Posted by: crescendodesignblog | January 12, 2009

Making the Most of the ‘Re’Market Boom: Part 1

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We had a blast at our booth at the Home Expo this weekend!  The show had an unprecedented turnout, and we witnessed a persistent interest in new construction and remodeling projects.  We also enjoyed the opportunity to visit the NBC 15 studio for a brief interview with Chris Papst during the morning show on Sunday!

If there was one consistent message we would take away from the expo, it would be that there seems to be a perfect storm brewing in the residential market.  Low interest rates, a buyer’s market, plummeting material costs, a renewed focus on energy efficiency and other healthy home concepts have created increased demand for renovating, remodeling, refurbishing and adding onto existing homes.  While there are still quite a few new home starts on the horizon, many homeowners have turned their attention to how they can re-invent their existing homes.

Solar Studies

It can be incredibly difficult to visualize the possibilities while standing in the home you’ve lived in for many years.  Every inch of the home is burned into your retinas, and it can be very difficult to imagine it any other way.  It is equally difficult to visualize how some of the older homes on the market that need some serious TLC could become the home of your dreams.  But with some careful consideration, you can transform those places into a place you will love to live in – and potentially make a sizable return on your investment.

There are lots of things you can do almost immediately to reduce your energy bills, improve the indoor air quality, and beyond.  It can be as simple as using low/no VOC paints or swapping incandescent bulbs with florescents, or it can be more comprehensive – replacing windows, upgrading mechanicals, adding insulation and more.  You can easily get a good start, even with a modest budget, but if you’re ready to take upgrades like these to the next level, you might consider consulting with experts like Healthy Homes right here in Dane County.

In addition to improving the existing shell of the home and the mechanical systems that support it, there is a lot you can do to improve your efficiency of space, and that’s where we come in.  Some remodel ideas are obvious, but other potential options are less so, and require some creative thought-trials and brainstorming to discover some of the more clever ways to make the most of your home’s living space.  Even design options we present to clients that seem absurd at first can eventually become the favorite option – so there is very real value in thinking outside the box.

In the next few posts, we will walk through the various steps involved in planning a remodel or addition, so stay tuned!  If you would like blog updates e-mailed to you instead of subscribing to them, send an email to jbrouchoud (at) gmail (dot) com.


Responses

  1. […] the Most of the ‘Re’Market Boom: Part 2 In part 1, I talked about some of the requisite conditions for building a new home, or renovating an existing […]

  2. […] part 1, I talked about some of the market conditions that are making it a great time to remodel or add […]


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