Home remodels: Upgrades done well can bring a return in your investment – Tulsa World

If the popularity of home improvement programming on television is any indication, home remodeling has become a sort of American pastime.

According to HomeAdvisors 2017 Cost Report, the average homeowner spent nearly 60 percent more on home projects over the past 12 months than in the previous 12 months. This includes an increase in national expenditures on home improvement projects, such as bath and kitchen remodels.

Peter Grant, owner of Grant Homes LLC and president of the Home Builders Association of Greater Tulsa, said homeowners are opting to make the most of their current living quarters through remodeling versus uprooting and rebuilding.

(Remodeling) is a smart way to maintain the value of your home and property, particularly if people love their neighborhood, Grant said. They want to stay where they are, and so the only way to do that and to have a 21st-century floor plan or design is to remodel the space they are in.

A substantial kitchen or master bath remodel can cost $30,000-$50,000 per national industry standards but can go much higher depending on budget, said Grant.

Right now, if the project is done well I mean, thats by a professional remodeler and not a do-it-yourself project that can translate right around 65-70 percent return on investment, he said. Then over time and appreciation, you can pick up close to the entire cost of it depending on how long you hold your property.

The latest remodeling trends focus on creating more openness through compartmentalizing storage and integrating appliances and electronics into cabinetry, said Grant.

The kitchen, arguably the most challenging space to strike a balance between openness and functionality, has utilized cabinet space to foster a more unenclosed environment.

Countertop and over-the-range microwaves are being eschewed for microwaves built into the lower cabinets of the kitchen. The placement not only makes it easier to reach down for a bowl but also frees up counter and wall space.

Sinks have also evolved from a double-basin to a single design for practicality.

If you think about the history of that, the reason we have two bowls in a kitchen sink is because we didnt have dishwashers 75 years ago, Grant said. So it was necessary to have two bowls for soaking and rinsing. The nice thing about a single-basin sink is that you set your pot or skillet directly down into it and it can hold a lot more now.

One of the hottest kitchen trends right now is the backsplash. Usually positioned over the stove, the wall serves as a blank canvas for homeowners to design to their liking.

Backsplashes have really taken off wildly, Grant said. They are kind of the icing on the cake where we can really make a kitchen pop. Were seeing a tremendous amount of variety of backsplashes being offered, and it really gives the kitchen a great look.

Bathrooms have also adapted to reflect the desire for more space and functionality.

People are spending more time in their bathrooms, Grant said. So the bathrooms are becoming more sophisticated. Were putting in a lot of water jet tubs and steam chambers inside of wildly adorned showers.

Benches, steam chambers and jets with seemingly endless capabilities have become popular among master bath remodels.

Were seeing the trend moving towards clear glass (walls), because that gives the sense of space instead of tile, said Grant. Instead of crawling into a kind of cave of tiled wall, you now have glass surrounding you. So it feels much larger and then you can appreciate the design from out the outside of the shower, too.

Storage has mimicked the efficiency of the kitchen with electrical outlets and receptacles for hairstyling tools built into drawers and cabinets to maximize storage space.

Sometimes women keep their blow dryer, curling iron and whatever else in the lower drawers of their vanity, Grant said. So we can put receptacles in there so theyre not unplugging and unwrapping every time they pull it out and use it.

Bathtubs also remain a staple of master bath remodels despite not being used as often on a daily basis.

In our lifestyles, we are in a lot more of a hurry to get ready for work and get ready for our lives, and showers are kind of the trend on that, said Grant. But its nice to have both.

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Home remodels: Upgrades done well can bring a return in your investment - Tulsa World