(BPT) - Spring is drawing nearer and, for homeowners, now is the time to shrug off the winter chill and think about home improvement plans. Building industry experts say that it’s an ideal time to carefully consider and prioritize your plans – both cosmetic and structural.
Understanding what is an essential home improvement and what is purely cosmetic is fundamental for those looking to make a smart investment in their homes. The foundation, for example, is a key investment area during a renovation project. Hiring an energy rater, inspector or appraiser to examine the home will give a better sense of the required work and avoid any subsequent costly headaches.
kA 4=2DDlQq@5Jr@AJQmx7 J@F’C6 E9:?<:?8 @7 8@:?8 8C66?[ D>2== 492?86D DF49 2D FD:?8 4@>A24E 7=F@C6D46?E =:89E 3F=3D 42? 4@?EC:3FE6 E@ C65F4:?8 J@FC 9@>6’D 42C3@? 7@@EAC:?E] u=F@C6D46?E =:89E 3F=3D EJA:42==J 92G6 2 =@?86C =:76 2?5 FD6 =6DD 6?6C8J E96C63J C65F4:?8 6I46DD:G6 6?6C8J H2DE6 2D H6== 2D >@?E9=J 6?6C8J 3:==D]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQq@5Jr@AJQmx?G6DE:?8 :? 6?6C8J\677:4:6?E 2AA=:2?46D :D 2?@E96C 67764E:G6 H2J E@ =:G6 8C66? 2?5 255 G2=F6 E@ J@FC 9@>6] |2?J >@56C? 2:C 4@?5:E:@?6CD FD6 b_ E@ d_ A6C46?E =6DD 6?6C8J E@ AC@5F46 E96 D2>6 2>@F?E @7 4@@= 2:C 2D 2:C 4@?5:E:@?6CD 7C@> E96 `hf_D[ 244@C5:?8 E@ E96 &]$] s6A2CE>6?E @7 t?6C8J] w@>6@H?6CD H:E9 2? @=5 46?EC2= 2:C DJDE6> 42? 4@?D:56C 92G:?8 2 ?6H[ >@C6 6?6C8J 677:4:6?E w'pr DJDE6> :?DE2==65] (9:=6 E96D6 >2J 4@>6 H:E9 2? 6IA6?D:G6 FA\7C@?E 4@DE[ E96 D2G:?8D @? 6?6C8J 3:==D @G6C E96 =@?8 E6C> H:== AC@G6 E@ 36 2 H:D6 :?G6DE>6?E] p55:E:@?2==J[ E96 :?4=FD:@? @7 @E96C 6?6C8J 677:4:6?E 2AA=:2?46D DF49 2D C67C:86C2E@CD[ H2D9:?8 >249:?6D 2?5 5CJ6CD H:== 4@?EC:3FE6 E@ =@H6C 6?6C8J 3:==D]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQq@5Jr@AJQmp?@E96C D:8?:7:42?E H2J E@ C65F46 6?6C8J 4@?DF>AE:@? :D E@ 256BF2E6=J D62= E96 9@>6 E@ DE@A 2:C =62<D 3J @AE:?8 7@C 2 D>2CE :?DF=2E:@? >2E6C:2=] x?DF=2E:@? 6IA6CED D2J E92E 9@>6@H?6CD D9@F=5 DFCG6J E96:C 9@FD6 7C@> E@A E@ 3@EE@>[ 2?5 2DD6DD 2?J EC@F3=6 DA@ED DF49 2D 5C27EJ 2C62D @C 4@=5 K@?6D H9:49 4@F=5 36 42FD65 3J 2:C =62<286] p:C =62<286 42? =:>:E E96 67764E:G6?6DD @7 962E:?8 DJDE6>D 2?5 =62G6 J@F H:E9 9:896C 6?6C8J 3:==D] p44@C5:?8 E@ k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^x?DF=2E:@?$>2CE]4@>Qmx?DF=2E:@?$>2CE]4@>k^2m[ 7=@@CD[ H2==D 2?5 46:=:?8D 42? 244@F?E 7@C FA E@ b` A6C46?E @7 2:C =62<286 :? 2 9@>6] $AC2J 7@2> :?DF=2E:@?[ H9:49 42? 96=A 4@>32E 2:C =62<286[ :D 8C@H:?8 :? A@AF=2C:EJ 2>@?8DE 9@>6@H?6CD D:?46 :E :D 2? 6?6C8J\677:4:6?E >2E6C:2= E92E 56=:G6CD J62C\C@F?5 36?67:ED] $AC2J 7@2> :?DF=2E:@?[ =:<6 E92E 2G2:=23=6 7C@> k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^HHH]:4J?6?6]4@>^Qmx4J?6?6k^2m[ H@C<D H6== :? 2== EJA6D @7 9@>6D 24C@DD E96 4@F?ECJ[ C682C5=6DD @7 4=:>2E6]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQq@5Jr@AJQm$AC2J 7@2> :?DF=2E:@? A6C7@C>D 7@C E96 =:76 @7 E96 AC@A6CEJ[ 6?DFC:?8 E92E 9@>6@H?6CD 6?;@J 4@>7@CE23=6 :?5@@C E6>A6C2EFC6D 2== J62C C@F?5 H:E9@FE @G6CCF??:?8 E96:C 962E:?8 2?5 4@@=:?8 6BF:A>6?E] x?DF=2E:@? 6IA6CED 7C@> x4J?6?6 ?@E6 E92E BF2=:EJ DAC2J 7@2> :?DF=2E:@? 42? ?@E:4623=J C65F46 962E:?8 2?5 4@@=:?8 4@DED[ :? D@>6 42D6D 3J FA E@ d_ A6C46?E] p55:E:@?2==J[ DAC2J 7@2> :?DF=2E:@? 96=AD >:?:>:K6 C2?5@> 2:C3@C?6 >@:DEFC6 2?5 A@==FE2?ED 7C@> 6?E6C:?8 E96 9@>6[ :562= 7@C 2==6C8J DF776C6CD] |@C6 :?7@C>2E:@? @? E96 67764E:G6?6DD @7 DAC2J 7@2> :?DF=2E:@? :D 2G2:=23=6 @?=:?6 2E k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^HHH]:4J?6?6]4@>^QmHHH]:4J?6?6]4@>k^2m]k^Am
kAm&A52E:?8 J@FC 9@>6 H:E9 4@DE\ 2?5 62CE9\4@?D4:@FD :>AC@G6>6?ED H:== AC@G:56 2 >F=E:EF56 @7 36?67:ED] }@E @?=J H:== J@FC 9@>6 36 >@C6 4@>7@CE23=6[ 3FE J@F’== 36 D2G:?8 >@?6J 2?5 5@:?8 C:89E 3J E96 6?G:C@?>6?E]k^Am
kAmk:>8 DC4lVk2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^HHH]3C2?5A@:?E4@?E6?E]4@>^AC:?ED:E6^x>286(C:E6C]2D9In2CE:4=6:5l`fcc`U2>Aj>6>36C:5lfac`fQm9EEAi^^HHH]3C2?5A@:?E4@?E6?E]4@>^AC:?ED:E6^x>286(C:E6C]2D9In2CE:4=6:5l`fcc`U2>Aj>6>36C:5lfac`fk^2mV 3@C56ClV_V H:5E9lV`V 96:89ElV`V ^mk^Am