A home usually reflects the lifestyle and interest of the homeowner.  Here are links to help keep your home in good shape and tips to make improving your home an easier process.
 

If you're thinking about or have already made the following improvements to your property, here is a list of various improvements and estimated recovery costs:

 

 

TYPE OF                                      ESTIMATED COST                                RECOVERY

      IMPROVEMENT                               LABOR + MATERIALS                              COST %

 

 

 

Major Kitchen Remodeling                       $8400 - $12000                               80 - 100%

 

Minor Kitchen Remodeling                       $3100 - $6000                                 80 - 100%

 

Energy Efficient Fireplace                        $2600 - $3600                                 80 - 100%

 

Bedroom Addition                                    $6000 - $15000                               65 - 85%

 

Bathroom Remodeling                             $4400 - $ 6000                                 50 - 75%

 

Bathroom Addition                                  $5000 - $10000                                50 - 75%

 

Landscaping Improvements                    $ 500 -  $3500                                  40 - 60%

 

Patio Addition                                          $1250 - $4000                                  35 - 60%

 

Two Car Garage Addition                         $13000 - $18500                              33 - 50%

 

Two Car Carport Addition                        $7600 - $10000                                10 - 50%

 

Exterior Painting                                      $900 - $2500                                    30 - 80%

 

Interior Painting                                       $1000 - $3000                                  30 - 80%

 

Exterior Residing                                      $6100 - $8000                                   20 - 40%

 

Energy Efficient Doors/Windows             $5300 - $8500                                    0 - 20%

 

Minor Re-roofing                                      $1700 - $2500                                    0 - 20%

 

Major Re-roofing                                      $3000 - $4500                                    0 - 20%

 

Swimming Pool                                          $9000 - $25000                                  0 - 40%

 

 


Source:

Institute of Real Estate Appraisers

 


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Free Expert Advice
for Your Home

Don Vandervort, a regular on HGTV's "The Fix," offers free advice, buying guides, ideas and   do-it-yourself help, in this one-stop source for home repair, remodeling, home-improvement and home decorating information.

Electrical Hazards
Find out about electical hazards

Home windows
Let the sun in and  keep the cold out

Home Improvement costs
Ever wonder how much it will cost you to remodel your kitchen?  Or how about adding a deck or porch?  How much will you spend on re-tiling your bathrooms?  And how long will it last?
 
ImproveNet

Through it's exclusive comprehensive network of over 600,000 prescreened contractors and designers, ImproveNet helps its users make good decisions about home improvement projects. As a completely independent authority, ImproveNet maintains its integrity, objectivity, and credibility.

Remodeling Projects: 
Cost vs. Value

Updating and remodeling kitchens and baths will add the most value to your home. In some instances, these projects could possibly return more than 100% of the cost if the home is sold within a year.

Better Homes & Gardens
Home Improvement Encyclopedia

Whether you're fixing a clogged drain, building a deck, wiring that new addition, or adding landscape to your yard--we've got the site for you. Search from more than 1,000 home improvement tips that can save you time and money.

Kitchen & Bath Consumer Resources

Excellent online resource from the National Kitchen and Bath Association includes helpful planning checklists,  a guide to understanding the remodeling process, and tips from the pros.

Popular Mechanics Homeowner's Clinic

You'll find the kind of concise, illustrated how-to pieces you've come to expect from Popular Mechanics. There are sections on solving household problems, how to make your house a safer, more comfortable place to live, appliance care tips and woodworking projects.

 Toiletology 101

Everything you ever wanted to know about . . . you guessed it, your toilet! Stop by this unique site and you will probably discover some things you probably never knew you needed to know about saving money and water.

Metro Detroit's Remodeling Trends
Some of the different trends in remodeling

Kitchens and Baths 
A little bit of information on kitchens and baths