Angie's List: Home Remodeling

You may have considered spending this year's tax refund on a home improvement project. So, which projects would be money well spent, and which would not?

Your home is your biggest asset, so it's important to keep it in good shape and make improvements that you can enjoy right away that will increase your home's value.

Angie Hicks, Founder of Angie's List, gives some advice on where to start home remodeling, "If you are considering updating your house this year, consider remodeling the kitchen or the bathroom. Those two rooms get the best return on your investment- about 85 percent. But the key here is not overdoing it, but keeping up with the Jones's. So if you're the only house in the neighborhood without granite countertops then it makes sense to add them, if you're not - skip out on that extra."

Remodeling those rooms can get pricey. If you're on a limited budget, you may want to think outdoors.

Phil Gettum, Gettum Associates, Inc., explains the type of home remodels they have been doing lately, "We are doing a lot more screened porches. Outside decks, pergolas, outdoor living spaces which brings more space into the house, but it's not as expensive, so those tend to kind of fall under that scale as well."

Projects with the lowest return on investment include swimming pools, home offices, sun room, master suite and third bay on your garage.

Regardless of what projects you choose, planning is key.

Angie explains why it is important to plan ahead, "To make sure your remodeling project goes smoothly, the plan is plan, plan, plan and communicate, communicate, communicate. 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."

Other great remodeling projects that will add to your home's value and have a great return on investments are siding and new windows.

Content: We all think about ways to improve or update our homes, but many of us don't know how to get beyond that wish list stage or can't afford big budget items.

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Angie's List: Home Remodeling