| Living Room Upgrade: Value Boosts and Final Tally |
From "Sweat Equity"
episode DSEQ-101 |
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Homeowner Jeanne Panuczak restored her damaged walls and installed an attractive pre-finished hardwood floor to renovate her living room. Jeanne shares a few of smaller additions, which collectively help to boost her home equity.
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Figure A
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Figure B
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Figure C
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Figure D
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Figure E
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Safety Alerts:- Consult with a licensed electrician to prevent against overloading a circuit. Always turn off power before working on a circuit.
- Wear appropriate protective eyewear and clothing when working near insulation and using power tools.
- Make sure to select light fixtures rated for direct contact with insulation.
Sweat Equity Extras: - Spending $500, Jeanne contracts a licensed electrician to update the electrical work in her century-old living room. With proper wiring, he installs a series of can lights (figure A), two new pendant lights for a dining area (figure B) and a decorative chandelier (figure C) for the sitting area.
Total cost for the new light fixtures = $635 - To complement the new hardwood floor, and add room appeal, Jeanne also installs three new bamboo window blinds (figure D).
Cost of the blinds = $125 - Although it does not immediately boost the equity of her home, Adam helps Jeanne plant an autumn blaze maple sapling in her front yard (figure E). Like the tree, the equity in her home should blossom in a few years.
Cost of the sapling = $150
Coming in slightly over budget, Jeanne's hard work still greatly improves the room. Were her hard decisions worth it? Check out the final tally and estimated return on her investment. Final Tally: floors = $2,845
electrician = $500
skim coat = $135
paint = $153
lighting = $635
blinds = $125 TOTAL = $4,393 REALTOR'S ESTIMATED VALUE INCREASE = $15,000 TOTAL COST OF MATERIALS = $4,393 NET RETURN ON INVESTMENT $10,607
RESOURCES :
Maverick Home Remodeling, Inc.
Website: www.maverickhomeremodeling.com
Lumber Liquidators
Website: www.lumberliquidators.com
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![PHOTO](javascript:popup("http://img.diynetwork.com/DIY/2006/09/27/DSEQ101_Seg3_cans01_e.jpg",350,450))
![PHOTO](javascript:popup("http://img.diynetwork.com/DIY/2006/09/27/DSEQ101_Seg3_pendants02_e.jpg",350,450))
![PHOTO](javascript:popup("http://img.diynetwork.com/DIY/2006/09/27/DSEQ101_Seg3_chandelier03_e.jpg",350,450))
![PHOTO](javascript:popup("http://img.diynetwork.com/DIY/2006/09/27/DSEQ101_Seg3_blinds04_e.jpg",350,450))
![PHOTO](javascript:popup("http://img.diynetwork.com/DIY/2006/09/27/DSEQ101_Seg3_tree05_e.jpg",350,450))
