This article just came over from the Realtormag.realtor.org. Its a great read for any home owner looking to spruce up their homes in 2012. Just remember, dont over-upgrade your home and out price your upgrades! If you have ideas of remodeling or updating your home I'd be happy to offer some price comparisons for your neighborhood to insure you dont over-update/over price your home improvement value!

~Molly

2011-12 Cost vs. Value: Big-Bang Remodeling Projects

Find out which remodeling projects will provide the biggest bang for your buck this year, according to Remodeling magazine.

MARCH 2012 | BY ERICA CHRISTOFFER

Optimizing the use of space in a home will not only attract buyers but also give sellers more bang for their buck, according to Remodeling’s “2011–12 Cost vs. Value Report,” conducted in cooperation with REALTOR® Magazine and NAR’s HouseLogic.com.

An attic bedroom addition costing $50,148 was expected to recoup 72.5 percent of the cost nationally—inching up 0.3 percent from the 2010–11 report. The minor kitchen remodel also fared well, returning an estimated 72.1 percent of the nearly $20,000 job cost.

The report looks at the estimated cost and expected resale return of 35 midrange and upscale remodeling projects in 80 markets.  The estimated costs and returns were derived from a survey of more than 3,000 REALTORS® conducted last summer. As in past years, REALTORS® picked exterior projects to recoup the most at resale. Among those, new fiber-cement siding was expected to provide the highest return, recouping an estimated 78 percent of the $13,461 cost.

Top 6 Returns

Siding Replacement (upscale) - fiber-cement      
Job Cost: $13,461
Resale Value: $10,493
Cost Recouped: 78%

Entry Door Replacement - steel     
Job Cost: $1,238
Resale Value: $903
Cost Recouped: 73%

Attic Bedroom Addition             
Job Cost: $50,148
Resale Value: $36,346
Cost Recouped: 72.5%

Kitchen: Minor Remodel              
Job Cost: $19,588
Resale Value: $14,120
Cost Recouped: 72.1%

Garage Door Replacement             
Job Cost: $1,512
Resale Value: $1,087
Cost Recouped: 71.9%

Garage Door Replacement (upscale)                
Job Cost: $2,994
Resale Value: $2,129
Cost Recouped: 71.1%

Remodeling’s2011-12 Cost vs. Value Report ©2011 by Hanley Wood, LLC. Republication or redissemination of the Report is expressly prohibited without written permission of Hanley Wood, LLC.“Cost vs. Value” is a registered trademark of Hanley Wood, LLC.Visit www.costvsvalue.com for information on all 35 projects. There, you can also download a free PDF providing information on average cost and resale value nationally, regionally, and in a specific market. Estimates for construction costs were compiled by HomeTech Publishing.

Visit HouseLogic.com for great remodeling and home maintenance advice.

Home Office: DIY Chalkboard Door

Today I am starting on a project to vitalize my home office space. I have been working in this space since we moved back home and now I'm feeling motivated to start making it a remarkable and motivating workplace!

I've been gathering ideas from all over. One idea that I have always loved is making my own chalk board wall. We have these great craftsman-styled 4-panel doors and I thought, What a great place to apply my chalk board idea? Each Panel can be used personally... In a way similar to Pinterest and their categorizable 'Pinboards', I can use each of the 4 panels for organizing ideas and todo's.


I have aspirations to be very calm and patient with this project. I am positive that my undiagnosed A.D.D. will interup my progress at some point and focus me in four directions before completing this project! 

Supplies needed:
1" Painter's Tape: $3
(1) QT-Valspar's Chalkboard Paint: $20
(2) 2" Foam brushes: $1
(1) box Chalk: $1.50
(1) reused plastic tub
Several plastic or paper grocery bags to use as drop cloths

Total Spend: $25.50...and I have a lot of paint left over!

Step 1: Wipe the surface with a damp cloth to remove dust. Let surface dry completely. If your surface is not already smooth, you will need to sand it down prior to painting.

Step 2: Carefully tape the edges of your painting area. Take time and diligence with this as it is the most important step to making this look really nice.

Step 3: Lay out a plastic or paper bag down and bring together all your supplies. Pour a small portion of paint into your reused (mustard salad) container. It is best to pour small amounts so as not to waste paint as well as keeping your usable paint from drying out.

Step 4: Begin painting your first coat. Use broad strokes and slightly lift the paint brush as you finish a stroke. By adding this little lift to the end of the stroke will keep from creating painting lines that may be hard to cover with future coats. Watch corners and edges for paint build up. As the coat begins to dry, take your foam brush and lightly brush away from the edges to smooth any goopy spots.

Step 5: Apply additional coats until your desired finish. I needed to do about 4 coats before I had a slate black finish. Allow coats to dry for 30 minutes. Allow the final coat to dry for about 2 hours. 

Step 6: Remove the painters tape.

Step 7: Using white chalk on its side, rub the surface from edge to edge and evenly coat the chalkboard surface. Wipe away with a dry paper towel.

Viola! The finished Product!

I'm really happy with how this turned out! Peewee even got a space for her busy life...