I agree. A deck doesn’t seem as practical as an additional bathroom or bedroom, but it can extend outdoor living space. If a backyard has a large hill, a deck could be a perfect solution to offer a level living area. A family could have outdoor living space or a bbq area. Living in San Francisco when my wife and I were first married, we had many friends who had decks in the backyard. They could extend the living area from the house or apartment. Several places were only a few hundred square feet, but a deck made the apartment feel huge.

Hmm… I use the deck and the house’s two patios every day when the weather is good. But I use the bathroom every day, come rain or shine. In terms of living in the house, I’d rather have the bathroom updated than add a deck.

To my mind, you get a nonmonetary kind of return on investment from the improvements you make in your home: from the pleasure they give you or greater convenience or safety they provide. That’s why I think that, while you shouldn’t overimprove your house for the neighborhood, you should factor in how long you will be in the house and how much a proposed project will improve your daily life.

Very true. If remodeling the outside of the house, it’s probably a good idea to keep it within similar homes in the neighborhood. We have a neighbor that painted the outside of the house a baby blue color and I kept thinking that they must have gotten the paint for free. I guess that’s what makes life interesting.

New sprinklers and a lawn can add tremendous value and curb appeal. The best part of doing it yourself, you will know where all the pipes are located. Also, you will be able to use higher quality sprinkler heads and be able to do your own maintenance, since you installed them yourself. A great lawn is so much fun for the entire family to enjoy.

Yes, I sure did. I had to hire a plumber to relocate the copper and drain line, but the rest was done by my dad and myself. We put in new tile, wainscoting, a new pedestal sink, baseboard molding, crown molding, and new fixtures. My wife was very happy with the new bathroom, so I guess it passed inspection.

My wife and I also researched patio furniture all last year and couldn’t find anything that really looked like it would last for years. We found some patio furniture at Target and Costco, but I was afraid it wouldn’t stand up to the rain or sun. I guess we could get some furniture covers or a tarp. I was also keeping my eye out for any deep discounts during fall or winter, but never found any for outdoor furniture. Hopefully this year:)

I never thought about negotiating construction costs – I’ll have to keep that in mind when the weather gets a little nicer.