Costs for Popular Improvements in Austin

Now that the hustle and bustle of the holiday shopping season is in your rearview mirror and your finances have begun to recover, it's time to start thinking about home improvement. No homeowner wants to immediately plunge into debt after paying off the last of the holiday bills, but at least you get to spend the money on yourself. Investing in your home isn't like spoiling children, nieces and nephews, or grandchildren. The money you spend on home improvements is going to return tangible benefits in the form of reduced utility bills and increased property values.

Here's a rundown of the most common home improvement projects in Austin. Obviously your home improvement wish list is going to be based on your own home's need as much as anything else, but it's important to start planning for the cost of a project right away. It may be wise to finance a larger home improvement project. Getting a loan for a home improvement project isn't difficult for most homeowners. Plus, you won't have to worry about the extra expense of gift shopping till the end of the year.

Kitchen, Bathroom, and Other Major Home Remodels
Homeowners have been told a lot about the expense of home remodeling being recouped in increased property values. Many homeowners were told or convinced that kitchen remodeling ?paid for itself? with this added home value. The truth is the average home remodel only returns about 80 percent of its cost in property value. Of course, the choices you make can also influence the percentage.

The primary goal of any remodeling project should be to get what you want from that area of your home. That said, you may not have your heart absolutely set on every last detail of your kitchen remodel. Looking at how your decisions will affect the investment of the final value can help tip the scales in one direction or another.

In this sense, it's almost always best to go middle of the road. A luxurious granite counter will increase your property value, but not at the same percentage as a more economical, but still new, laminate counter. At the same time, purely decorative touches aren't going to help when it comes to property value. As much as you may love the color of your freshly-painted walls, there's no guarantee the next homeowner will. Home appraisers will look at permanent kitchen and bathroom fixtures and appliances, not the sudden popularity of a Tuscan-style kitchen or an urban contemporary bathroom.

This also helps explain what you intuitively already know. It doesn't make much financial sense to install a luxurious marble bathroom on a home in the middle of east Austin. It also doesn't make much sense to apply a new coat of paint to a kitchen in a more affluent Austin neighborhood and think you're suddenly keeping up with the Joneses.

Cost of a Full Kitchen Remodel
National Average: $54,250
Austin Average: $51,100

Cost of a Full Bathroom Remodel
National Average: $12,900
Austin Average: $11,700

New Asphalt Roofing and Replacement Windows
So long as you can find a reliable roofing contractor, it's almost hard to go wrong with any roofing project. Along with replacement windows, no area of your home will have a more immediate impact on your utility bills and energy consumption. Energy efficiency is often talked about in reducing heating costs, but smart home improvement projects can work just as well in hot climates. Roof coating will create a reflective surface that greatly reduces the amount of heat that enters your home. Replacement windows, too, are rated for heat gain as well as heat loss. If you're looking for a useful, measurably-valuable project these are both great ideas.

Cost of New Asphalt Roofing
National Average: $5,900
Austin Average: $5,100

Cost of Replacement Windows
National Average: $6,600
Austin Average: $4,100

The Cost of New Vinyl Siding and Exterior House Painting
If you're generally happy with your home's interior, you can always work on your home's curb appeal. It's not on everyone's wish list, but new siding or exterior paint is crucial to keep your home looking and performing at its best. Particularly, if your vinyl siding has faded or started to crack from the fierce Texas sun, it may be time to replace it. Otherwise, a fresh paint job can increase your home's curb appeal exponentially, and increase the lifetime of your vinyl siding.

Cost of New Vinyl Siding
National Average: $7,600
Austin Average: $6,900

Cost of Exterior House Painting
National Average: $3,000
Austin Average: $3,100

Install a New Deck
As an Austinite, you probably don't need to be sold on the value of a deck. Between the hot climate, Longhorn game day, summer evenings, and simply the extra living space, installing a new deck is almost like building a home addition at a fraction of the cost. If you don't already have a deck and have no immediate home improvement needs, this is probably the project for you. If you already have a deck, it may be time to think about upgrading, either with a larger deck or decking accessories such as outdoor misting systems or patio heaters.

Cost of Installing a New Deck
National Average: $13,700
Austin Average: $11,600