 | John Niedens is part owner and one of the systems operators of Texturite, LLC. John has no problem expressing who he believes his favorite teacher to be. It is Marvin, his father. John began at the very young age of 14 in the construction and remodeling business as a framer, pursuing a maintenance and remodeling business of his own when he started high school at Kapaun Mount Carmel. John has had experience in everything from kitchen design to all facets of construction and remodeling. Since his tenure with Texturite, John has created Sahara, Texturite's most popular wall finish. Incorporating neutral colors with texture and sand, Sahara can hide old wallpaper, and turn it into an eye-popping work of art. To find out more about Sahara and all of the Texturite processes, visit www.texturite.com. To contact John, call (316) 210-7800. |
Home Improvement
2005-10-01 14:59:00
Breathing new life into old home
: I love my neighborhood, but I'm sick of my house. Is it cheaper to just move and start over or try to make my current house what I'm looking for in a new home?
ANSWER: Really there are three answers to your question: start looking for a home that offers all that you are looking for plus the neighborhood, continue living in your house as it is, or do some remodeling and possibly breathe new life into your old home.Consider how much it will cost you to move into another home. If you move into a house of comparable size, take into account such factors as the price of the house, closing costs associated with the loan, moving expense, add some repair and paint work on the old home, and you could be looking at several thousand dollars just to be located in a different house. Those thousands could go a long way into making your present home 'new to you'.A new car will depreciate the moment you drive it off the lot, but your home and the improvements you perform on it can show you a tremendous return on your investment over the next 10 to 20 years. The term "remodeling" covers a broad area and includes anything from a minor kitchen or bathroom job to a complete expansion which takes up to six months to complete and could give you a breath-taking new home.If you do decide to improve your old home, you might want to start off by making a list of things you like and dislike about the home. Prioritize your list into the top ten things you want, and then set a budget to cover as many things as you can on that list. You will probably wind up eliminating some of the "wants," but the process of setting a good budget will help you get as many things as you desire for your project. Because major remodeling is a major investment, most consumers finance their projects through long-term loans available from a variety of sources, including mortgage companies, banks, and credit unions.Remodeling your home is not only a chance to reshape your home, but you might also find that you can improve upon it. There are interior and exterior paints these days that could last 15-20 years, there are new windows with insulated glass and low-E coatings for energy efficiency, and there are computer software programs that can be used to visualize the entire color scheme before the project begins. You might find that your remodeling job not only makes your house look better, but it could make your house more efficient.The fall and winter months are a great time to begin attending trade shows that specialize in new products for the home and for remodeling. In addition to gathering ideas on improving your home, you might even be able to select your next remodeler at one of these shows. Different remodelers are often on site to introduce themselves. You can study displays of before and after pictures, floor products, tiles for your bathroom, or counter tops for your kitchen. You may also be able to see some custom-made cabinets, state-of-the-art appliances, or sample an outdoor deck.The time you invest in one of these trade shows can offer immediate pay off. They allow you to pack into one day all the shopping and information gathering that would normally take several weeks.
