Certain things just go together – peanut butter and jelly, cereal and milk, toast and jelly, well you get the idea! Remodeling projects are much like this as well. Here are some projects that make complete sense to do at the same time:

1.Kitchen Remodels – Being one of the most popular projects done in any neighborhood, kitchens are not always just the cabinets and counters. You will most likely upgrade your appliances, your flooring, and the room lighting. You should also consider making the space more livable by opening up the floor plan. In addition, the electrical service in the room is probably inadequate for the many counter top appliances you own so think about adding more outlets. Many homes have kitchens that adjoin hallways or dining rooms so consider painting, minimally, those rooms to freshen up the entire space.

2.Bathrooms – If the old tub or shower unit is the main thing driving your bathroom project, you will more than likely end up replacing the toilet, vanity, counter, mirror, and lights as well. While you are in the room, consider updating that old tile with a fresh new look and adding more light with a new window or better fixtures. Lastly, have a new bath fan installed to properly manage moisture and avoid future mold problems.

3.Roofs – Roofs are one of those items that you just don’t get much satisfaction out of but it needs to be done when it is time. If you have a leak, however, it can be all that you think about night and day! While you are having those shingles replaces, consider having new seamless gutters installed. They will probably get damaged during the roof replacement anyway and in most cases they are looking pretty tired by the time the roof is ready for replacement.

4.Siding – If you are updating the siding on your home and you live in an older house, consider having better insulation installed to save on your heating and cooling costs. This can range from simply installed foam insulation to the outside of the home (which in our experience greatly reduces drafts in the home) to having blown in insulation put into the wall cavities. The beauty of having this done at this time is that it can all be done from the outside. Also, have your contractor check for signs of water or insect damage and address it while they are there. It will be a lot less expensive to do it now then to call another contractor back later.

5.Window Replacement – Windows are one of the major sources of energy leaks in a home. While the windows are out, have your contractor check to see if there is adequate insulation around the window jams. When we replace windows, we always insist on pulling the inside trim on at least 2 windows in various locations in the home to verify insulation. Without this crucial step, you will be gaining very little thermal efficiency from your beautiful new windows.

I am sure you can see that all of the above items really go hand in hand to create a well built finished project. Keep them in mind as you are planning your budget for your next home improvement endeavor.

John Markowski
Owner
Dream Builders & Remodeling
 

Published 7/29/2010