The "remodel or buy a house that's better" blues

November 7, 6:24 PMSF Real Estate ExaminerCece Blase

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Should I just paint these stairs or give up and move somewhere better???

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Trying to decide between moving and remodeling? There are advantages to just making what you’ve got better instead of relocating. It can be less expensive. You can stay in the neighborhood where you’re established and familiar (provided you’re happy there). And you can customize your space to your specific needs.

The two most popular rooms to remodel are the kitchen and baths. These are also normally the most heavily used areas in a home. They are also the ones that will give you the best return on your investment.

Another popular trend to accommodate those who are choosing to stay put are ‘flex spaces.’ These are areas that are re-purposed for another use (like turning a dining room into a family room) or taking a fresh look at an underused space for a playroom, office or craft room.

The most common update I see in San Francisco is a conversion of space adjacent to the kitchen into a family area. In Edwardian or Victorian homes, this is usually accomplished by combining the dining room (or living room, depending on how you use the space) and kitchen to create a kichen/family room. Often there is a breakfast bar that divides the two spaces which also serves as an eating area.

Another frequent ’repurposing’ in Victorian and Edwardian flats happens at the back where the old laundry porches are. Usually these porche are glassed-in rooms with sloping floors that allowed for water run off. They are almost always directly behind the kitchen. The most ambitious change homeowners make when repurposing these spaces is to level the floor and knock out the wall between the rooms. The extra space can then be incorporated into a kitchen remodel. Another, simpler alternative is to level out the floor and have the room serve as an office or craft room.

I’ve also frequently seen owners ‘repurpose’ their basement rooms. It’s amazing to me how a little dark room below ground level can be turned into an attractive usable space with a resurfaced floor, good lighting, new sheetrock and a thoughtful color scheme.

Remodeling baths are often a challenge in our older homes because they are so small. The most dramatic change I’ve seen with baths has happened when an owner is willing to grab space from an adjacent closet. But this choice often takes away valued storage space– which is a premium in older homes (where Victorians kept their clothes is still a mystery to me– I imagine they used lots of armoires and simplified their problem by not having much clothing to begin with.)

One of my favorite ways to add storage is by installing a false wall at one of a bedroom to create a full-length closet. Owners often think that this can only work in a big bedroom but I’ve seen it work effectively in smaller rooms that don’t require much furniture (like a child’s bedroom or home office). Custom closet organizers can also make the little closet space you have more effective. I personally like the Elfa systems. The Elfa system is an alternative to a custom closet system. They aren’t as attractive as California Closets, but they take up less depth and are less expensive. If you are intimidated about installing the Elfa system yourself, Craigslist has postings from handymen who specialize in furniture assembly and installation of closet and storage organizers.

Want more remodeling ideas? Call me at (415) 577-0809 or email me at cblase@paragon-re.com.