Top 10 Reasons to Remodel in this Recession

Almost everyone I know has seen their home values fall. It is a total downer, I know. However, there is a silver lining to this economic downturn for some of you lucky folks. It's an ideal time to remodel your house. Now, read carefully here, this does not apply to everyone! If you're at grave risk of losing immediate household income or if you have no equity whatsoever in your home, please read no further.

If, however, you have been wanting to remodel for a while, plan on remaining in your home for the next ten years or longer, or want to be a more competitive seller in this buyer's market, now can be an excellent time to begin a remodeling project.

Here's why:

1. The best builders, contractors and trades have much greater scheduling availability right now, which gives you access to professionals you might not otherwise be able to get. As the New York Times put it, during the boom years, "Good contractors were as hard to get as celebrated doctors." Their knowledge and skill are unchanged. It's just that many have more down time at the moment.

2. Given the laws of supply and demand, the drop-off in work has driven down prices on some goods and services. This gives you the upper hand in negotiation. Consider, though, that the best folks are still going to cost more in labor than the less skilled ones. However, they very well may save you money - and aggravation - in the long run, as you won't have to hire someone else to fix amateur mistakes or a lawyer to bring them to heal.

3. Many of the weaker players are being weeded out by the economy before you ever meet them. The remaining pros are better project managers with stronger referrals. This will reduce your chances of running into the kind of con artist that's drawn to a boom and moves on during a bust.

4. New rules make it easier for senior homeowners to finance their projects through reverse mortgages. Contact one in your area to see how this can bring you a new kitchen, bath, addition, etc.

5. There are excellent, new products on the market that will help you save money on water and energy. By building them into your remodeling project, they could help pay for themselves, and make your home more appealing to future buyers. According to a recent study by McGraw Hill quoted by the Wall Street Journal, "One-third of home buyers say they are willing to pay a premium of $20,000 or more for a green home." (Helping the environment is a plus, too.)


6. On a related note, local laws in some areas and new federal incentives may offset costs for water- and energy-saving products you incorporate into your remodel. Please visit this excellent St. Petersburg Times article detailing the Stimulus Plan-based tax incentives. It's a must-not-miss, in my opinion.

7. If someone in your home has respiratory issues, changing to more indoor-air-quality-oriented products can improve their comfort and well-being. There are terrific products on the market now to assist you - and them - in that regard.

8. If an aging relative moves in with you, or you're looking at staying in your home into your senior years, upgrading your home with aging-in-place features can improve your safety and enhance your home's livability and resale value. (Less than 10 percent of American homes are built with aging in place features, while millions of Americans are getting ready to retire! You do the math!)

9. Unlike the house flippers we saw remodeling in recent years to keep up with the Joneses, those of you who have been in your home for a while really know its strengths and weaknesses. You also know what truly makes sense for your lifestyle. This will yield a more successful outcome on your project, more suited to how the home can best be improved for its residents and guests, not just better branded or trophy-filled.

10. If you're spending more time in the house these days, as many folks are, improving your home will provide some anti-recessionary joy. And who couldn't use that taste of sunshine these days?


Photo Note:

A recent kitchen remodel helped this Tampa home sell in less than 30 days last December, at asking price, in one of the nation's hardest-hit housing areas.


Coming Next on Gold Notes:

3/17 - Irish Design... In honor of St. Patrick's Day
3/25 - Storing and Displaying Collectibles... In honor of Elton John's birthday

TREND WATCH 2009: THE YEAR AHEAD

What does 2009 hold in store for American homeowners? What trends will we embrace? What products will we bring into our homes this year?

While I don’t have a crystal ball, I’ve been tracking my own projects and prospective clients and asking colleagues for their predictions. Here’s what I think we can look forward to in this intriguing new year…

I don’t think we’ll see the housing market rebound for a while, so most folks will be staying put. That being said, they’re going to continue being interested in improving their living spaces. Three or four years ago, that meant a lot of flash and keeping up with the Joneses. I think – no, I hope – that the consumption for its own sake trend has passed. While people still want luxurious touches and high performance appliances, they want them more for what the comforts, durability and specific features they add to their daily lives, rather than just for the brand appeal. What people are asking for now are:

Time savers – like storage organizers, low-maintenance countertops and multi-tasking appliances that add hours to one's day and simplicity to one's life will be increasingly in demand this year. Last year was tough for many Americans, and taught us what's truly important -- time spent with the people we love, giving back to the communities that nurture us and being grateful for what we have. Products that help us pull together and serve a quick neighborhood pot luck will sell faster than ones that need endless buffing.

CaesarStone quartz top in new 4330 Deep Gray... Skimpy maintenance, super style

Spaces that work for how people really live, not how a magazine says they should will influence how we remodel our homes and select or build new ones.

Kitchens will continue to be the home's gathering space, with more and more functionality, and exert even more pull over the spaces around them. Landing zones in or near the kitchen will continue to be created for cel phones, backpacks, briefcases, iPods, mail and all the other stuff we carry in and out.

Televisions will move into the kitchen more and more, as the family spends more time there and wants to keep up with the world. Televisions will also move into more master baths, as that space continues its evolution into true master retreats.

This CWP custom kitchen features space for homework and home work

Water and energy savings, and the accompanying utility bill reductions, will become factors in more and more remodeling (and building) projects. Some clients will be motivated by the financial rewards, others by the global considerations, many by both.

LED lighting will find its way into even more fixtures, from its current strengths in under-cabinet and recessed ceiling lighting, to contemporary pendants, sconces and chandeliers.

More code restrictions on water use will lead to more tankless water heater and dual flush toilet sales. Plumbing manufacturers will continue working on ways to couple the spa shower and tub experience they love marketing with the water savings our communities demand.

Dual flush toilets, like Kohler's new Persuade model, save water, without sacrificing style

Better, healthier materials, not just better-looking ones. Many clients remodeling today have already updated a bath or kitchen in the past five years and don't relish going through the process more than absolutely necessary. They plan on staying in their homes indefinitely, and are asking about products that will last a long time. Many also have health concerns about a family member with asthma or cancer, and want products in their home that won't create a hazardous indoor environment.

This contemporary Neil Kelly custom kitchen is friendly for your family's environment... And the planet's

More personalization and comfort at home will be important to more and more clients this year, as they seek to make their house a personal refuge from a harsh world. They'll build in materials and accents from travels they've enjoyed and mementos of people close to them. "Rooms to go" will give way to rooms to grow together in.

This Pottery Barn new for 2009 Marin sofa invites relaxation in five fabric grades and about 50 colors and patterns

Upgrades that allow them to age gracefully, safely and successfully in their own homes and communities. AARP reports that 90 percent of Americans want to stay put as they age, rather than relocate to an assisted living or nursing home facility. Clients in their 40s, 50s and 60s will be looking for ways to make their existing residences work for them into their 70s, 80s and beyond.

Companies like Moen, Kohler, Kraftmaid and others with mass market appeal are planning for this demographic with more stylish and accessible-oriented products. Look for this trend to continue in 2009 and accelerate in future years as the economy rebounds.

The slide-bar shower head, grab bar and bench from a bath I redesigned for a
50-something couple will take them comfortably into their senior years

I believe that people will continue to add style, functionality and comfort to their homes in 2009, and spend some of their happiest hours there.

Happy New Year.

AGING IN PLACE: LAUNDRY ROOMS GET EASIER... AND ACCESSIBLE

This is the the latest entry in my Aging in Place Series, designed to help homeowners with lower back or flexibility issues, or a household member in a wheelchair, remain independent and fully-functional at home. These suggestions will not only increase your laundry room's functionality, it can increase your home's value to a larger pool of buyers.

* Replace your standard washer and dryer with a front-loading pair on pedestals. (Shown here are GE Profile's SmartDispense set.) These make it much easier for someone with back issues or in a wheelchair to load and unload clothes at a more comfortable height. They also use less water and save electricity, which is helpful to every household.

* Replace a standard ironing board, which is awkward for someone in a wheelchair to handle, with one that folds down from a wall or out of a cabinet. Make sure there's enough room on one side of that board for the user to do the ironing, and a nearby outlet.

* Add a table for folding laundry at a comfortable 30-inch height. If space is tight, consider a fold-down table instead of a standard one.

* Add a rolling hamper with removable bags that can be wheeled to the washing machine for ease of loading. I find that divided hampers save the most time on laundry day, as clothes can be tossed into their respective "lights" and "darks" hampers as they're shed and avoid the time-consuming sorting chore.

* If there's a plumbing hook-up for a sink in the laundry room, look for a fixture that mounts to the wall or otherwise allows roll-under access. Kohler has a very stylish model called Harborview that blends style and function with accessibility.

* Choose a faucet with lever-style handles, rather than knobs. These are easier for someone with arthritis or Parkinson's to operate.

* Make sure there's sufficient light in the laundry room. A typical center-mounted fixture may not be enough. A track light or multiple recessed cans that focus beams directly on the task areas for folding, ironing, loading and unloading clothes will be helpful for someone with vision challenges.

* If you're planning on adding cabinetry for laundry room storage, consider base or tall cabinets with roll-out shelves. This will make it easier on your back or household member in a wheelchair to access laundry detergent, bleach, dryer sheets, etc. (Someone in a wheelchair is unlikely to be able to reach a cabinet above the washer and dryer, even with pull-down accessories.) If there's no space for such storage, consider one of the units that can sit between the washer and dryer for holding laundry essentials. Some appliance companies make them to match their washer-dryer sets. Less expensive versions are available from housewares and storage specialty retailers.

* If you have cabinetry in your laundry room already, change its knobs to pulls. They're easier to use for someone with less hand strength or flexibility.

* If someone with balance issues is using this laundry room, replace loose throw rugs or mats with non-slip versions.

Photo Note: The laundry room shown here is NOT fully accessible. Someone in a wheelchair would not be able to reach the cabinets above the washer and dryer, and would have a difficult time using the standard 36-inch high counter next to the washer and dryer for folding. (A 30-inch height works far better for the seated user.) However, the rolling laundry cart, cabinets immediately next to the washer and dryer, (especially if they're equipped with roll-out shelves), and pedestal-standing washer and dryer would be very helpful for the wheelchair user. Additionally, GE's SmartDispense sytem means pouring the laundry detergent down into the pedestal, which may be easier for some users, than pouring it up into a tray near the top of the washer, which is the typical detergent location.

If more modifications and updates are needed in your home or a local friend's or relative's, please let me know. In addition to being an NKBA-certified kitchen designer, I'm also a Certified Aging in Place Specialist. You can email me or call (813-810-0467).


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AGING IN PLACE: BATHROOM SAFETY WITH STYLE

Many adults are doing their best to help parents remain safely and independently in their own homes as they age. Others are moving parents into their houses, both for safety and economic reasons.

If you’re facing either of these issues, here are some ways to be proactive on safety in one of the most accident-intensive rooms in the house – the bathroom.

* Replace a standard toilet with a comfort-height version.
* Add grab bars in the shower, tub and toilet areas. (Moen Kingsley Oil-Rubbed Bronze shown here.)
* Replace knob-style faucets with lever-handled faucets.
* If your parent is in a wheelchair, replace a standard vanity with one specifically designed for this user’s needs.
* Replace counter tops in the bathroom with rounded-cornered versions that contrast sharply with the vanity color beneath it.
* Increase the bathroom’s lighting.
* Replace a pre-code shower valve with a non-scald version.
* Replace a wall-mounted shower head with one on a slide bar. If there are two shower users, and only one has a disability, it is ideal to add a second valve attached to a slide bar shower head for the seated user and keep the original one for the standing user.
* Add a bench to the shower stall.
* Replace a tub with a shower and make it curb-less if the user is wheelchair-bound.
* Check that the vent fan is working properly to help avoid mold hazards.
* Replace smooth, slick flooring with a less slippery textured tile. If this isn’t possible, have a slip-resistant treatment applied to the existing floor.

If your parent is under medical care, it is crucial to involve his or her medical team before making any living arrangement changes.

For more ideas on increasing your home's accessibility, please read my whole-house article published online at BobVila.com.