Anyone in business is probably familiar with the “Fast, Good, Cheap” project model. You get to pick any two: you can have something done quickly and well, but it will not be cheap. You can have something done well for not a lot of money, but it will take a long time. This Iron Triangle holds true in home improvements. How you arrange your priorities is bound by the same three factors.
Needs Before Wants
Give your house a critical look from the top down, literally. Without endangering yourself by climbing up on your roof, check the condition of the one part of your home that protects all the rest. If your roof is in rough shape, that is your priority.
Sure, a new roof or major roof repair will not be as heartwarming as that new hot tub you may want, or as endearing to neighbors as a new deck for parties, but it will keep the rest of your house safe from water infiltration, mold, pests and diminished curb appeal.
Budget
Using your house as collateral to improve your house is not the best way to approach financing home improvement projects. Save as much as you can to mostly pay cash for home improvements.
Most Atlanta home improvement contractors understand the financial realities of their customers. Echols Home Improvements, for example, can work with you to arrange financing and spread costs out.
Fast and Good
When considering needed home improvements, always choose fast and good over cheap. You are preserving or adding to the value of your home, so every improvement should use the best materials and finest craftsmanship your budget allows. If this means waiting three months before contracting for beautiful, durable James Hardie siding, then wait.
Cheap is Expensive
When helping clients make priorities, Atlanta home improvement contractors will usually advise on three pricing levels of materials. Your impulse might be to always choose the cheapest material option. Pressure-treated lumber, for example, may be less expensive to buy and install for a deck than Trex® composite decking. Trex® needs almost no maintenance, though, and needs no painting. The pressure-treated lumber will gray, requires constant upkeep, and soaks up gallons of stain to hide the aging wood.
Contact us at Echols Home Improvements, one of the best Atlanta home improvement contractors, for advice on prioritizing your fix-up list. We can provide roofing, decks, siding and much more.