Investing in Remodeling Your Home - The Untold Story
You may remember a post I did about a month ago about how the best place to invest in real estate was in improving your own home. I still think that is true, but … You know all those home improvement shows, Design on a Dime, Curb Appeal and the like. They show you how you can add value and functionality to your home. They concentrate on the improvements that are being made and how that all happens. There is another side to that process that you never see on TV.
There are really two parts that nobody ever shows you, let alone mentions. There is that part about how you have to live during the time your house is torn up. There is that other part where you have to move all your worldly possessions out of the way of the demolition and construction.
Nobody talks about the additional time you have to budget, because the places you used to put thing are no longer around. You’ve put your things in new places, but because you’ve put so many old things in new places you can’t remember where you put anything.
Pre-planning about what you want to ware for the days you can’t get to your bedroom is a good idea. Pre-planning about what you and your kids have planned for the next two weeks is a good idea. In truth, when my life was completely stable all I could ever pre-plan for my family was about 2 days. Not so hot, if you’re going to spend several weeks in alternate living arrangements. Ultimately pre-planning fails because you have to pre-plan too many things and it just becomes confusing. Nobody talks about this.
You could always move in with your parents or your sister. That, however is a terrible idea, if the stay is more than 2 days. You’re really better off camping in the back yard in the middle of winter.
There is also the question of pets. If you sat down and listed all the questions about how remodeling is going to impact your pets, you may just give up. You could always board the pets out, 3 night minimum and a “temperament review” for $30. You could give the dog to your brother for safekeeping. His kids would love it and his wife would never speak to you again. There are benefits everywhere.
Of course this could be an opportunity. You get to look at and hold all the stuff you have in your house one more time. It’s a terrific time to toss the things you don’t need in the garbage. We’ve won the neighborhood garbage contest 8 weeks running and we still have way too much junk in the house. Let’s face it there is only so much self-discipline to go around.
Always keep in mind the reason you decided on these project. that vision will pull you through untill your money runs out. The alternative is living in the box your new refrigerator came in.
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