by Debra on Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Remodeling a ranch house seems to be common these days. People all across the country are taking these familiar houses and remaking them into something new and exciting. Some people are remodeling a ranch house for their own family to enjoy, others are renovating to sell the home and move to something else.
When you’re remodeling a ranch house with plans to sell it, it helps to know which areas of the home will bring you the most return on your investment (ROI). In nearly all cases, it is best to remodel the kitchen and bathrooms before heading to other rooms of the house.
If you can do some of the work yourself by providing “sweat equity,” you will save yourself a good deal of money. You will also be more familiar with what has actually been done in the home whereas you may not be sure if you use outside contractors. To be sure the plumbing and electrical systems remain working, it would be best if you left those elements of the remodel to the professionals.
Ranch Style Home Kitchen Remodel
You may not want to spend a fortune renovating a house just to turn around and sell it, but there are some things that you can do that can greatly increase your chances of interesting potential buyers. Starting in the Kitchen, here are some changes you can make:
- Update the counters. Ranch style homes of the 60s and 70s had Formica countertops which were state-of-the-art at the time. Now people would prefer something more durable than laminates. Look into replacing the countertops with soapstone, tile, stainless steel, or even concrete.
- Uncover the cabinets. It has been a common practice to paint over hardwood cabinetry. Strip the paint off the cabinets and it will give your kitchen an updated and desirable look.
- Replace sinks and faucets. Older sinks may have a certain charm to them but most people want sinks and faucets that are beautiful as well as functional.
Ranch Style Home Bathroom Remodel
Bathrooms are another area of the home that will give you back a good percentage of the money you spend in the renovation.
- Replace the tub. If you can afford it, replacing the bathtub with a spa or whirlpool will appeal to most potential buyers.
- Update the bath fixtures with something beautiful. Nickel and bronze are commonly used today in place of stainless steel and brass. Be aware that some of the bath fixtures can be quite expensive.
Don’t forget that one of the simplest ways of remodeling a ranch house is to paint each room, add new molding, and new flooring. Whether done in the kitchen or bathroom, remodeling a ranch house with plans to sell can be accomplished with the assurance that you will most likely recoup your expenses.
Home Staging: Creating Buyer-Friendly Rooms to Sell Your House
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photo credit: skvidal
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by Debra on Sunday, September 7, 2008
When first-time homeowners buy their home, they may have some ideas in mind for making the house their own. It’s common for new homeowners to paint or remodel. They often want ideas for remodeling 50s ranch bathrooms thinking they’ll be easy because of their size.
Don’t let the size of the room lull you into a false sense of security. Any renovation is daunting, and that includes making major changes to a bathroom.
Quite often 1950s ranch bathrooms are painted in an effort to tone down some of the outdated tiled walls and floors. A homeowner may decide to wallpaper instead of paint, but they may decide that these superficial changes just aren’t enough. They want to gut the bathroom and start new.
Before tearing everything out, look for other options to update the look without all the hard work. For instance, you can get kits that will allow you to paint the tiles – both on the floor and the walls. Follow the directions carefully. The finish will last a long time and will be much cheaper and quicker than removing the tiles and replacing them.
You can remove the tiles and find more up-to-date tiles instead. With all of the tile options available today, surely you can find something that you’ll like. You can choose from varying sized tiles in glass, stone, ceramic, and metal with several options in each medium.
Other ideas for remodeling 50s ranch bathrooms include changing out fixtures and adding accessories. Be prepared for sticker shock when you go to look at new fixtures for your bathroom. You can find some that aren’t terribly expensive, but the better quality and more stylish fixtures can cost a good deal.
Get the best quality fixtures your budget can afford. Not only do they offer the best styles, they offer the most variety in finish to match your décor. Some of the more expensive fixtures also have better warrantees on them.
Accessories can make a large change in the way a small bathroom looks. Change out the shower curtain to match your décor. Add a large mirror to give the illusion of the room being larger. Use a great throw rug to cover the floor, help keep your feet warm when you get out of the shower, and give the room some softness. Don’t forget about the possibility of new towels and curtains to match.
These ideas for remodeling 50s ranch bathrooms barely scratch the surface on the different ways you can update your bathroom without breaking your budget. Start with the easier and cheaper ideas first, and you’ll see how different your 50s ranch bathroom can look!
Bathroom Ideas that Work
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by Debra on Sunday, June 22, 2008
“Thirty years ago the ranch-style home was everything anybody could ever want–roomy, informal, and affordable. Today, value-conscious home buyers with an eye for remodeling are snapping up these humble, hardworking classics. Reasons? Ranch homes age well. Their straightforward construction means few, if any, structural problems. Plumbing, wiring, and mechanical systems are usually in good working order. The floor plans still work.“ Click Here to read more of this article on www.ehouseplans.com
The above article mentions several great projects that may help you update your 1950’s ranch style home, but I would like to focus on one of them and share my ideas:
photo credit: berbercarpet
Lighting is an important aspect in any home, but in a ranch home (that desperately needs updating) lighting can be the key in transforming the interior from dark and drab to bright and welcoming.
There are several things that you can do to add light in your home:
1. Windows – Adding windows, skylights, or changing the size of your current windows will be your best option to bring in more natural light, but will definitely wind up being a pretty penny.
2. Window Treatments – Stay away from dark curtains. Try to use sheer window treatments. The natural outdoor light will shine through making the room brighter.
3. Mirrors – Mirrors that are tastefully placed in a room can reflect light and color, making a room seem larger and more spacious.
4. Furniture & Accessories – Use lighter & brighter colors. Adding white bookshelves instead of dark wood or light colored furniture can brighten a room. Use bright pops of color in your area rugs and pillows. Dark carpet should be updated with either wood flooring or lighter colored carpeting.
5. Wall Paint Color – I am sure you know what I am going to say – LIGHT & BRIGHT COLORS!!!
If you have wood paneling, here is a step by step process on how to paint wood paneling.
If the room is extra dark, you can even use a semi-gloss paint which will help reflect light. If you are extra daring, you may want to try a decorative paint finish.
6. Artificial Lighting – You can’t have too much light, so don’t be afraid of overdoing it.
Track lighting or pot lights throughout a room can help cast light into every dark corner, drastically changing the look and feel of the space.
Try using “can” lights in dark corners, pendant lights in reading areas, lamps on end tables for conversation areas, and task lighting for office areas or workstations.
Another great idea is to add night lights or small lights behind your potted plants or even furniture, like the picture below.
photo credit: playhockeyeh
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