“In today’s market, homes must be pristine and updated to sell,” says Deanne Lentz, a top producing agent with Prudential Carolinas Realty. If you want to stay put but long for better surroundings, modifying your existing dwelling is an easy (and often lower-cost) way to increase your contentment. We talked with veteran real-estate agents, renovators, and home owners, and here’s what they say are the best projects to take on if home work is on your mind. 

Curb Appeal
“One of the best investments is curb appeal,” says Michael Ryden, a partner with Leonard Ryden Burr Real Estate who has 20 years of experience in the Winston-Salem-area marketplace.

“Your house can be fantastic inside, but if it’s not appealing outside, people won’t stop [to tour it if you’re selling it]. Whether it’s landscaping, flowers, or things you can do architecturally such as adding porches or different features, enhancing the street view is key.” 

With landscaping, “you don’t have to do something major,” but it’s important to remember that “the landscape, from the standpoint of curb appeal, is as important as the house itself,” says Bill Davis, a landscape designer affiliated with Stimmel Associates, PA.

“Getting a professional really does help. You see a lot of people put in a lot of effort themselves, and the end result can often lack focus, balance, and good design.” 

As with all the categories we’ll explore, costs vary wildly depending on the project, but Davis says landscaping a small yard may range between $500 and $2,000 with implementation costing as little as $1,000. “A good landscape designer will start first by using and incorporating what exists to the extent that’s possible, but also tell the client honestly what won’t work and needs to come out.”

When asked what advice he has for homeowners (besides paying attention to their landscaping), he says to think ahead. “Annuals and perennials give a quick return, but shrubs and trees can take several years to pay off.”

Flooring
Once you’ve made it past the front door, what’s next? “Beautiful floors can sell a house,” says Ryden. “The biggest bang for your buck is hardwood floors. And if you don’t have or want hardwood, then replace your carpet.” 

Flooring options are more varied (and sustainable) now than a decade ago —recycled/reclaimed wood, cork, natural fiber carpet. “Cork is a hot product now,” shares Stuart French, owner of Jewell Interiors. “So many people don’t realize all the options, so it’s great to show what’s available that they didn’t know about.” 

If you have hardwood floors hidden beneath carpet or old floors that need sanding, you don’t have to suffer through the layer of dust that used to come with resanding wood floors. Dust-containment systems, which keep about 90 percent of the stuff out of the air, run off atomic vacuums and make remodeling less disruptive. Jay Manring, a sales associate at Carolina Wood Floors, says to expect this to cost about $2.50 a square foot, which includes stripping, a stain color, three coats of oil-based polyurethane, and shoe moldings. 

But what if you’re not sure what kind of flooring upgrade you want? “Have someone come to your house and help you decide,” says Manring. Many companies provide not only basic sales support, but also expertise and in-home consultations.

Energy Upgrades
“With energy upgrades, remember recycled materials and reusable, sustainable products. Any appliance that’s energy-saving is a plus as well,” notes Ryden. 
“Renovating is one of the greenest ways of remodeling,” shares David Hickman, president of Westphalia Construction. “You’re transforming something in existence. With the tax incentives, it’s an attractive package.”

From replacing roofs, windows, and doors, to upgrading central air conditioning, heat pumps and water heaters, state and federal tax credits are just the added incentive people need to make energy-efficient purchases; you can claim credits equal to up to 30 percent of the cost of certain home improvements. Skylights, geothermal heat pumps, solar electric systems, and small wind energy systems are also eligible for tax credits. (For detailed information on federal energy-related tax incentives, visit energystar.gov; state tax incentives are at dsireusa.org.

“It’s fairly unprecedented to get such support from the federal government,” says John Kuhl, division manager for Champion Siding Window and Doors. He cautions that you must make sure your project qualifies, and the price varies depending on what you choose. “But if you’ll ever want to do it, you can save up to 30 percent. It’s a terrific time to take advantage of getting money back.” 

For those truly serious about energy efficiency, Hickman recommends having an energy audit of your home. Danny Gough of Energy Solutions offers three levels of comprehensive home assessments, starting at $250 for homes up to 2,500 square feet of living area.

“They’ll set up a blower in your house. It removes all the air, you see how tight or loose your house is, and it pinpoints problem areas,” says Hickman. “They’re certified in finding the best solutions, whether it’s insulation or windows or whatever. You can make a lot of improvements without doing a huge amount of work.” And Duke Energy customers can take advantage of a free energy audit; register, complete the online home energy survey, and receive a free personalized energy report.

Kitchen and Baths
The “best” renovation choice “always comes back to great kitchens and baths,” says Brenda Shoaf, a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Real Estate. While an overhaul (or addition) is costly, lower-cost simple cosmetic repairs, such as replacing sinks and countertops, faucets, and light fixtures, can enhance the space dramatically. 

Builders that we spoke with agree that full-house renovations are less popular in the current economy. “People have scaled down the project scope, doing smaller additions or upgrades,” says Chuck Hicks, owner of ICON Custom Builders. 

How your current space looks will help you decide how invasive the remodeling needs to be. “New cabinet fronts and counters in the kitchen or master bath add value,” says Lentz, if you don’t want to gut the entire room. 

“If the cabinetry is in good shape, then focus on the countertop,” says Leigh Davis of Bloomday Granite & Marble. “Granite is what we’ve had Realtors say they want; it helps sell the house. Or if you plan on living in your current home for a long time, buy what you really love.” Davis notes that installing granite typically runs between $60 to $84 per square foot. 

“More people are doing home renovations these days,” adds Shoaf, who also notices the increase through her husband, Paul’s, remodeling company. “One reason is a lack of new construction availability; builders aren’t building as many spec homes now. And if someone likes the location they’re in, people are choosing to update their home instead of moving.” 

That’s exactly what Judy Aanstad and her husband, Brad Rauschenberg, opted to do. They had lived in their home for 20 years, “and our kitchen was wearing out, but we didn’t want to move,” Judy says. “We love this neighborhood, and rather than looking for a newer home with an updated kitchen, we decided to invest in this home. We’re doing it because we want to enjoy the kitchen.” 

Mary Nan Moser and her husband, Ken, renovated their home years ago, but left their small bathroom intact. They built a new house, put their old house on the market, and “concluded rapidly that we would need to fix that bathroom situation!” She modified it exactly as she would want it, and in an unforeseen twist (the couple put their new home on the market, and it’s already under contract), will likely be moving back to their former house. “We’ll be going back to our wonderful bathroom the way we always wanted it. We just didn’t do it until we moved out,” Mary says with a chuckle. 

Painting
Dollar for dollar, this is your least expensive endeavor, and one that yields major results quickly. “Think neutral with colorful points of interest,” suggests John-mark Mitchell, principle partner/broker with Yost & Little Realty. “Whether you choose to paint one wall or a room, you need warmth in an area.” When choosing your color, he says first “decide how you want it to feel and the room’s purpose, because colors can be relaxing or stimulating.” Stick with low or no-Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) paints, the latest paints with no harsh chemicals. 

If your home was built before 1978, it’s likely you have lead-based paint. “Renovating disturbs that paint,” warns David Hickman. “Children under 10 years old are especially at risk for lead poisoning [with some damaging consequences irreversible], so make sure you’re working with a certified lead paint renovator.” 

Chuck Hicks echoes this advice, noting that North Carolina laws and its Health Hazards Control Unit supercede EPA rules, “so you want someone to be certified with the state.” A list of local certified contractors is available online through the health hazard unit’s site.

Final Thoughts
If you’ve ever been involved with home renovations, you know it’s almost always more involved than you planned. If you decide to tackle several of these projects simultaneously, “go through a contractor,” urges Leigh Davis. “You can often get better pricing and the job goes much smoother. They handle the details, get any needed permits, and contrary to popular belief, they don’t charge too much.” 

Hickman and Hicks both add that one consideration to keep in mind is whether your contractors are members of the Home Builders Association of Winston-Salem and its remodelers council. “They have an ethics committee, Better Business Bureau arbitration, and there are lots of reasons to do business with someone associated with that,” Hickman says. 

“Those members are your professionals in our area,” Hicks adds. “Some [nonmember contractors] do a great job, but for the most part, we want to recommend someone within that council.” 

Beyond that, Hickman says it comes down to style and pricing.

“Projects are personality driven. Most of the time, you’re living in the house while the work is being done, so you want to make sure you get along with the people you’re working with,” he advises in a jovial, well-experienced voice.