ProCraft's Remodeling Blog

Are formal dining rooms becoming the dinosaurs of design? In this new age of really, really small carbon footprints, gaga for green, and thrifty badges of honor, do the dust collecting monuments to fine dining make sense anymore? Let’s face it, the formal dining room in most “normal” highly dysfunctional, activity driven, modern homes is used about as often as the garage attic space. Sure, the occasional holiday might bring a rare family sit down (assuming no football games are playing), or maybe the darn thing gets used for the 5000 piece Niagara Falls puzzle that also collects dust in relative obscurity. For the most part, it sits empty between visits from the vacuum and feather duster.

Here’s a thought that may go against tradition, may taint some fond family memories of the good old days. Just get rid of it. We’ll say it again. Make the dining room go away. How? “Mr. Grubby-chef, tear down this wall” to quote a famous president. Tear down the wall between the kitchen and the dining
room (OK, let’s just assume they are connected, otherwise, put the hammers away, we’ll need to talk further).

By taking this seemingly extreme action, you could create an amazing eat-in kitchen. A kitchen big enough for the holidays, big enough for the family to hang out, big enough to entertain and actually talk with your friends while the meal is being prepared. Loosing the “formal” space and creating everyday family space is actually very appealing to many homeowners and also to many home buyers (i.e. – it could provide a decent return on investment).

Good kitchen designers can do wonders with the extra space and good therapists can get you over the loss of the perceived necessity of formality. The combination of the two spaces may eliminate the need for a room addition to enlarge the kitchen, and may eliminate the need for the wasteful excess of stuffy, formal dining room furniture. Both of which help make your footprints like baby steps and your green-ness much greener.

So, when you are considering a kitchen remodel, make sure you take a look at the dining room. Ask yourself the hard question “who am I impressing with this?” If you are the only one who answers, I guess you have your answer. Get out the hammer and make it happen (of course, under professional guidance).

Remodeling always starts with a visit to the home. Here the existing conditions of the space are assessed. Often, that involves one or more bathrooms. And as any experienced estimator or designer will tell you, the inevitable encounter with someone’s dirty underwear is bound to happen. There they are, hanging out in the corner of the bathroom, calling for attention like a lighthouse on a foggy night.

You can’t miss them, even if you try. They’re the elephant in a very small room. The homeowner forgot to remove their undies before your visit. So there they be, so obvious, yet ignored. You carefully plan your footwork around the bathroom like they were a tango partner with a contagious disease. Even worse is snaking your tape measure past the nasty obstacle without too much of a bend or your measurements will be way, way off.

And this all could have been avoided. The good news is, it can be, in the future. You see, it’s one thing if the remodeling estimator sees the under garment. It’s quite another if your mother-in-law does. So, when you plan the remodel of the bath, think laundry chute.

Laundry chutes were once a very popular feature in many homes. You’ve seen them before – the hole in the wall where one could drop their bloomers out of sight. Ideally, those very same bloomers would magically end up smack dab in the middle of the laundry room, waiting for refreshment. But, for reasons unknown, the practice of providing a convenient path to the land of laundry went away. Probably due to penny pinching on the part of builders.

Laundry chutes were great, however. In one easy, fluid motion, you could effortlessly make all your dirty clothes disappear. Or your G.I. Joe or Buzz Lightyear action figure. What sort of kid wouldn’t love dropping toys down the hatch and running to the basement to retrieve them? Sheer hours of entertainment.

But more important was the transfer of dirty laundry to the one place on earth where they were meant to be. You didn’t need a laundry basket in the bedroom; the laundry chute did all the work. Plus, no lugging that thing down two flights of stairs (no easy task). The only challenge was getting the clean clothes back up the stairs (or as many folks do, just get dressed in the basement each day).

The point of all this is straightforward. If a bathroom remodel is in the works, consider a laundry chute. Often, they can be incorporated into a design without too much trouble. And the time to add one is when the bathroom is gutted. You’ve got the most options at that point.

Perhaps the chutes can be hidden behind the bathroom door (you never see them unless the door is closed and you’re in the bathroom)? Or, depending on the cabinetry in the bath, the chute might be incorporated into a cabinet (it’s really hidden then). Maybe the chute ends up in a hallway or linen closet – all possible options too. Now, this all assumes the laundry room is below the laundry chute. If the laundry is on the second floor, don’t waste another second reading this article. Just stop and go fishing or gardening or crocheting.

But, if your situation fits, laundry chutes can be your best friend. So, ask your project designer to consider this option.  The first time you have all your laundry waiting for you in the basement will be the time you smile and say “yeah, I’m glad I did that!”

Plus, you’ll never be trapped in the bathroom with the Fruit-Of-The-Loom elephant.  And what’s that worth? Give the folks at ProCraft a call at 847-265-9900 or visit their website at www.PcContracting.com.

You’ve got a brand new kitchen or bathroom, and boy, it looks beautiful. One exciting feature is the elegant tile floor. So beautiful, so durable, and so easy to maintain. Fast forward six months. Kitchen or bath still looks great, but the tile floor has some noticeable cracks. Cracks that are ruining the overall impression of your beautiful space.

How can that happen in such a short period of time? The answer may surprise you.

A floor is meant to be walked on. It’s meant to have furniture and appliances and sometimes really big dogs on it. So, it needs to be tough. The biggest issue with floors that fail (and cracking is failing) is movement. Something moved under that tile. Tile is not flexible, so when things move, it tends to just crack. So, what moved?

Typically, it’s the sub-floor. The sub-floor is the plywood that covers the floor joists. The sub-floor can move if the joists themselves are not still enough (they bend), or if the sub-floor material is not thick enough. Let’s talk about the floor joists first.

Many houses were built on a very tight budget. One way to save is to buy smaller lumber. Use a 2×8 instead of a 2×10 because it is cheaper. The 2×8 may work per code requirements, but maybe the distance it is spanning is at the outer limits of the code. Put a bunch of stuff on the floor above, and the 2×8′s give a little. This doesn’t mean the floor is about to cave in, but it does mean the floor might “bounce” or give just a bit. And even a very little bit is enough to do damage.

Or the sub-floor material just isn’t thick enough. If the flooring isn’t thick enough, it won’t distribute the weight of all the stuff on it very well. This tends to create the dreaded “bounce”, the bane of all tile installations. So, how much is enough? The tile institute suggests 1.25″ of sub-floor below your tile. This is typically accomplished by installing a .5″ cement board over .75″ of plywood sub-floor. Do this and the floor will remain pretty darn solid.

Another trick is to make sure both the sub-floor (the plywood sub-floor run over the floor joists) and the underlayment (the cement board installed below the tile) are well secured to the framing below, and to each other. It needs to be glued and screwed. You don’t want anything moving.

If the proper amount of support is given a tile floor, it can last forever. Especially when you consider many of today’s’ flooring options include porcelain, which is a very tough, durable, and wear resistant material. The only issue it will have is movement. Eliminate that, and you have a floor that will last a very long, long time.

This sub-floor issue can sometimes be a problem when you are tiling around existing cabinets. Here, the height of the floor can be a concern, especially when dealing with appliance clearances, like refrigerators and dishwashers that may be sensitive to the height of the floor. The tendency would be to put as little underlayment as possible, keeping the floor height as low as possible. Just remember, if you don’t have that 1.25″ of material below your tile, you could be asking for trouble. Might be a good idea to consider a different type of material, like linoleum or laminate flooring (not my favorite in a bath or kitchen, but it has been done).

So, there you have it. Keep the floor from moving and your tile floor will last a lifetime. And that’s a really long time.

It used to be that it was mostly mom who spent so much time in the kitchen. But today that just isn’t the case anymore. Homes are wired for entertainment in almost every room – and the kitchen is no exception. Families are simply spending more time there, and the lighting is getting way more attention than ever before.

“Lighting in the kitchen plays many roles”, says Mark Horvath, president of ProCraft Contracting in Grayslake, Illinois. “Of course, it provides general lighting for the room. But, specific task oriented lighting is critical. And don’t forget accent lighting to set the mood” he adds. Mark has a few tips based on his years of remodeling experience.

First of all, there’s plenty of options that don’t require huge investments and walls and ceilings being ripped apart. Many local hardware suppliers carry inexpensive, yet very attractive lighting fixtures. Sometimes simply changing the light fixture can make a big difference. It’s very easy to do, and whether you use ProCraft Contracting, your local electrician, or for those homeowners that feel up to the task, can be done quickly.

For single light kitchens where you don’t want to tear up the ceiling, consider using a track light. There are many new and cool designs that will allow you to place both the track and the fixtures where you need them – creating interesting and effective task lighting.

For mood, nothing beats pendant lights. These fixtures add interest and with an unlimited number of options for both fixture and shade, the look can be quite unique. Use these over bar counters, tables, islands and the like.

Once the fixtures are determined, getting the right bulbs is important to. Is it for general lighting, spot task lighting, or mood lighting? Bulbs will be different depending on the application. What are the pros and cons of halogen vs. florescent vs. incandescent (while you can still get them)? Think about the bulbs and don’t consider them a mere afterthought. A little research here will go a long way.

Lighting in a kitchen doesn’t have to mean just light fixtures. Natural light is also a great feature for any kitchen. But what if your kitchen just doesn’t have much? Couple of options to consider – One is to think about enlarging an existing window or perhaps adding a window. Obviously, this is dependent on the layout and design of the kitchen and where it is located within the house. Another way to go might be a skylight or light tubes. Skylights are great, but do take more framing and drywall work. Light tubes (like Solatubes or Solar tubes) are smaller and easier to install, but work great too.

Yes, today’s modern kitchens demand versatile lighting because there’s so much that happens there. Eating, studying, writing checks, reading, playing cards, chatting … almost anything. The lighting makes a big difference.

If you are thinking about a minor facelift or a major renovation to your kitchen, the lighting should play a key role. The experts at ProCraft Contracting are happy to discuss your project with you and help determine what would be best for your particular situation.

When you think about it, too much choice isn’t always a great thing. In fact, it can be downright paralyzing. It can stop a project in its tracks. Or it can such doubt that a dream remodel never sees the light of day.

But wait a minute. You thought endless product choices was a good thing.

Don’t get me wrong. Having options can be wonderful. But there is a point of diminishing returns. A point where you just don’t need to consider 137 different faucets for the kitchen remodel. You don’t need 900 knob selections to finish the bathroom remodel.  31 flavors seems like plenty to choose from for our waffle cone, even thought there are probably thousands of actual ice cream options out there. It might be another story if you were offered vanilla or chocolate and that’s it. So, clearly, there is a happy medium.

The choices you will have for a remodeling project, be it a bathroom, basement, kitchen, room addition, or whatever, will be somewhat dictated by your overall project budget. Typically, the tighter the budget, the fewer options that will be available. And that isn’t always a bad thing. Most selection paralysis occurs with large budgets where options are plentiful. Why? Because of the mere fact that so many options exist. What if you choose wrong? What if something is better or cooler or more unique? Better wait and check them all out. Yes, that is what happens, in a nut shell.

So, how do you make many options work in your favor? By following a few guidelines, the product selections for your project can follow a simple, fun, and frustration free path. Here’s some ideas to make that happen…

• Know what you like. Do this by searching on-line, in magazines, design books, friend’s homes. Having an idea on color or style will take a big chunk out of the options possibilities. And this will help you narrow the field and get closer to what you really want.
• Set a budget and stick to it. If you want to spend $150 on a bathroom faucet, stop looking at ones that cost $500. Sure, they are really neat, but it isn’t what you want. Blow your budget here, and you won’t be happy in the long run. So only look at stuff that is close to your budget range. Forget the rest. Another big slice of options is gone.
• Decide and put your foot down. This means, make up your damn mind and don’t be wishy-washy. If you select the shower head you think you will like, live with it. Don’t change your mind 12 times because you just aren’t sure. Usually your first impulse is the one you will be most happy with in the long run.
• Work with the team. If the contractor is providing you a designer or selection specialist, work with them, listen to what they have to say, and let them help guide you to the perfect selection. It is a nice feature when this is offered by a remodeling contractor. So take advantage of it. It will make the process easier, faster, and a whole lot more fun.

Those are a few quick tips to make your product selection process go as smoothly as possible. One last thing – most fixtures can be changed down the road. So don’t have a total panic attack over your selections. If it really turns out to be the worst faucet selection  made this century, you can always replace it down the road without impacting your overall remodel on bit. So just remain calm, it will be OK. Until next time, remember, it’s in the details!

Finished basements are really nice to have. Every parent has dreamed of a sound proof “play room” where the kids could be safely sequestered behind padlocked door until dinner time. A place where little Johnny and his sister Amy can rip each others hair out and the screams, shouts, and incessant crying won’t interrupt a moment of “Days of Our Lives” unfolding upstairs. Yes, basements can be a wonderful feature of any home.

 Of course, if you practiced tough love, Johnny and Amy could be rolling around in the dirt and dampness of an old farm cellar, locked away with the spiders, centipedes and that big, creepy furnace. Who would care? Get dirty kids, eat a few bugs, dinner in an hour.

But unlike the days of old, parenting doesn’t involve such drastic measures anymore. No, today it’s fluffy, plushy, cozy and dry. It’s painted murals of dancing vegetables on the walls and decent lighting for young eyes. It’s high tech games and gadgets with more computing power than were used to put men on the moon. It’s air hockey and Guitar Hero and movies on the big screen. If kids only knew what the old days were like!

So, what if you’re not the cool parents with the killer basement? I know, it’s tough to have a sleep-over on cold concrete. Amy and here friends just aren’t going to go for that. Instead, they’ll truck it on down to Sally’s house – her Mom’s so cool and they have a popcorn machine downstairs too! Wow, how does that make you feel. Like a parental loser, I bet. Damn Sally’s mom anyway. But, you can do something about it. Finish that wonderful space below your feet and become a hero to Amy. But, before you run in search of a coping saw and miter square, consider these three key basement design principles:

First, don’t finish the whole damn thing. You need to think in terms of finished space vs. unfinished space. Finishing every square inch of the lower level isn’t a great idea. Why? How about this – where are you going to store all your crap? Sure it sounds harsh, but you’ve got a ton of stuff that won’t look pretty stacked in the corner of the new theater room. Plus, do you really want your sons pals thumbing through your old yearbooks. The same yearbooks your stupid high school friends thought would be hilarious filling with nasty drawings. You get the point. Save space for storage.

Next, keep the design simple and clean. That means don’t wrap the walls and soffits around every obstruction like a latex glove. You don’t want to see box-outs and bump-outs and walls or soffits that change direction every two feet. You don’t see that upstairs, do you? A smart, well designed plan will work around structural obstacles and hide them without looking like they’re being hidden. That might mean you lose a few inches behind a wall or have an overhead soffit a bit wider than in needs to be, but the end result is worth a little lost space. Plus, the fewer corners, the less chance Johnny has to run into one while high on sugar.

Last, let there be light. The more, the better. Nothing gives a basement a bad name more than darkness. Most basements don’t have the advantage of natural light (the rat trapping window wells don’t really count). You’ve got to make up for that with a well designed lighting plan. A typical recessed lighting fixture with a flood bulb at about eight feet up will cast a circle of light on the floor of about eight feet. You need enough of them to cover the room with adequate “circles of light”. Hence “the plan”. With light, comes the need for control, as in dimmers. Sometimes, a dimly lit lower level is just what Bilbo and Frodo need to make the magic of the ring come to life. Well controlled illumination in just the right places. Now the party can begin.

That’s it for basements. But wait, I’ve been thinking. If little Johnny and Amy spent too much time locked in a dark, dank, bug infested cellar, they would probably grow up with some serious psychological issues. So maybe, despite the obvious attractiveness of the idea, you shouldn’t go there. Finish it fluffy. Besides, how could you ever face Sally’s Mom at a PTA meeting if you didn’t?

Mark Lewis,   ProCraft Contracting, Inc.

Can a failure to remodel actually cause psychological damage? Can it affect unborn children or lead to early senility? Can it alter our view of the world and of ourselves? Yes, deep questions. The type of questions that lead us to ponder the very origins of the universe. Questions that lead us on a journey, a journey feeble minds should not take, to a place where the very essence of unanswerable questions doth live – who came first, the chicken or the egg? But I stray from point at hand. Simply put, does that space in your home, that space you know should have been retired years ago, cause you harm?

Although I am pretty sure there haven’t been any Harvard studies on the subject, I think a case can be made. Let’s set the stage. Imagine you have a bath with a pink tub, blue wall tile, and a painted white vanity that has a missing door. Or it could be your kitchen with Formica counter tops that are delaminating and dark oak cabinets seen only in 1982 issues of Better Homes and Gardens. For both our sakes, let’s pray you are just imagining this. Now close your eyes (or for the unfortunate, open them) and picture yourself standing in one of these places.

On the most basic level, just being amongst these relics of bad design and by-gone misplaced taste creates a certain level of stress. Maybe you feel stress because your in-laws are visiting next week and they will brand you a loser. Or you feel stress because you promised your wife the kitchen would be done… six years ago. Or, it might just be that unidentified gnawing feeling in your gut that tells you there must be something better. Regardless of the source, stress can kill. And if it doesn’t kill, it can certainly cause bad diarrhea, or worse yet, gastro esophageal reflux disease. Ugly spaces cause stress – a fact, plain and simple. Stress is something you don’t need.

Take it up a notch. Those same ugly spaces play havoc with your self esteem. A stove and refrigerator placed side by side or a shower stall so small you’d be better off bathing in the kitchen sink are not merely billboards of bad design. They are assassins of self esteem, eating away at the very core of your self worth. In my humble opinion, ugly spaces might as well be radioactive – for they surely cause long term damage to your mental health. You wouldn’t keep nuclear waste in your silverware drawer, would you? Then why would you live with that gross bathroom?

Of course, we’re talking figuratively, not specifically about any particular room in your home. It could be a neighbor or a family member or a close friend’s bungalow. Regardless of where the injustice is taking place, you can now count yourself among the informed. Yes, you my friend are now up to speed on this little known, yet dangerous threat to the health of all Americans (and you thought french fries were bad). So, the next time you feel a little high strung, look around. It could be the ghost of 1982.

Mark Lewis

ProCraft Contracting, Inc.

I’m all for having a close relationship with my significant other. We spend a lot of time together. In fact, we’re together from morning till night. But, even thought we share almost everything, there are a few things we don’t. Toothbrushes come to mind. Underwear might be another. Oh, socks too – keep out of my sock drawer. We never share a sink or a toilet either. We are very fortunate to have more than one of each in our house, so I guess we have never faced a crisis requiring simultaneous use of one of those fixtures.

It seemed that sometime in the late 1960’s, or the 70’s, or for sure in the 80’s, builders decided to make vanities the length of football fields and throw in two sink bowls. Who birthed the idea of a bath vanity becoming the place where couples could spend quality time together? Or the idea that “modern” couples will have schedules so synchronized, that without two sink bowls, they would be spitting toothpaste on each other? What about those poor, lonely folks that don’t have a significant other? What was the second bowl to be used for in those cases? Maybe to plant a fern?

Well, the idea of the double sink hasn’t died in the twenty-first century. No, homeowners getting ready to remodel the bathroom cling to their two sinks like soap scum to tile. Why is this? Perhaps there is a fear of being caught with a mouthful of Listerine and nowhere to spit? Or the rationalization that everyone wants two sinks, and if I take one out, my house will be worthless? If that were the case, couldn’t a stronger argument be made for side by side toilets? I can personally say that racing for an available toilet has happened way more times than any conflicts over sink availability. And believe me, that’s a game of musical chairs you don’t want to play.

So, if we decide to risk it all and go with only one vanity bowl – what the heck do we do with all that spare room the missing bowl creates? Well, I’m not suggesting we shrink the vanity size. The storage is valuable, and the floor space a smaller vanity would open probably isn’t going to do much for you. Keep the vanity the same size. Center the vanity sink cabinet and flank it with drawer bases on either side (if you have a double bowl vanity now, you probably have the opposite – two vanity sink bases and a center drawer base or worse, one of those stupid make-up table areas). This will look great and be very functional. Plus, you now have his and her drawer bases – way cool.

But, on top is where things can really get interesting. With only one sink in the middle, consider adding two countertop hutches, one on each side. Her stuff, his stuff – don’t touch, don’t look. Throw a couple of outlets inside each hutch and you can plug in all those devices required to maintain beauty, never seeing a cord again (just make sure they are GFI protected). Add a light rail across the top and a couple of mini cans above, solid mirror on the back wall, and “whammo” – you’ve got a killer bath setup that offers a ton of storage space and guarantees relationship bliss.

You can make it on just one bowl. People have done it and lived long, happy lives. Consider it. If you really need two, I’d recommend the side by side toilets instead.

Mark Lewis

ProCraft Contracting, Inc.

Americans spent over 43 billion dollars on their pets in 2008. I know, I thought the same thing – damn, that’s a lot of dog biscuits! I hate to admit it, but is seems like my wife and I spent about 10% of that number just on our two dogs. What you have to understand, it’s not just dog biscuits. Consider special, gluten free dog food, 55 gallon drums of gourmet dog treats, fluffy, cozy beds, countless chew toys, trips to the beauty parlor, visits to the vet, doggie day-care, first class boarding complete with sheep skin “sleepy time” mats,  permits to the dog park, new fashionable collars, dog gates to keep them in or keep them out, more fluffy beds for the office, training, even more delicious treats, really long leashes ‘cause they don’t like really short leashes, Christmas presents (yes, wrapped), birthday presents, replacements for tore up fluffy beds (separation issues),  little sweaters, doggie booties – OK, you get the idea. And you understand how 43 billion can come and go pretty quick.

Believe it or not, pets have a say in remodeling too. And why shouldn’t they? Not only are they a part of many families, they occupy our time also. So, when it comes to remodeling, including Fido or Felix friendly features make a lot of sense. There are many possibilities to consider when you are thinking about a remodel. Consider these more popular options when planning a kitchen or bath remodel: canine friendly toilets, eliminating the need for Sparky’s unsightly water dish; mini feline cabinet steps which allow much easier access to counter tops for Fluffy; or the crowd pleasing kitchen island avian perch, assuring 47 year old Polly is never far from a cracker (we don’t recommend the feline steps and avian perch be installed in the same kitchen, for obvious reasons).

Now, if any of those pet friendly upgrades interest you, perhaps you need a therapist. Of course, we have never installed any of them. But, there are some options that you may want to consider, if a pet is part of your family. Access to the out-of-doors is always important, so maybe a doggie door makes sense. Thinking of pet food storage could be a consideration in a pantry, laundry room, or even the kitchen. For big dogs that like mud, we have created wash areas in a laundry or mud room, consisting of a shower base, tile walls, and a hand held sprayer. We’ve built a cat room in a basement, complete with shelves for litter boxes and ventilation to the exterior. Or we’ve built aquariums into walls that are way more awesome than any plasma television. Flooring is another consideration – big dogs have big nails. Hardwood floors can work, but the finish needs to be hard and durable (only certain finishes will do). Almost any feature that makes caring for a pet easier can be incorporated into a remodeling design. Just imagine a house that has those super cool hamster habitats running throughout – now there’s an idea.

So, when thinking about remodeling or adding space to your place, think about your furry, feathery, fluffy family members and consider their needs too! It will be good for you, and good for them.

Mark Lewis

ProCraft Contracting, Inc.

If I’ve heard it once, I’ve heard it 17 ¾ times. You’ve thought about it too. “What’s the return on my remodeling investment going to be after my kitchen or basement or bath is done?” In other words, how much damn money will I get back when I sell this dump if it has a spiffy new kitchen or a spa-luscious master bath? On the surface, that seems like a really great question. A really smart, insightful question. A responsible question. But, the answer you are hoping will enlighten you, the answer that will quiet your fears, the answer that will make you appear intelligent to your friends just may do the opposite. It may render you a fearful idiot stumbling in the dark. Really. And here’s why…

Everyone wants ROI. Even people who don’t know what the hell ROI is want it. Figuring you return on investment for your savings account or your stock portfolio or your IRA is pretty easy. How many dollars in, how many dollars out over a given period of time. Black and white. Cut and dry. Financial advisers can do that all day long and still have time for golf.

Some folks try and apply the same simplicity to the world of remodeling. Remodeling Magazines’ Cost vs. Value Report is a prime example. It is produced every year and provides estimated returns on various types of remodeling projects, based on a number of criteria including geographic location and project “plush ness”. You find this report everywhere – it’s Tweeted ad nauseam, it’s paraded around in articles, it’s referenced and referred and pointed out and pointed at. Contractors us it, real estate agents use it, lenders use it, financial types use it. And they should, because there isn’t much else like it. Plus, people want to know what the deal is, because it isn’t black and white, cut and dry.

Having your remodeling projected wrapped up with a nice little ROI bow is a comforting thought. Know what you spend, know what you’ll get back. Unfortunately, it just isn’t that simple, despite the nice charts, graphs, and analysis provided by those magazine people. The reason remodeling can’t be analyzed like a stock investment is, in fact, quite simple. A big part of the remodeling ROI is intangible. That’s right – you can’t see it, you can’t touch it, you can’t cook on it, you can’t  poop in it, you can’t have guests sleep in it.

Remodeling your home has two kinds of ROI – tangible and intangible. Tangible is the kind the Cost vs. Value report talks about – dollars in, dollars out. Tangible is what most people think about when they wonder how much they should spend on a project. Intangible is a whole bunch of stuff that isn’t made out of wood or granite or drywall. Intangible can be, and often is, more important than mere dollars in and out.  Here’s why…

This ROI saves you eight months of marketing time when selling your house, allowing you to move on with your life. This ROI creates a magical backdrop to so many family memories. It makes you feel special during a neighborhood party. It wraps you in comfort when the world gets too big. It fills you with pride, builds your esteem, lets you stand tall. This ROI really doesn’t have a price you can put your finger on. You decide what it’s worth.

When it comes to remodeling, we don’t do it because we hope to make money from it. Just as we don’t buy that car we love because we think by driving it, it will go up in value. Or that stunning diamond tennis bracelet. We buy them because of the intangible benefits we hope they will provide. You can still do business in a run down, aqua-blue, gold swirl vanity topped bathroom. But how does that make you feel? Like a big pile of emptiness (you didn’t think I would go for the obvious cliché there, did you?)?

Our lesson here today is simple – remodeling has two types of ROI. Tangible and intangible. While the tangible is important, and we don’t want to be stupid, don’t overlook the intangible. For it is there that the true rewards of a well done remodeling project will be reaped.

Mark Lewis

ProCraft Contracting, Inc.