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Posts Tagged ‘Heating Cooling’

Doing a home improvement project can be a very rewarding and enjoyable experience. Unfortunately it could also be wrought with headaches and problems, as many thousands of people would attest to.

Good project planning starts with evaluating all the “costs or changes” that may occur or could occur by doing a project. The items I am referring to can easily be overlooked by many, causing numerous problems down the line.

Therefore make sure you carefully consider the following items and how your new project could effect them.

You need to consider the following items before starting any project::
1. Cost of increased property taxes?
Any project that you are required to file a building permit for will usually result in increased property taxes. Check with your local building department or someone you know who has done a similar project to see what the effect on your property taxes will be.

2. Cost of additional homeowner’s insurance?
Various items that you add on to your home could increase your insurance premium.. Projects adding additional living space usually require additional insurance coverage. You may also want to check with your insurance company to see what type of coverage you’ll have on your new project.
3. Added cost of utilities (heating, cooling, electrical, septic, etc.)?
All to often people add a bathroom to their house but forget about the additional drainage into their septic system and they subsequently have a problem.
The heating and cooling systems may be undersized for the additional space you might want to add, which subsequently will lead to your home being under heated and/or under cooled.
Any project that requires electric will require adding to your existing circuit box. If you have a small electric service, such as a 60 or 100 amp service, you may need to upgrade to a 150 or 200 amp service.

4. Recouping investment?
Must people who do a project expect to recoup the cost of the project once they sell their home. This is sometimes not the case. Studies have shown that adding a pool or deck does little to add value to your home.
5. Is it more cost effective to move?
If you need more living area you may be better off to move rather than add-on. Finding a real “bargain” on another house in your area could be more cost effective than adding on.
You may also be able to get a “better deal” on a mortgage when you go to buy another home. If rates are lower than you are currently paying you would be able to borrow more at the same monthly payment. But don’t forget to take into account the closing fees and moving costs.
Usually moving from one area of the US, where houses are at a premium, to an area where they are not will almost certainly guarantee more bang for your buck

6. Emotional cost (stress)?
A difficult area to access. The stress level you experience depends largely on the project and the type of personality of the individual(s). For example, if you like your home nice and neat and are thinking of renovating a kitchen expect to feel a lot of stress. There are so many variables to consider so make sure you are aware of what to expect when your project is being built prior to the project starting.

7. Will you need to upgrade any mechanical system (plumbing, electrical, AC)?
A good architect or engineer should be able to calculate if your current systems are adequate or not.

8. Check zoning regulations to insure project is permitted and under what conditions?
Nothing is worse then building something you really love and then having to tear it down. Check with your local building department to make sure what you want to do is within the local ordinance and building codes.

9. Lead or asbestos removal?
If your home was built prior to 1978, then lead or asbestos could be an issue. Lead can be found in soil and other surfaces including paint. Asbestos can be found in a variety of areas including insulation, ceiling tiles and siding. If you have a home built prior to 1978, have it inspected for lead or asbestos. If you need to get lead or asbestos removed from your property, use a certified removal contractor.

10. How will this project affect access to and around my property?
The last thing you want to do is complete a project and then find out there is a problem because the location or materials are wrong. A perfect example would be putting in undersized doors. You don’t realize their undersized until you try to get something in or out of the house or area. Oops!

About the Author

Hank Jaworowski has been a Nationally Certified Remodeler (CR) through the National Association of The Remodeling Industry (NARI) since 1994. Mr. Jaworowski has been actively involved in the home improvement industry for nearly 30 years. He was the past president of Contemporary Home Remodeling Corp from 1978-2003. He retired from contracting in 2003 and founded The Home Improvement Success Club of America?. This nationwide club p