-- Increase the Value of Your Home and Attract Potential Buyers by Engaging a Professional Finish Carpenter--
As a finish carpenter and home improvement expert, Stephen Powers often consults home owners about ways to increase the value of their home. "In today’s housing market, one of the first questions people ask me about any remodeling project is whether the project will substantially increase the value of their home -- when and if they decide to sell it". says Powers, the owner of The Carpenter’s Hands located in Albany, New York. "In fact, I’ve recently been approached by more and more real estate professionals who are looking for minor, inexpensive enhancements that can help increase a home’s value and appeal to buyers. These professionals recognize better than anyone, the enormous return that a small investment in carpentry can make"
As most professionals will agree, the general rule-of-thumb has always been that any remodeling project that will bring your home up to the level of the others in the neighborhood is a worthy investment (so, be sure to check out your neighbor’s home for ideas). However, another more recent consideration for improvements that will increase resale value are those which mirror new home construction features.
Not too many years ago, a child’s experience was limited by how far he or she could ride a bicycle or by the physical boundaries that parents set. Today ... the real boundaries of a child’s life are set more by the number of available cable channels and videotapes, by the simulated reality of videogames, by the number of megabytes of memory in the home computer. Now kids can go anywhere, as long as they stay inside the electronic bubble.
—Richard Louv (20th century)
Many of the popular trends and good remodeling investments today mirror trends in new housing, such as adding a master suite, exercise room, a finished basement, media room or simply by enhancing an existing room with popular aesthetics using fine finish and trim work such as: crown moldings, wainscoting, coffered ceilings, new cabinetry, built-ins, redesigned mantels, fireplaces and staircases. Since potential buyers are always comparing remodeled homes with those that are newly built, it makes sense that the most sought-after amenities follow similar patterns within the new housing market and quite often, these new construction amenities are the work of a skilled finish carpenter.
Good finish carpentry can be the most important aspect of a construction or remodeling project and few contractors are as versatile and important to general home improvement as finish carpenters. Even if you’re not looking to take on a major renovation, trim work projects can create the most "bang for your buck" when it comes to home beautification and resale value and when you’re considering the right contractor for the job, anything that involves enhancing, altering, or repairing your home's structure is probably within the realm and expertise of a finish carpenter. If you’re looking to take on a new home improvement project, Powers suggests identifying a skilled craftsman in your area with impeccable references, photos of his/her completed work, good pricing and who is both licensed and insured. He warns even the best "Do-It-Yourselfers" that certain projects should always be handled by a professional or the resulting effect could be a decrease in your home’s value instead of an increase.
Taunia Kipp is an independent Business Author and the Chief Operating Officer for Mountain Media, a privately held corporation located in Saratoga Springs, NY and serving both national and international markets.
The traditional husband/father has always made choices concerning career, life-styles, values, and directions for the whole family, but he generally had another person on the team—called a wife. And his duties were always clear: Bring home the bacon and take out the garbage.
—Donna N. Douglass (20th century)
To learn more about the subject-matter of this article or to find a skilled-finish carpenter in the Albany, Saratoga Springs or Glens Falls, NY area, please visit The Carpenter's Hands at www. CarpentryHands.com.