23 Best And Worst Home Upgrades And Projects Posted by Dannica Ramirez Last Updated: April 13, 2024 Donations Make us online 23 Best And Worst Home Upgrades And Projects Being a homeowner comes with making a lot of decisions —sometimes, what you choose to splurge on is totally worth it, and other times…the regret starts to settle in quickly. Recently, homeowners of the BuzzFeed Community shared with me the home upgrades, renovations, and projects that were and weren’t worth the money, and I’m taking some serious notes. Here’s some advice from homeowners that may have you rethinking that future splurge: 1. BEST: “We built our home gym and love it! It has everything we want, and we don’t have to get a gym membership to use it. It’s been nine years, and we use it almost daily. You have to put money in it so you don’t feel like you’re missing out, though. We have three bars and very high-quality plates. We built a platform so we could drop the weights when deadlifting. The squat rack has a monolift, the bench has a thick pad, I bought a pully system for glutes and back, and there’s so much more.” 2. WORST: “An air bath. It was such a massive expense in the master bathroom. It looks nicer than baths with whirlpool jets since it just has a series of perforations on the base, but it leaked after a year. The electrics went out after about five years. Cleaning it was a bitch, too.” 3. BEST: “Good windows. Yes, they can get very expensive, but it was worth cutting out other things to afford them. We were replacing 150-year-old single-pane windows that had probably shifted a lot in their frames, so almost anything would’ve been a step up. Still, this was a major improvement in terms of noise (we’re near a popular park) and temperature control.” 4. WORST: “I had my skylight removed because hail got to it. Sure, it adds light, but it also adds heat. No, thank you.” 5. BEST: “I’ve had my solar panels for a year and couldn’t be happier! I only used 10% of the power I created, so the power company has to pay me for the extra. I have a 25-year loan that’s only $75/month (much cheaper than the electric bill I would’ve had), so it made the most sense financially. I also live in a city known for being rainy, and so far, that hasn’t been a problem. I’ve created more energy than I need every single day, and it’s so much better for the environment. Best decision I’ve made.” 6. WORST: “Heated floors are the absolute worst. They’re known for failure, and repairing them requires chipping up concrete. They’re expensive, time-consuming, and inevitable. Don’t do it.” 7. BEST: “We had a hot tub and loved it. Winter in Minnesota with little flakes of snow paired with the steam rising from the tub? Absolute bliss. They do take maintenance, but it was so worth it for us.” 8. WORST: “Leather furniture — but it depends. Some cheaper leather furniture often just has a surface stain and a glossy/waxy coating, so scratches REALLY show and are hard to hide. Also, ‘genuine leather’ is meaningless because it can include ‘bonded leather,’ which is made from ground-up scraps glued together. Your best bet is a ‘distressed’ mid-to-deep color with some striations/color variations, just like a vintage bomber jacket. That pristine, glossy-black modern look will not last long, especially with kids and pets.” 9. BEST: “A built-in backyard barbecue with a countertop and mini fridge. It’s like having an additional room for entertaining.” 10. WORST: “Wall-to-wall carpet is so NASTY. I bought my own carpet shampooer (like an upright vac, but wet) because it cost about the same as having pros come in and clean two rooms. It is 100% worth it, considering I use it every week or so, but emptying the dirty water after using it on the carpet is like pouring out a mud puddle. GROSS!” 11. BEST: “Plumbing and fixtures are some of the best splurges. New toilets are more efficient and quick, new faucets upgrade the look of bathrooms and kitchens, and new under-sink piping eliminates leaks, among other things. A recirculating hot water pump for our bathroom has been a great money saver. It took forever for the tap water in the bathroom sink to get warm, but our new programmable pump gives us instant hot water when needed.” 12. WORST: “When we built our house 26 years ago, I had to have a jetted tub. Never again. Unless you use it all the time, the jets get gunky. I had to spend time filling the tub and blowing out the crap in the jets whenever I wanted to use it.” 13. BEST: “A koi pond! Our pond is nine years old, and our koi are large and have reproduced. If you enjoy the beauty and enjoy the fish, it’s worth it.” 14. WORST: “The worst thing is anything that does not increase the dollar resale value of your home, like kitchen islands. Remember when EVERYONE had to have an island in their kitchen, even when it didn’t fit? Even when it interfered with the open floor plan? Kitchen islands quickly become a pit stop for jackets, purses, books, recycling, and more, and all that clutter just sits in the middle of the kitchen. Nope. Big waste of money.” 15. BEST: “Quartz countertops add a significant amount of value to your home and are beautiful. The upkeep is easy, and they bring in light.” 16. WORST: “The worst thing we did was put an oversized jacuzzi tub in our master bath. My hubby wanted a tub big enough for two. It was a nice romantic gesture but it uses too much water and is a pain to clean. We’ve used it maybe a dozen times in 20 years. The only redeeming thing is that it’s also our shower, so at least we didn’t waste space on just a tub.” 17. BEST: “A tankless water heater is definitely worth the investment. Yes, it’s slightly more expensive upfront than a standard tank, BUT the savings down the road are monumental! Plus, you have endless hot water to bathe, wash, etc. I installed one about 16 years ago and have never had an issue. In fact, the gas portion of my bill is the smallest among all utilities.” 18. WORST: “Any exterior feature made of wood — wood siding, wood deck, etc. Don’t do it. It’s going to require frequent painting or treating, and it’s going to rot anyway. Spend the extra bucks and hardscape it.” 19. BEST: “An automatic generator! It was expensive to install, but every time a winter storm knocks the power out, I’m so grateful for it!” 20. WORST: “A home office. We’re retired now, so there’s not really a use for it. Even then, nowadays, an ‘office’ is limited to a laptop!” 21. BEST: “Organizational pull-out shelves/cabinets in the kitchen. It prevents the backache and hassle of bending over to look for pots, pans, skillets, etc.” 22. WORST: “Glass shower doors. They’re impossible to keep clean!” 23. Lastly — BEST: “Heated toilet seats paired with a bidet. Need I say more?” As a proud bidet user, I attest that it is a fabulous splurge! If you’re a homeowner, what are the best and worst things to spend money on? What upgrade or project is worth it, and which ones aren’t? Let me know in the comments, or you can anonymously submit using this form! Source link
Being a homeowner comes with making a lot of decisions —sometimes, what you choose to splurge on is totally worth it, and other times…the regret starts to settle in quickly. Recently, homeowners of the BuzzFeed Community shared with me the home upgrades, renovations, and projects that were and weren’t worth the money, and I’m taking some serious notes. Here’s some advice from homeowners that may have you rethinking that future splurge: 1. BEST: “We built our home gym and love it! It has everything we want, and we don’t have to get a gym membership to use it. It’s been nine years, and we use it almost daily. You have to put money in it so you don’t feel like you’re missing out, though. We have three bars and very high-quality plates. We built a platform so we could drop the weights when deadlifting. The squat rack has a monolift, the bench has a thick pad, I bought a pully system for glutes and back, and there’s so much more.” 2. WORST: “An air bath. It was such a massive expense in the master bathroom. It looks nicer than baths with whirlpool jets since it just has a series of perforations on the base, but it leaked after a year. The electrics went out after about five years. Cleaning it was a bitch, too.” 3. BEST: “Good windows. Yes, they can get very expensive, but it was worth cutting out other things to afford them. We were replacing 150-year-old single-pane windows that had probably shifted a lot in their frames, so almost anything would’ve been a step up. Still, this was a major improvement in terms of noise (we’re near a popular park) and temperature control.” 4. WORST: “I had my skylight removed because hail got to it. Sure, it adds light, but it also adds heat. No, thank you.” 5. BEST: “I’ve had my solar panels for a year and couldn’t be happier! I only used 10% of the power I created, so the power company has to pay me for the extra. I have a 25-year loan that’s only $75/month (much cheaper than the electric bill I would’ve had), so it made the most sense financially. I also live in a city known for being rainy, and so far, that hasn’t been a problem. I’ve created more energy than I need every single day, and it’s so much better for the environment. Best decision I’ve made.” 6. WORST: “Heated floors are the absolute worst. They’re known for failure, and repairing them requires chipping up concrete. They’re expensive, time-consuming, and inevitable. Don’t do it.” 7. BEST: “We had a hot tub and loved it. Winter in Minnesota with little flakes of snow paired with the steam rising from the tub? Absolute bliss. They do take maintenance, but it was so worth it for us.” 8. WORST: “Leather furniture — but it depends. Some cheaper leather furniture often just has a surface stain and a glossy/waxy coating, so scratches REALLY show and are hard to hide. Also, ‘genuine leather’ is meaningless because it can include ‘bonded leather,’ which is made from ground-up scraps glued together. Your best bet is a ‘distressed’ mid-to-deep color with some striations/color variations, just like a vintage bomber jacket. That pristine, glossy-black modern look will not last long, especially with kids and pets.” 9. BEST: “A built-in backyard barbecue with a countertop and mini fridge. It’s like having an additional room for entertaining.” 10. WORST: “Wall-to-wall carpet is so NASTY. I bought my own carpet shampooer (like an upright vac, but wet) because it cost about the same as having pros come in and clean two rooms. It is 100% worth it, considering I use it every week or so, but emptying the dirty water after using it on the carpet is like pouring out a mud puddle. GROSS!” 11. BEST: “Plumbing and fixtures are some of the best splurges. New toilets are more efficient and quick, new faucets upgrade the look of bathrooms and kitchens, and new under-sink piping eliminates leaks, among other things. A recirculating hot water pump for our bathroom has been a great money saver. It took forever for the tap water in the bathroom sink to get warm, but our new programmable pump gives us instant hot water when needed.” 12. WORST: “When we built our house 26 years ago, I had to have a jetted tub. Never again. Unless you use it all the time, the jets get gunky. I had to spend time filling the tub and blowing out the crap in the jets whenever I wanted to use it.” 13. BEST: “A koi pond! Our pond is nine years old, and our koi are large and have reproduced. If you enjoy the beauty and enjoy the fish, it’s worth it.” 14. WORST: “The worst thing is anything that does not increase the dollar resale value of your home, like kitchen islands. Remember when EVERYONE had to have an island in their kitchen, even when it didn’t fit? Even when it interfered with the open floor plan? Kitchen islands quickly become a pit stop for jackets, purses, books, recycling, and more, and all that clutter just sits in the middle of the kitchen. Nope. Big waste of money.” 15. BEST: “Quartz countertops add a significant amount of value to your home and are beautiful. The upkeep is easy, and they bring in light.” 16. WORST: “The worst thing we did was put an oversized jacuzzi tub in our master bath. My hubby wanted a tub big enough for two. It was a nice romantic gesture but it uses too much water and is a pain to clean. We’ve used it maybe a dozen times in 20 years. The only redeeming thing is that it’s also our shower, so at least we didn’t waste space on just a tub.” 17. BEST: “A tankless water heater is definitely worth the investment. Yes, it’s slightly more expensive upfront than a standard tank, BUT the savings down the road are monumental! Plus, you have endless hot water to bathe, wash, etc. I installed one about 16 years ago and have never had an issue. In fact, the gas portion of my bill is the smallest among all utilities.” 18. WORST: “Any exterior feature made of wood — wood siding, wood deck, etc. Don’t do it. It’s going to require frequent painting or treating, and it’s going to rot anyway. Spend the extra bucks and hardscape it.” 19. BEST: “An automatic generator! It was expensive to install, but every time a winter storm knocks the power out, I’m so grateful for it!” 20. WORST: “A home office. We’re retired now, so there’s not really a use for it. Even then, nowadays, an ‘office’ is limited to a laptop!” 21. BEST: “Organizational pull-out shelves/cabinets in the kitchen. It prevents the backache and hassle of bending over to look for pots, pans, skillets, etc.” 22. WORST: “Glass shower doors. They’re impossible to keep clean!” 23. Lastly — BEST: “Heated toilet seats paired with a bidet. Need I say more?” As a proud bidet user, I attest that it is a fabulous splurge! If you’re a homeowner, what are the best and worst things to spend money on? What upgrade or project is worth it, and which ones aren’t? Let me know in the comments, or you can anonymously submit using this form!
