When you think of your ideal home, you probably don’t envision a fixer upper that is going to need a lot of time and money poured into it. But for some, the most feasible option for getting from a house that has some potential to the perfect home they have always wanted is by remodeling and home renovation. One major aspect of taking that canvas that is a shadow of an idea and changing it into the wonderful reality that you imagine is with basement finishing.

Basement finishing to complete that homey feel

For many potential buyers and homeowners, the process of finding the perfect home often ends with settling on a house that is almost ideal, and many times it is the basement that is the less than ideal portion of the house. Many basements are little more than four walls surrounding a barren floor, meant for storage or simply as an empty foundation. But that space can be used, and basement finishing can end up adding not only significant cozy space and living areas to be used, but also adding significant value to the home as well. You will be able to enjoy your home from top to bottom, and if you are looking to eventually sell to move to another version of your dream home, you will probably find yourself quite pleased with the price tag on the house that you invested in to upgrade.

Other upgrades you might think about for your house
Basements are not the only areas of the home that might be worth renovating. When you consider that bathroom remodeling, additions, or upgrades can offer an average 86.4% return on investment, it would almost be silly not to renovate. Ensuring that all appliances are working properly and maximizing the functionality of one of the most important rooms in the house will do wonders for the marketability of the house. And for those who are style and design conscious, having an updated bathroom, or any other room for that matter, is a big plus. Another important room to consider is the kitchen. While bedrooms, offices, or living rooms will probably change anyway over time through the exchange of owners based on personal tastes, making the bathroom and kitchen attractive to potential buyers is a smart move.

Renovating for the right reasons
By all means, if there are some design updates to be made, go for it. But sometimes renovating needs to happen for other reasons. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that faucets in the bathroom and kitchen that leak, toilets that do not work properly, and sprinkler systems that are not set up correctly account for about 1 trillion gallons of wasted water every single year. To put that into perspective, that is the approximate equivalent of the water use that more than 11 million households go through in one year. So renovating to fix the little leaks here and there are definitely worth it, if not to be kinder to your bank account, then to be kinder to the planet.
Another obvious reason to remodel would be to fix property damage. These types of repairs account for about 36% of remodeling jobs. Property damage, depending on the type, severity, and cause, can interrupt daily living and significantly effect the value of the home. It should be fixed immediately, or as soon as possible after its occurrence.

You know what you want your dream home to be. Take the steps you need to take in order to make it a reality.