Angie’s List: Home Remodeling Tips

By Jim Donovan

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) This time of year many people are thinking of doing some remodeling. Updating things like your kitchen or bathroom can actually be a smart investment. But in this weeks Angies List, Jim Donovan shows you why you need to be smart when it comes to doing any upgrades.

Remodeling your kitchen or bathroom wont just make your home look nicer, it can be a great investment too.

But the key here is not overdoing it, but keeping up with the Joness. So if youre the only house in the neighborhood without granite countertops then it makes sense to add them, if youre not, skip out on that extra, said Angies List founder, Angie Hicks.

The best way to make sure your home improvement job goes smoothly, make a clear plan.

Plan ahead. Lay out your budget. Have ideas ahead of time and then communicate with your contractor regularly. That starts with the estimate, documenting in the contract, all the way through the entire project, said Hicks.

Any major renovation can end up being very expensive so be smart when it comes to arranging payments.

The one thing consumers should remember is that the payment schedule on a remodel job is a negotiable item. Be comfortable with how the payments are going to work. Typically what happens is payments are tied to certain hurdles. Make sure you hold back money at the end until you are completely, 100 percent satisfied before you make your final payment, said Hicks.

More from Angie:

Projects with a high return on investment: If youre going to invest in projects designed to improve your homes value, it makes sense to know what remodeling projects will give you the most return for your money.

More:
Angie’s List: Home Remodeling Tips