Home Improvement: The Big Picture
by Martha Powers Vos

It's here... that time of year when the naughty little demons in your head begin teasing you … pushing you to look around at your home with a jaundiced eye.

"Maybe it's too small," they say, or "It looks run down, needs painting." Before you know it, you've joined the chorus: "The kitchen certainly could use a face lift, and come to think of it, the master bath could use a spiffing up as well."

Oops, what are you thinking? Stop right now and let's get real. First, you are going to have to step back, push those little demons aside and focus on the Big Picture.

Is the house actually too small as is? Too small means you need more room—or to put it accurately, more rooms. Are kids doubled up when you'd really like them to have their own rooms? Does stuff get dumped in the kitchen when ideally in your dream world it would be stowed in a utility room or mud room? Do ever-expanding home entertainment options require more room to spread out? What about storage space? Clearly the proliferation of self storage facilities across the country indicates that a lot of us are running out of space at home.

If the well-considered answer is "yes, this house is too small," a little this and a little that, a paint job here and a set of shelves there—even a remodeled bath, is not going to provide a solution (though it can eat up a lot of cash) .

Your primary decision is made. Too Small! That leaves you with just two Home Improvement choices: build an addition to your current house or move. Move? Moving might seem like extreme home improvement, but sometimes it's the best answer.

Let's see what happens. Start by exploring the possibility of an addition.

First consideration is to scope out whether there is property enough to make an addition feasible. Never mind what it would look like, where it would fit, etc. At this point the only thing you want to know is: "Can it be done?" If the answer is "yes," you can move on to thinking about the pros and cons of actually doing it.

Money talks. Would an addition "pay for itself" by improving the market value of the property? This one's a little tricky because you have to do some cold-blooded calculations. Of course there's no question that money invested in improvements should be reflected in increased value of the property. But before you accept that as gospel, take a good look around you—at the houses in the general area, and especially those really nearby. Could an addition bump up your property value so it's out of whack with the neighborhood? If so, it could actually wind up creating a possible stumbling block to a future sale. Potential buyers are often reluctant to consider the biggest, best, most attractive house on the block. And the Catch-22 here is that while it might deter possible buyers, it will probably increase your real estate taxes. So, think this aspect through carefully. You wouldn't want to wind up with the neighborhood white elephant.

If things are looking good so far, it's time to take pencil and paper and write down a description of your perfect house—including everything you like about your current house, and what additional elements you would like in your dream house. Be sure to consider surrounding ambiance, like type of neighborhood, proximity to shopping, sports, transportation, (gas prices are a factor here), as well as the design and features that are on your wish list.

Shop an addition: Figure out how much of the house you've just described could be part of a viable addition to the house you have. Example: X number of square foot addition on two floors to include expanding the kitchen, an additional bedroom and bath, and other amenities like a fireplace, French doors, etc.

Now contact two or three contractors to give you a ballpark figure on this kind of a project. The best people to ask are people who are currently handling similar jobs, because they will be up to speed on material prices. (Keep your eyes open for contractor signs at work sites. Remember, you're not looking for firm numbers here—just what the guy (or gal) thinks, based on experience.

Ideally what you'd like to get is a range: "To do this it could cost you between X and Y dollars. A fireplace would add so much additional." That kind of thinking. An average of two or three of these educated guesstimates, vague as they will be, should give you enough to work with. At this point:

1. You know your present house is too small

2. You have a general idea of what an addition would include and...

3. You have an even more general idea of what it would cost.

So, now it's time to go house hunting! Seriously, contact a real estate agent, tell someone there you're considering moving and that you want to explore the market with her or him. This is an important step that most people overlook They just plunge ahead with their addition. Instead, first try an up front look at what's available on the market. It can be an eye opener. It's not unusual to find that your money buys more of a house in which someone else has done the improvements. And while the idea of moving can seem formidable—a renovation or an addition isn't exactly a stroll in the park either. Look at it this way: Checking the market might turn up your dream house ready and waiting for you. Or, it could persuade you that the addition will prove out dollarwise in the end. Either way, you've looked at the project from all sides. And, you've had a close up and personal opportunity to take a critical look at what others have done—what works and what doesn't. It will come in handy when you get down to the nitty gritty of your own plans.

Martha Power Vos recently had a major addition built onto her own house near Tivoli.