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saving as well.
Percent of return
on investment: 72 percent.
Your curb appeal says a lot
about you. Good curb appeal
says you care about your home
and the neighborhood. Flub on
the curb-appeal factor and you
immediately lower the property
value of your home.
Replacing a worn entry door
with a new steel door is the least
expensive project in the report,
costing around $1,200 on average.
Percent of return on investment:
73 percent.
An attic bedroom is one of
the top 10 remodeling projects
despite being an expensive
interior remodeling job. It is,
however, the least expensive
way to add a bedroom and bath
to your existing footprint of
your home. Because the project
is between the rafters, you
can avoid many of the zoning
restrictions that may be attached
to a home addition.
Percent of
return on investment: 72 percent.
If your kitchen has seen better
days, but the layout and size are
good, a minor kitchen remodel
can do wonders.
Think twice before you replace
your kitchen cabinets. You can
get a low-cost facelift by leaving
the cabinet boxes in place and
adding new doors and drawer
fronts with updated hardware.
Painting existing cabinets is also
an option.
Laminate countertops used to
be a blast from the past, but they
have resurfaced as an affordable,
durable, and moisture-proof
replacement for kitchen
countertops. Even vinyl kitchen
flooring has come a long way in
appearance and longevity. Good
quality vinyl can last up to 20
years, making it one of the least
expensive options for kitchen
flooring.
Add EnergyStar-rated
refrigerator, range and
dishwasher and your kitchen
transformation is complete.
Percent of return on investment:
72 percent.
Garage doors account for up to
20 percent of your home’s façade
and can make or break a home’s
curb appeal if not chosen wisely.
Since garage doors vary in price
range, choose one that doesn’t
cost more than the value that it
will likely add to your house.
Before you buy, do your
homework and pick a door that
suits the style of your home. It
will be worth the effort.
Percent
of return on investment: 72
percent.
Before you plead honey-do-
list exhaustion, we have one
more project that deserves your
consideration.
It should come as no surprise
that adding a deck to your home
is one of the most worthwhile of
all home improvement projects.
The real plus is that it increases
the living area of your home at
a minimal cost per square foot.
And, if you thought a bigger
deck was better, think again.
The report states that a medium-
size (16 x 20 foot) deck made
of pressure-treated wood will
give you the greatest bang for
your buck.
Percent of return on
investment: 72 percent.
The 2011-12
Remodeling
Cost vs. Value Report
compares
construction costs with resale
values for midrange and upscale
remodeling projects. This is
the 14th consecutive year that
the report, which is produced
by
Remodeling
magazine, was
published with the cooperation
of the National Association of
Realtors®.
Real Estate
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