Older Columbia SC home renovations can be a lot of fun, but also can be full of surprises. There are some things you should do in every case.
Where to Start Your Older Columbia SC Home Renovations
You should begin by having a licensed electrician give the place a thorough inspection. Most likely you have an undersized service panel with fuses instead of circuit breakers. Modern appliances, such as a microwave or a hair dryer, put more of a load on the wiring than it was designed for. You probably will have to part with several thousand dollars for a new 200-amp service, so factor this in to the cost of doing your Columbia SC home renovations.
That’s probably the most expensive thing you’ll have to do, unless you determine your older home needs a new roof. Otherwise, things get easier after the electrical overhaul.
One of the easiest, and least expensive things to do in tackling Columbia SC home renovations is the cosmetics. Painting with your colors makes the house fresh, clean and yours. Do one room at a time. If you’re not good with a paint brush, hire a professional. Otherwise, pick out your colors, put down your drop cloths, and start painting.
The rule is to work from top to bottom: ceiling first, walls next, finishing with door frames, window frames and baseboards.
The good thing about painting as part of your Columbia SC home renovations, this part can be done while you’re actually living in the home. Unlike major electrical wiring overhauls where the electrician will have the power off much of the time, you can paint one room at a time until you tackle the entire house, room by room.
For more tips on Columbia SC home renovations, scan our other articles on this site under Home Improvements. We have lots of tips and money saving tips for you there.
Columbia SC home improvements can be expensive, but doing it yourself could end up costing you even more, if you don’t know what you’re doing, or don’t have the proper tools.
Video on Columbia SC Home Improvements:
Are you trying to decide whether to make your Columbia SC home improvements yourself, or hire a professional? Post your project in our comments box and see what our other readers think you should do.
Columbia SC home remodeling can get out of hand if you don’t have a budget. Here are 5 ways you can save money on your Columbia SC home remodeling project.
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Columbia SC home renovations, in general, now exceed the dollar value of expenditures on newly constructed single family homes.
This trend is not only in Columbia SC, according to federal estimates, but it is having a profound effect on real estate markets all across the country.
Housing Scenarios
Maybe you can say you fit one of these scenarios.
- You’ve been reluctant to sell because you don’t think you can get what your house is worth…
- Buying a home seems out of reach because it’s so difficult to qualify for a mortgage…
- You’ve decided it may be smarter to improve the house you already own and just stay put for a while…
The National Association of Home Builders’ remodeling market index recently hit its highest level in five years, which only underscores this home remodeling trend.
Many Columbia SC home renovations companies are seeing a significant jump in interest in renovating, especially from owners who have been in their houses for years, have built up some savings and managed to get through the recession without falling behind on their mortgages.
Columbia SC Home Renovations No Longer About McMansions
Columbia SC home renovations are generally the projects where people are no longer thinking along the grand, McMansion show-off scale; they’re smaller, more modest, less costly efforts than five to seven years ago, with more emphasis on finishing details and quality than square footage.
Many of the Columbia SC home renovations being made are not ones where the owner worries about immediate paybacks from their improvements. Most owners understand that the boom-time expectations of 100 percent immediate returns on their investment are gone.
Most people are happy with modest returns, which is right in line with what’s happening overall in the Columbia SC real estate market: a slow, modest recovery, spurred by modest and realistic expectations about where we’re headed and how fast we’ll get there.
While Columbia SC home additions such as an outdoor deck or a garage can instantly add resale value to your home, other types of Columbia SC home additions are made simply to satisfy the current homeowner.
Columbia SC home additions that require construction may also require a permit. Permits are the way a state regulates construction practices within its jurisdiction.
The home upgrades and additions that may not require a permit are:
- Fences six or fewer feet high
- Platforms
- Decks 30 or fewer inches high
- Plumbing work
- Electrical work
- Upgrading or replacing fixtures
While the home upgrades listed above are fairly common, they’re not the most popular.
Here are three of the most popular Columbia SC home additions.
Jacuzzi
A Jacuzzi is one of the most popular Columbia SC home additions partly because of the high-powered water’s ability to rejuvenate, refresh, and relax the user. Jacuzzis assist (and in some cases speed up) the healing process of muscle aches, back pain, and other injuries. Other Jacuzzi use benefits include improving your flexibility, increasing muscle endurance, and soothing the stress of high blood pressure patients.
The water jets in a Jacuzzi also help alleviate fatigue by aiding the release of endorphins into the body while allowing harmful toxins to leave the body.
Jacuzzis vary in price from just under $1000 for basic units to over $14,000 for a top-of-the-line model.
Adding a Jacuzzi to your home can provide multiple health benefits for years to come!
Swimming Pool
You don’t need an Olympic-size swimming pool to make a splash in the world of home water sports. Swimming pools come in a wide range of styles from in-ground to indoor.
Starter swimming pools, such as the above-ground Intex Ultra Frame 16-foot set, can be obtained for around $650. Yet, more elaborate in-ground pools can cost tens of thousands of dollars.
Home Sauna
The heat produced in a sauna provides your skin with several benefits. As the temperature in a sauna rises, the heat causes your blood vessels to dilate. The increased blood flow helps your muscles relax.
As your heartbeat speeds up, you get a mild cardiovascular workout while sitting in the sauna. Also, the profuse sweating (caused by the heat) helps toxins exit from your body.
Introductory-level home saunas can be purchased for a little over $1000, a small investment for increased health benefits.
Columbia SC home additions can both personalize and add personality to your property. What popular home additions would you add to our list above? Leave a comment below.