space. COMPLETE PACKAGE - $40,000 for approximately 900 to 1,000 sq. ft. of finished space including mini bar, powder room and a few rooms for whatever need you may have; be it an office, fitness room, play room, etc.

ADDITIONS     SUNROOM - $25,000 for 10' x 16' room with lots of windows, sliding glass door and tile flooring. MASTER SUITE- $45,000 and up for a 400 sq. ft. slab on grade wing with master bedroom, master bath suite and walk-in closet. 3RD-CAR GARAGE - $14,000 and up for a 12' x 22' bay added to your existing garage. DETACHED GARAGE - $20,000 and up for a 22' x 22' detached 2-car garage.

BATH MAKEOVERS     BATH - $10,000 to $15,000 for a 6' x 10' bath complete makeover including new drywall walls, flooring, vanity, sink, faucet, toilet, and tub/shower.

HOW CAN I GET FINANCING?     Here are a few typical financing options: NEW CONSTRUCTION REFINANCES PURCHASE MONEY MORTGAGES HOME EQUITY LINES OF CREDIT

HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE?     An addition such as a SUNROOM OR MORNING ROOM, From groundbreaking to completion, would take 6-12 weeks. (provided weather conditions are optimal) NEW HOME From groundbreaking to completion would take 4-5 months to complete. (provided weather conditions are optimal) FINISHED BASEMENT - Typically 8 to 10 weeks. KITCHEN REMODEL - Typically 4-8 weeks. BATHROOM REMODEL - 1-2 weeks.

HOW CAN I PREPARE?     ORGANIZE: ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS YOU CAN DO IS ORGANIZE IDEAS INTO FOUR CATEGORIES: GOALS, NEEDS, WANTS AND BUDGET. Goals - Having a set of clear goals is very helpful to your design professional and/or builder in providing you an accurate bid and appropriate design proposal. (i.e. - a new bedroom suite for my relative moving into my home) Needs - Identify items that are a must. (i.e. - the new bedroom suite must have a large closet and bathroom with a shower) Wants - Identify items that you want. (i.e. - it would be great if the new bedroom suite had a sitting room with a built-in window seat and shelving) Budget - Identify how much you are willing to spend for this project and share this with your design professional and/or builder. This allows the builder and design professional to offer you the full extent of their knowledge and expertise in developing a design solution appropriate for your project. Also, be sure to set aside a fixed amount for possible changes or unforeseen circumstances that may arise down the road. (i.e. - I have $70,000 to spend on this bedroom suite addition) CHOOSE YOUR INVOLVMENT: DECIDE IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE A HANDS ON HOMEOWNER OR HAVE YOUR DESIGN PROFESSIONAL HANDLE ALL THE DETAILS.