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One of the biggest questions homeowners should ask themselves before remodeling is this: Will I ever sell this house?

And if the answer is yes, then there are a few rules you should follow. CheatSheet.com has all the answers (See what I did there?) in their article about home renovations that lower a home’s value.

Our favorite rules listed in the article are don’t get too fancy, don’t customize too much, don’t condense your yard, and don’t reduce the number of bedrooms. (The article also says don’t install a pool, but those are pretty handy in Arizona, wouldn’t you say?)

A lot of these are common sense, but they are worth repeating. A house that is too customized loses any universal appeal. No one will buy a home that is engineered for the exclusive needs of the previous owners.

Yard space is very important because it offers versatility. If you’ve eliminated the scope of people’s options by building out your space, you’ve condensed your customer pool. Your yard space should be on par with your neighbor’s space.

As the article notes, the prevailing wisdom is that the more bedrooms you have, the better off you’ll be. Like yard space, the number of bedrooms should follow the neighborhood lead. If the average is 3 bedrooms, and you want to convert your third to a walk-in closet, you are rolling the dice.

Again, all this advice comes with the caveat that if you have no plans to ever sell, then by all means, go buck wild. If you want to install LED lights in your shower to ensure your mother-in-law stops visiting, then do it. There are no rules for forever homes — except that you should use a licensed remodeler on all your projects.

Have a good week!

Having a plan during home remodel doesn’t always mean there won’t be hiccups along the way. One trait of a good remodeler is that they can roll with the punches.

You might have seen the Houzz article we linked to earlier about how 15 “Uh-oh” remodeling moments got fixed on the fly.

Whether it is a nail from a cabinet puncturing a water pipe, a site that doesn’t allow for large items to transport easily, or an appliance that comes in at the wrong size (or not at all!), any remodeling plan must come with the caveat that problems can arise. It’s the job of the contractor to work around what ever issues come about, and to make lemonade out of lemons.

The easiest way to minimize your remodeling stress is to insist on a contract. One woman in McAllen, Texas is dealing with the fallout from her word-of-mouth contract with a remodeler.

The woman, Veronica Berrones, told KRGV TV she was looking to remodel her bathroom and kitchen, but she says the contractor left her with unfinished work and a big bill. Because the parties did not agree to a contract, both sides are feeling the sting from a bad situation.

Have a good week!