The 5 Best—and 5 Worst—Home Improvement Projects for Your Money

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Vinyl siding, vinyl windows and steel entry doors? Where is it that these "improvements" would be expected to increase the value of a house? A trailer park? Or maybe a slum. These features look bad when they are new and just get tackier as they age. Vinyl accumulates slimy mold-like growth as it starts to warp and sag. Steel rusts and won't hold paint after a while. Wood siding can be stained if painting is too much of a hassle and unlike vinyl siding it can be patched to keep it going indefinitely. The best advice here is to avoid replacing windows unless they are beat up or broken. Old windows can be re-furbished for less than the cost of a plastic replacement, if you are working with someone who knows (and cares) how. And, no matter what the cold-calling charlatans tell you, a double-pane window won't be significantly more efficient than a well-maintained wood window with a separate storm layer, but it probably won't last as long.

PCL of MA 9:08PM January 25, 2013

Interesting article. The one thing that homeowners overlook...if they manage their own remodeling projects they will more times than not come out ahead. Meaning, the value of the project will exceed the costs. This extra value comes from taking on the general contractor role and by doing some work yourself. To find out more about this check out http://armchairbuilder.com/

Michael of OH 4:21PM October 09, 2012

I have been looking to build a good professionnal opinion on the topic. Your post got me a step further in the right direction. Many thanks :-)
http://www.executivetouchrenovations.com/

FrankMalvyn of CA 4:36AM July 20, 2012

I agree with every point that 'Mary Battle' makes re: choosing a fiberglass door over a steel door. A fiberglass door will look like new when the time comes to sell. A steel door is less energy-efficient and shows dents and dings.

taylor dayne of ID 1:32AM October 07, 2010

I would recommend a Fiberglass Exterior Entry Door Replacement over a Steel Door every day!
A Steel Door is HOT in the Summer and COLD in the Winter. They dent and scratch and the paint tends to fade. They cannot be stained.
A Fiberglass door is available in both smooth and textured, is paintable and stainable and has an insulation value you can't get with a steel door.
The temperature and touch of these doors is only slightly warm or cool in the extremes of Summer and Winter.
Love 'em. Strongly recommend replacing wood and steel doors with Fiberglass.

Mary Battle of GA 11:50PM September 15, 2010

Hello all -- this is a VERY helpful site -- I've done well with real estate -- remember, of all your investments one thing that not more is being made of is DIRT !!! -- OK, having said that, try to choose a dwelling that suits your family -- one thing that the site does not say is: Ask yourself this, "Am I a handyman?" or "Do I want to hire it done?" Labor is usually 50-60% of the cost of the project. So, pitching in and doing some stuff yourself can save you a LOT of money. GOOD LUCK, A happily retired senior living on my dream property paid for free and clear thru hard work and God's Grace !!!

Miss Linda of CA 10:09AM February 21, 2010

WE HAVE OWNED A DUPLEX HOUSE SINCE 1974. WITH THE INCOME AND DEPRECIATION IT PAID FOR ITSELF. WE HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE WITH TENANTS AND HAD MY WIFES MOTHER LIVE WITH US THE LAST 16 YEARS.
WHETHER IT IS A SON, DAUGHTER, MOTHER OR FATHER IN LAW OR FRIENDS, RENTING OR VISITING THIS TYPE OF HOUSE REALLY WORKS WELL.
NOW THAT WE ARE RETIRED FRIENDS CAN VISIT AND HAVE THEIR OWN PLACE.
IF ONE REALLY NEEDS THE MONEY IT CAN REALLY BOOST ONES INCOME AND HELP MAINTAIN THE PROPERTY.IN ADITION, IF ONE WANTS TO TRAVEL ONE HAS SOMEONE THERE TO WATCH OVER THE PROPERTY.
WITH THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN THE DUPLEX IT REALLY WORKS WELL FOR ALL CONCERNED. ONE NEEDS TO BE SELECTIVE IN PEOPLE WHO LIVE RIGHT NEXT DOOR,AS IT WERE. DON'T BUILD IT OVER AND UNDER, TOO NOISY. BETTER OVER A TWO CAR GARAGE. WITH ONE BEDROOM IT LIMITS THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO OCCUPY THE APARTMENT. NOISE IS REDUCED TO A VERY MINIMUM HAVING IT OVER THE GARAGE AND INSULATED TOP,SIDE AND FLOOR.

Russ Hazzard of ME 7:03PM February 20, 2010

Yes Aluminum windows do cause you to loose a lot of heat and cause condensation. Wood windows are a constant upkeep even when done right. The double pain windows help some,but if the house settles at all you are apt to get cracks in the glass of one or both panes and then you have fogged windows. Vinyle windows don't sweat like aluminum windows and never need painting like wood. And if you go for triple pane windows they really help with the heating problems and cut down a lot with noise. They are expensive, but they also make for adding to the value of your house.

Judy of OR 1:06AM February 20, 2010

I concur that wooden replacement windows are best of all. According to a leading energy expert, Aluminum is 147 times more conductive than wood, thus transfers heat and cold. However when replacing with wooden windows make certain that all sides are primed either with an oil base primer or varnish that prevents water permeation through the paint.
When I built my passive solar home 30 yeasrs ago, i.e., no active solar pamels but energy conservation, I painted all the sides including the ones that are not seen when finished but the moisture is prevalent, thus causing peeling. Also I sand all the sharp edges to prevent opposing thermal coeffiecient of expansion which also causes peeling. Although it ahs been painted a couple times, the paint never peels but does fade over time with the U/V (Ultra violet) rays here in Colorado.

John W. Epperson of CO 8:58PM February 01, 2010

If you are fairly handy, you can do several of these projects yourself and save tons of money! Of course things like electrical, hvac, and plumbing have to be done by a permitted contractor, but framing, roofing, drywall, and most other construction items can be done by the homeowner. Return on sweat equity multiplys quickly!!!

Rick of TX 2:26PM January 31, 2010