<p>If you had $50, 000, what improvements would you make to your home, (it has to be the home you are currently living in)?</p>
<p>Enlarge the (only) bathroom. It’s currently outdated (1968, with zero updating) and is a whopping 170 square feet. I hate everything about it.</p>
<p><em>I</em> would replace the kitchen cabinets and go for granite countertops. Also add the planned but not built 3rd bathroom upstairs – all within the original envelope. </p>
<p>My husband wants to rip off the deck (damaged in the recent northeaster) and put on a 10x20 sunroom off the kitchen.</p>
<p>The house is only 14 years old – and was a real 90s house with all the bells and whistles of 3000sf colonials. It could use the updated kitchen, but anything like that is clearly a wish list and not a necessity.</p>
<p>Depends. If I were trying to increase the value of my house, I’d be ruled by this:
Best economic returns for house remodeling is always the kitchen or bathroom.</p>
<p>Sometimes if a house has too few bedrooms for the community desirable resales, then adding a bedroom is wiser.</p>
<p>Never a pool. That’s personal preference. and the next buyer might see it as a liability, not a joy. </p>
<p>But, hey, you asked about MY house? My house is perfect. I love it. So I’d spend a thou to repaint it fabulous colors (just did, helps address our empty nest blues); add a wall to the “dining room” so now there’s a mainfloor bedroom for our future decrepitude; and then put money into outdoor landscaping, which also pays back fine in the event of resale. Our lawn and grounds are plain lawn. Of course half the year it’s all under snow, so maybe “why bother…” </p>
<p>Some built-ins to house all kinds of collections and books; enlarge and redo our own closets with those built-in thingies so we can lose the dresser drawers in a garage sale (their origin, as I recall). </p>
<p>But I won’t b/c I don’t have that money. Still, what a NICE thing to think
about on Mothers Day!</p>
<p>First choice, update the kitchen (granite countertops, new flooring, new cabinets, all new appliances).</p>
<p>I would go to Europe 6 times. (And eat well there.) :)</p>
<p>Kitchen. All new, cabinets, counters, appliances, and floor. Does not have to be custom, I can be very happy with premade cabinets.</p>
<p>New carpet, new paint and replace outdoor decking with Trek decking.</p>
<p>New composite material deck to replace the pressure treated one. AND new countertops in the kitchen (either silestone or Corian). Then I’d take what was left (I don’t think either of those projects are that expensive) and expand my front porch.</p>
<p>Screen in the deck and finish the basement.</p>
<p>My sister thinks I need to re-do my kitchen - it’s white with Corian countertops - so last year! But I like it, and I’ve never (much to my sister’s dismay) been one to follow trends.</p>
<p>Build another garage and buy an old corvette to occupy it (but $50K might not cover it).</p>
<p>I don’t much want to improve my house–the boat sailed on that for me when the nest emptied. But if I had 50K I had to spend on the place, I’d put it into surviving another infrastructure collapse.</p>
<p>Artesian well, so that I’d always have water with or without power. Concrete one room cottage in the backyard strong enough to sustain high winds and the odd water oak falling on it. Composting or incinerating toilet, and solar power and backup multi-fuel generator for cottage. Don’t need a lot of power, just enough to run a ceiling fan and a small dorm fridge. Big closet for tools and rations.</p>
<p>Landscaping.</p>
<p>The Trek deck sounds good…and a deer fence.</p>
<p>$50,000 doesn’t buy much in this neck of the woods. Kitchen remodel barely. For home value I’d add a master bath if you are missing one and if you can find a place to squeeze it in. If not I’d go for the kitchen. </p>
<p>For me I’d like to do both. We have no master bath our kitchen also needs updating - unless you like mustard colored formica counters and 1980s cabinetry. My problem is that I’d really like to add another five feet or so to the kitchen and build an addition on to the second floor so there’s room for the master bath and laundry upstairs. Now we are talking big bucks!</p>
<p>Two years ago, we did a major remodeling of our home adding a new floor with master bedroom, walk-in closet and a huge bathroom (two new bathrooms and a new kitchen, new family room and den…all the house except the garage). I think I’m done with remodeling for a long time, but if I have the extra money, I’ll be traveling around the world until the last penny is gone.</p>
<p>We just finished a master bathroom remodel and absolutely love it. Currently I am putting in more hardwood flooring (doing it myself to save some $$). Some time next year, we plan to remodel the kitchen with granite countertops, refinished cabinets, new stove and new lighting. It never ends at our house.</p>
<p>I would get cherry cabinets, silestone countertops, stainless oven/frig./micro. I’m guessing that would run $30,000. And then spend the rest on new tubs, wall tile and sinks in kiddie and master baths.</p>
<p>I’d refurbish, not remodel – I’ve still got the same carpets that were here when I moved in 18 years ago! So pretty much every room in the house could use new flooring or carpet, paint or wallpaper; new fixtures & cabinets in the bathrooms & kitchen. An the exterior of the house needs paint too – plus a new garage door. </p>
<p>But all this is going to wait: I’ve got 3 more years of college to pay for! (I’m kind of counting the days…)</p>
<p>^^Ditto here calmom. The shoemaker’s children have no shoes. I only renovate when I want to sell. Otherwise, I can’t be bothered with the mess and the hassle.</p>