Home Improvement 2015: Focus on Value and Energy Savings

In home improvement, even the smallest mishaps can be costly. This year, save more by spending a little smarter. Here are some tips and tricks we’ve learned over the years as your expert remodelers and roofers in NJ.

Remodeling: Go for Basic, not Fancy

When you talk home improvement, you can’t really do away with room remodeling projects. Kitchens and bathrooms, in particular, are always part of the conversation.

According to Remodeling magazine’s “2015 Cost Vs. Value Report,” a midrange bathroom remodel can recoup up to 70% of your investment. A minor kitchen remodel, meanwhile, returns 79.3% of your investment.

The keywords here are “midrange” and “minor.” Simpler remodels beat out higher-end upgrades by a whole lot. According to Money Crashers, it’s okay to want to update your kitchen or bathroom. Just don’t make them fancier than the rest of the house or the neighborhood. If you do, you actually lower your house’s value and the chances of it being sold.

Curb Appeal: The Outside Matters

Unfortunately for our houses, we can’t say that what’s inside matters most. Doors, windows, siding, and roofing are the first things to be judged by a passerby or a potential buyer. For that alone, they account for a big chunk of your house’s overall value.

Take a look at these return on investment (ROI) figures from this year’s “Cost Vs. Value Report”:

• entry door replacement: fiberglass, 72%; steel, 101.8%
• roof replacement: 71.6%
• siding replacement: vinyl, 80.7%; fiber-cement, 84.3%
• window replacement: vinyl, 72.9%; wood, 78.8%

The good news? A house’s exterior is fairly easy to update. Even small upgrades can make a significant difference. These are the kind of smart projects you shouldn’t mind investing in.

Savings: All about Insulation

We’ve met far too many homeowners who put off home improvement because they’re hesitant to shell out money. The thing is, the right projects will more than make up for the money you put into them initially. If you want to save more down the line, focus on making more parts of your home energy-efficient.

Improving insulation can be as easy as getting rid of your old, drafty windows and doors. Install high-quality replacement units in their place. Choose products that are made from sturdy and thermally superior materials, such as wood and vinyl. Their terrific insulating properties keep heat transfer to a minimum. This way, you stay warm during winter and cool during summer without overworking your HVAC systems.

Less work for your air-conditioning or furnace means less strain on your monthly budget. Doors and windows that help you cut down bills? Now those are smart purchases indeed!

Tip: Even the most energy-efficient units will underperform if not installed properly. For the best results and maximum savings, invest in glitch-free installation performed by a pro.

Here at Up and Above Contractors, we team up with Harvey Building Products to provide clients with high-quality windows and doors for their homes. As professional roofers in Randolph NJ, we’ve been awarded GAF’s President’s Club Award for two consecutive years in recognition of our achievements in roofing.

We do interior remodeling too. We will work with you from the design stage up to the day we work on your home.

Give us a call at (973) 300-0636 today for a free in-home consultation and estimate of our services.