Fireplace Remodeling And The Value Of Your Home

Costs Of Fireplace Remodeling Projects

To boost your home value, you need to make sure that your investment is worthwhile.  This investment is not restricted to money with time, energy, and inconvenience compounded over longer projects.  When remodeling your fireplace, the primary costs emerge when dealing with outside laborers.  Professional designers pay top dollar per project in exchange for unique ideas and top-notch artisanal skills.  Labor costs slide downward as you look at general contractors and part-time laborers.  Even if you complete a fireplace remodeling project on your own, you need to calculate the opportunity cost of spending your time on the project instead of at work. 

Labor costs are only part of the picture when estimating costs for fireplace remodeling projects.  You will need to find masonry products including stone and mortar to form the foundation of your fireplace.  Decorative stone on top of the foundation layer can be prohibitively expensive for many homeowners.  As you start your remodeling project, you may discover that the chimney needs to be refurbished to keep smoke moving upward.  Accessories including fireplace screens, grates, and cooking tools add quickly to your fireplace remodeling costs.  In the end, however, these costs may boost your home value significantly for a variety of reasons. 

Enhancing Living Room Décor

Real estate agents throughout the United States understand the importance of aesthetic appeal.  These housing experts know when they step into living rooms whether houses are marketable.  The aesthetic appeal of a house is not strictly related to its outward appearance, furnishings, and appliances.  A savvy buyer will look beyond the obvious selling points to finer details like the appearance of a fireplace.  As consumers become better educated about home buying, the need for a stylish fireplace among other home details is critical.  By remodeling your fireplace, you can increase offers on your home as it hits the market. 

A fireplace remodeling project raises buyer offers, thanks to reduced credits and more effective advertising.  Buyers and sellers in the housing market work out credits whereby the seller pays a certain amount to refurbish the property.  Your new fireplace and chimney can preemptively reduce your credits, making for an easier negotiation with interested parties.  Your real estate agent will also have a simpler time attracting interest by using your remodeled fireplace as a centerpiece.  From brochures to online photos, your remodeled fireplace sets your living room apart from the competition. 

Improving Air Quality And Safety

Living room décor is great when selling your home, but a remodeled fireplace can also save your life.  You need only think of the endless fires set in your fireplace along with the accompanying debris and smoke.  Older fireplaces begin to fall apart, thereby threatening the structural integrity of the chimney.  As the fireplace begins to decay, the chimney may not be capable of removing all the smoke from your home.  This inability to keep your home’s air quality clean means that your family may be open to respiratory problems.  You can reduce health hazards for your family and future owners by investing in a remodeled fireplace. 

To ensure that your remodeled fireplace is safe, you should develop a relationship with your building inspector.  A building inspector will look through new and remodeled homes to ensure that everything meets municipal building codes.  Your inspector may also offer advice on remodeling and refurbishing projects that can help your home exceed these codes.  While your inspector is not responsible for boosting your home value, it is important to follow his advice to keep your home safe.  With your fireplace passing inspection, you can tout this remodeled element of your home to friends and potential buyers. 

Keeping Up With The Latest Trends

Every homeowner has to balance classic design with the cutting edge when thinking about fireplace remodels.  Your fireplace may reflect the artisanal roots and historical origins of your home.  With this type of fireplace, you may be focused more on switching out old stones with new stones rather than radically changing designs.  Many homeowners have basic fireplaces that were chosen based on budgetary concerns by home developers.  You can eschew sentimental attachments to your cost-effective fireplace as you try to keep up with the latest trends in fireplace design. 

The main reason to remodel your fireplace based on the latest trends is to keep your interior design consistent.  As a stylish homeowner, you won’t likely own the same couches, picture frames, and tables over a generation.  With light remodels every few years, you keep your fireplace in the present instead of the past.  This attention to a consistent design narrative has the consequence of improving your home value.  Prospective buyers touring your home after a fireplace remodel will be wowed by the overall attention to detail.  The highest bidder on your home needs to spend less money on remodeling the fireplace, which will create motivation for a higher sale price. 

Showing Good Faith To Buyers

Homeowners hitting the open market with their properties soon find that home values are partially related to psychology.  The overall economic environment in the United States can dictate how much a buyer offers compared to your appraised value.  Potential buyers are looking for the smallest flaws and detriments in homes to scuttle deals.  You can ease the initial tension common between buyers and sellers by explaining the fireplace remodeling project. 

As you meet with interested parties, it is important to highlight the fireplace and tell its story.  You should point out premium stone and accessories that would be included with the home purchase.  Details about handcrafting by expert contractors and safety certifications show that you have put great care into your home.  By pointing out your due diligence in renovating the fireplace, you can make an interested buyer more willing to pay market value for your home.