How to Do House Renovations to Add Value

Calculate a budget for home improvements. Make a list of the improvements you would like to make and prioritize your list with your top choice first and so on.

Measure each room in your house and transfer your measurements to a 24-by-36-inch size 1/4-inch square graph paper. You can find this paper at engineering stores. Draw all of the walls at slightly less than 1/16 inch thick. Add all windows, doors, door swings, cabinets, appliances, fixtures, stairs and fireplaces.

Place the floor plan on a table and tape it down. Place tracing paper over the graph paper and tape it down. Sketch in the renovations. Try several variations of drawings until you are certain of your design. Draw up a new plan that combines the existing floor plan and the renovations.

Make several copies of your new floor plan. Visit the city building department and ask them for feedback on your plans. Jot down the cost of building permits and any other limitations the city requires. Send a copy of your plans to several contractors to request bids for the renovations. These should be reputable licensed contractors with references you have checked. Jot down their bids for each item on your list.

Invite the top selling real estate agent in your neighborhood and area to visit your home. Ask them to review your house, neighborhood and renovation plans. Often top agents know what the neighborhood micro-market can bear in terms of remodeling. They also know what features have the biggest value add.

Review the entire set of plans and jot notes about their recommended order of renovation and top budget for those renovations. Take the agent to lunch or dinner as a way to thank them for their time.

Sit down with your budget and the real numbers of each renovation. Place your list in your revised order based on the recommendations of the agent and your altered budget and probable expenses. Determine which renovations are the best value for your particular home and which to avoid.