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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by Debra on Saturday, November 1, 2008
Replacing ranch style house front doors can be tricky business, especially if you’d like to retain the look and feel of the original house. It’s not always easy to find ranch house front doors that are original. You may be able to find a new one that you like if you know where to look.
To find mid-century ranch doors, you may want to check out architectural elements at area flea markets, second-hand stores, salvage yards, and antiques stores. With people renovating older homes, more and more people are looking for architectural items to add to their homes. You may just luck out, but don’t count on it.
If you live near a door manufacturer, you may be able to commission them to create a door based on a design you like. This option may be very costly, however.
You may want to try your hand at making a door in the style you prefer, if you’re handy with woodworking equipment. Be sure to double check your measurements if you choose this option. Remember to measure twice and cut once.
Your best option, however, might be to do some research online. Go to your favorite search engine and type in “custom mid-century door” and you should come up with a number of links. You may find companies that already create custom mid-century doors that would be perfect for your ranch house front door.
One place to look at is Crestview Doors. Located in Austin, Texas, this company has spent a good amount of time researching the door styles of mid-century ranch houses. They use the designs of the past and combine them with the manufacturing materials and methods of today. When they’re finished, you have a great looking door that matches your home’s original style.
This site has the coolest tool! You take a picture of the front of your house… upload the picture… and then you can try different doors on your house to find the perfect solution! How cool is that? Here is the link to the tool: Ranch House Front Door Tool
Simpson is another manufacturer of custom-made doors. They have dealers all over the United States, so it may be easier to find one near you rather than having to send off to Texas to get a door. The cost may also be more reasonable since you won’t have as many shipping charges to contend with.
When replacing the front door to your home you may also want to keep in mind the décor inside the home. Obviously you won’t choose an Oriental style front door if the interior of your home is decorated in a classic or country style.
You may also consider how much privacy you want in regard to your door. Doors of the period had small inset glass windows. If you want more privacy, you may want to have a frosted glass rather than clear glass.
No matter which option you use to replace your ranch house front door, remember that the front door is the place to make a great first impression. You can create a personal statement by the design and color of the door you choose.
Installing and Hanging Doors (For Pros by Pros)
photo credit: berbercarpet
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by Debra on Thursday, October 16, 2008
With the economic downturn in the housing market, many homeowners are choosing to remodel or renovate their existing homes rather than moving to a new home. If your home is a brick ranch, ideas about remodeling may seem limited. Here are some places you may be able to find ideas on how to update or renovate your home.
Decide what you need to have more of so you know what changes you need to make to your home. Is your kitchen too small for the appliances you’ve always dreamed of? Has your family size increased and you need additional bedroom space? Have you started a home business and need an office?
Or do you merely want to make a break from the ordinary by creating something extraordinary in your home? It really doesn’t matter what your reason is for renovating your home, but knowing what that reason is ahead of time can make finding brick ranch ideas easier.
One of the best ways to begin compiling ideas for remodeling your brick ranch is to drive through your area. Take a look at the other homes in your neighborhood or within your city. Someone near you may have already added on or renovated in a way that you could see doing.
Another place to look for brick ranch ideas is by looking at architecture books and magazines at your local library. The library will have access to a myriad of sources and what they don’t have on their shelves; you can probably get through inter-library loan.
Check out your favorite search engine and look up the type of remodeling you’re thinking of doing. Make the decision of what you’d like to do to your home before you speak with a contractor or architect. They will be able to give you the best advice if the changes you want to make to your home are even feasible or not.
As risky as it may be, take a trip with your spouse to the home improvement stores near you. They will have trained staff that can help you weed through all of the information you’ve compiled and make final decision.
If your brick ranch is a raised ranch, you may want to take in your garage and make it into extra living space. You can then add another garage at the end of your existing home so you still have that prime parking space.
Extend your roofline to create a new porch for the front of your house. If the front appeals to you and you don’t want to change it, the back of the house is fair game for changes. This is usually the best location to make changes to your home especially if you can’t match your brick perfectly.
These are a few of the places you can go to get brick house ideas for renovations. Print out the ideas you like, talk to someone who is knowledgeable, and then seek out the help of a professional before jumping in on the changes. Most importantly, if there’s something you’d really like to do, unless it is structurally unsound, don’t let anyone keep you from creating the brick ranch house of your dreams.
Ranches: Design Ideas for Renovating, Remodeling, and Building New
photo credit: me-2007
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