I hope you all are doing well and curious about ways to love your home a little more. This is our fourth installment of “Ask the Remodeler” and so far we have covered the following topics:
January
Tips for a successful remodel
Why I love the Design Build business
December
Tips on Dreaming about your Remodel
November
How do I start my Remodel?
This month’s topics
Should I remodel or move?
Storm issues & tips
Should I remodel or move?
This is a difficult question to answer because each individual will have their own unique situation.
Let’s start with some of the most common reasons we hear from home owners considering to remodel or move:
Growing family
Embarrassed to entertain
Safety concerns: House design or Neighborhood
Isolation: Cooking in the isolated kitchen while everyone is in the family room
Pros and Cons of Moving:
Cons
New neighborhood – unsure of the type of neighbors you will have
Remodeling – New home would likely require some remodeling
Moving is not pleasant
Typical real estate transaction costs are approximately 10% of your homes value
Pros
Get the house that works best for your family
Don’t have to live through a large remodeling project
Pros and Cons of Remodeling
Cons
Living through a remodel is not pleasantSometimes a temporary rental is the best choice for large projects
Designing your new remodel and product selections – will it turn out the way you hope?
Hiring the wrong contractorNever ending project
Cost spiraling out of control
Remodeling costs
Pros
Stay in the home and neighborhood you love and created so many cherished memories
Use the real estate transaction costs towards your new remodel.
Storm Issues & Tips
Winter and rain has arrived in Walnut Creek in a major way over the past several weeks and we want to make sure you are prepared. Here are some quick tips to help keep you and your family safe throughout.
If you are firing up your fireplace for the first time in a while, consider getting your chimney professionally cleaned as build-up and/or animals can cause blockage and lead to dangerous situations.
Also assure you replace the batteries in both smoke and carbon monoxide detectors each year.
Cleaning your gutters before major storms helps in a couple of ways. Not only will this help your roof to properly drain and redirect water away from your home but clogged gutters can also feed a house fire helping it spread to the roof more easily.
We live in the hills and surrounding areas of Mt. Diablo and while this makes for beautiful living conditions it also means we can be at the mercy of severe runoff or mudslides.Doing a preliminary walk of your property can help to identify any clogged drains.
You can also take this time to clear any debris from gullies either in your backyard or close by open space.
Should severe rains or flooding be predicted, make sure you know your local resources.For Northgate residents, there are sandbags available at 5 Walnut Creek locations with Heather Farm and Rudgear Park being the closest locations:Lancaster Road near Orchard Lane
Heather Farm Park Community Center parking lot (north end)
Larkey Park parking lot
Howe Homestead Park parking lot
Rudgear Park parking lot
If you are considering ways to love your home a little more, why not attend our next monthly remodeling seminar where you will learn valuable tips to help navigate your next home improvement project. Visit our website to register: www.GordonReese.com
Let us know if you would like more information on any of the topics we have shared. We look forward to answering your home remodeling and improvement questions. Email your questions to: Questions@GordonReese.com.
Happy Remodeling!
By Gordon Reese, Gordon Reese Design Build,Resident since 2008
