Home Preparation vs. Remodeling
When making upgrades to your home, there is a difference between small home improvements and taking on a home renovation project. A few things to consider can be finances, timeline, when could it be complete, or how complicated it may be. It can be important to establish a timeline, budget, and a wishlist of projects you hope to tackle!
What’s the difference between remodeling and home preparation?
Home Remodeling refers to upgrades that would most likely require a contractor or licensed professional. Home remodels will alter or restructure the way the home originally looked. These projects have longer timelines and require more money. Remodeling is typically good for new home buyers or homeowners that are looking to customize the house to meet their desires.
Home Preparation refers to cosmetic updates that can be made in a home to help get it ready to sell. These projects typically have a shorter timeline and require less money. Homeowners would be looking to complete home improvement projects to visually update the style or look of their home. This is a smart investment that will pay off at closing.
Materials, Products & Cost
Paint
When it comes to paint, there aren’t many areas of a home that cannot be painted. The question is what color do you choose and where do you stop?
The best areas to focus on painting are the Entryway, Kitchen, Living Room, and Main Bedroom.
“36% of sellers paint the interior before selling. Painting in light and/or neutral tones can help lighten up a space and change the overall look of a home” — 2018 Zillow Group Consumer Housing Trends Report.
Flooring
Hardwood Refinishing: Feature that can really increase value. Long lasting and classic.
Laminate Flooring: Fiberboard with laminate surface. Resilient and durable.
Tile Flooring: Ceramic and different design options by size, pattern and colors. Low maintenance.
LBP/LVT: Vinyl boards with a look of hardwood or tile.
Glue Down Vinyl: Comes in sheets. Less costly and can be prone to scratches.
Carpet: Available in either synthetic fibers, pure wool or a mix of both. Can soften a room, but needs replaced every 8-10 years.
Countertops
Installing new countertops tends to lean more towards a home renovation project than a home preparation task. However, there are some affordable options to consider.
Laminate: Particle board, resin, plastic and paper. Very affordable ($)
Quartz: Quartz + resin = Engineered stone. Easy to clean. Less expensive ($$)
Granite: Natural stone. Durable & distinct appearance. More costly ($$$)
Marble: Very desirable natural stone. Unique appearance. High cost ($$$$)
Handyman
Handyman Rates: Typically, a handyman or licensed professional will charge an hourly rate and the cost of materials. Rate depends on how skilled the contractor is, how many people will be working on the project at once, and the difficulty of the job.
Handyman: $60-$125/hr
Electrician: $50-$150/hr
Plumber: $45-$200/hr
Home Value → ROI
How does making any kind of home improvement factor into the increased value of the home?
“According to Today’s Homeowner’s ROI of Your Home Remodel report, remodeling projects boost your return on investment (ROI) by 69% on average.” – Architectural Digest