Alright, as always, I'm never done here at my place. I'm finishing up my office project here in a week or so, and then it's back to the outside to resume my outdoor renovations (going on the third year for the whole remodel project). This SHOULD be the last summer to complete the renovations. I know a few of you are familiar with what I've done so far with the outside of my place (one of the threads documenting the process). I'm almost finished with the deck rebuild from last summer (tore old one off, built a better one, and put a roof over it). Now, we're ready to tackle the last level of patio to match the tinted concrete from the first pour two summers ago. Here's a picture of the unfinished section as it stands today (please forgive how crappy it looks, we stopped in the middle of tear out last fall): The plan is to side the front of the house you see there (fir out the existing face, and place Styrofoam insulation, then siding on top), pour the patio in the space you see, and build a stone fire pit where I'm standing in the pictures). I personally don't like the existing retaining wall, and given the fact that it's back-filled directly against with no drainage, there is some leaning as well. In the link above, you will see I've already rebuilt the existing retaining walls, and extended them much further out as seen below: My question to you guys is this. To re-do the existing retaining wall with the blocks I used in the other walls, I would imagine it will cost an extra $2-$3k including a load or two of 2b for drainage, not to mention, add on and extra three weeks or so of labor of just me doing it (plus maybe my father). It may push the project through summer, and into fall if not cause me not to finish until next summer. My wife says to leave the wall as is (surprisingly), but I'm very picky. I'm all about resell. I have plans to sell this place (possibly in two years if a possible lead comes to fruition on another place), and I'm looking at minimizing overworking the place beyond what the market can sustain, and focusing only on projects that will really help sell the place. If you were looking to buy a place, and you saw a retaining wall like the original above, would that be enough of a turn off to sway your decision one way or another? Be honest (I know it isn't pretty:D).
If your thinking resale in the next couple of years...........before you put time and $$$ into that your kitchen and bathrooms better be killer. I've found in 4 years at my place and seeing a lot of similar houses around me sell in that time that no matter what you do you can only get XXX for a home based on where it sits. The homes that sell for the top end here have fantastic kitchens, bathrooms, and decent lanscaping and curb appeal last. If you feel you are already at that level by comparing to homes around you and what they sell for then more money into it won't get you a dime back. I've hit the point with our house that every extra dime we have is better spent on paying down the mortgage, other debt, as well as savings and retirement. I'm never going to get more for my $$$ than our home is worth right now.
Matt, my kitchen is rather large. It's not high end, but not an eye sore either. It just has green Formica countertops, ash cabinets, stainless steel stove (electric range), dishwasher, and simple side by side refrigerator (non stainless steel). The kitchen has oak hardwood floors with a sliding door access to the wrap around deck I rebuilt this past summer. All in all, the kitchen is slightly under 600sq.ft (counting the open/attached foyer/dining room). Our bathrooms are small. The attached master is somewhat modern, but small. The hallway bathroom upstairs is small AND dated (project for next winter), and finally the bathroom off the laundry room is pretty up to date, although being a 1/2 bath, it's small as well. The bathroom size is my
There appears to be gaps at the bottom of the retaining wall and maybe some erosion towards the house (appears to be a hump there). If I were considering this home, I would be bringing in a landscaper to look at the wall. If you redid the wall like you show with firepit, it would a draw for buyers. Curb appeal and outdoor appearance can make or break a deal real easy.
You're seeing correct, unfortunately. The guy who built much of the things I'm going around fixing was a contractor of all things. The bowing and gaps you mentioned are of major concern for me as well.
In that case, replacing the wall is the thing to do. If you don't, rest assured it will not help on resale.
I would definitely make sure the dated bathroom is updated, and maybe replace the refrigerator with stainless (to match the rest of the appliances), with that extra $3K. Exterior upgrades are eye-catchers, and may help seal the deal between two similarly priced and featured homes. You will not recover (in your sale price) nearly the amount invested in exterior renovations, as opposed to updating the kitchen or bathrooms. I think the general rule of return on investment on kitchen/bathroom work is something like 60%, while exterior is around 10-15%.
The exteriors of my previous two homes were what really sold the properties. On the first, my wife planted perennials along the sidewalk and in a couple flower beds and the the buyer's wife wanted that house BEFORE she saw the interior. I bought the property for $25K and sold it for $54K two years later. The only other thing we did on this house was tear out the interior panelling, paint the interior and put the original interior doors in the home (1900's home). Our second house, we did a little more. Wife put in 12 different flower beds (all perennials), I resided and put in all new windows. The buyer actually begged me to put it on the market because his wife wanted the house with all the beautiful gardens. Bought for $89K and sold it 12 years later for $151K. Anyway, the point is when there is going to be big $$$ exhanged on a home purchase, you have to get them to want to see inside by the way it appears outside. To tip the scales a little further in your direction, either throw a pot roast in a crock pot a couple hours before the potential buyers show up or have fresh home baked chocolate chip cookies on the counter with the aroma still in the home when they arrive. Either way it subconciously gives them the feeling of being "home".
You've been saying you're gonna visit, I'll show it to you. I just mowed the field weeds down. 175 acres to hunt 5 miles away.
If you trust the agent you dealt with when buying your current house, i would call them. They're in the business of knowing whats going to sell. From what I've seen in your photos of your improvements over the years, that retaining wall would not be a deal breaker by any means.
From your description... it sounds like you need new kitchen work, definitely counter tops and updated bathrooms more than a retaining wall.
In time. The only thing I would ever change in my kitchen would be a new countertop (because everyone thinks they need granite thanks to hgtv...possibly the stainless fridge. I'm counting on the size of it doing most of the selling. Bathroom will be remodeled this winter. I was out looking the wall over today discussing with my dad. I think I'm going to go ahead and replace it since it's simply not structurally correct, and it's only getting worse with every year...gotta finish the deck roof first . Another busy summer.
Well... you ask... but already had the answer you wanted in your mind. Our mind sometimes plays tricks on us. My wife and I both sold real estate for a while. We always laughed at what home owners thought was important and valuable about their house. And then we had the buyers come in and tell us what they thought was important. They never matched. That said.... the cost to replace the wall and redo it will never be regained in sale. Please a wife. Put in the new counters and fix up the baths. Money well spent. Fix up a basement... half money well spent. Fix up a retaining wall... well it's money spent.
Absolutely. I wanted to see if anyone could make a solid argument for leaving it as it and convince me to let it go. I'm not saying I will ever get my money back out of this (I'm no real estate agent), but I can't foresee myself going through all of the trouble of finishing the concrete patio and siding of the house on this side, and leaving that retaining wall as is. I also came up with an idea that will cut my cubic yd. requirement for the concrete patio down quite a bit in redoing this wall, so I will save some money there as well. I suppose you can look at it all as a gamble. In the end, I decided (ultimately, yes, after this thread was posted), that I would rather be happy with the results of a complete project knowing that I didn't half-a** any parts, rather than squeezing every last penny out of my "investment." Who knows, as I said in the first post, I may be here much longer than two years, and if so, I sure as heck don't want to be reminded of that crap wall every time I walk out on to the patio. Good news is I rarely if ever have to pay for labor doing it myself, so that helps recoup costs better as well.
