Harv Balu's blog

Home Improvement Payback Guide, part 18 of 21

Illustrative photo, not a Bay Area property. Photo from Pexels.

A bigger bedroom. A walk in closet. A tub you can actually soak in. If your home feels tight, a primary suite addition sounds like the fix. But before you call a contractor, it is fair to ask what that new space will be worth on the day you sell.

Here is the short answer. A primary suite addition is one of the weakest projects for payback. In the 2021 national Cost vs. Value study, it ranked number 18 of the 20 projects this guide covers. You may love the new space, but do not...

Home Improvement Payback Guide, part 19 of 21

Illustrative photo, not a Bay Area property. Photo from Pexels.

You have seen this kitchen in magazines. The stone island, the pro style range, the cabinets built just for the space. If you are dreaming about building it in your own home, one question probably keeps coming up: when you sell, does that money come back?

The short answer: on average, most of it does not. In the 2021 national Cost vs. Value study, the upscale major kitchen remodel ranked number 19 of the 20 projects this guide covers. Only one project in this guide returned a...

Home Improvement Payback Guide, part 20 of 21

Illustrative photo, not a Bay Area property. Photo from Pexels.

Thinking about adding a bathroom before you sell? It feels like a sure winner. More bathrooms, more buyers, a higher price. That is the hope. The numbers tell a different story, and if you own a home in Fremont, Newark or Union City, you should see them before you call a contractor.

Here is the short answer. Out of the 20 projects this guide covers, a bathroom addition ranked number 20. Dead last. On average, only part of the cost shows up again in the sale price. That does not...