If you are considering changing your home, it is important to decide if “wreck-o-vating” or the process of completely tearing apart a room and redoing it entirely is worth the effort. There are many opponents to wreckovating, but in some cases, this style of renovating may be necessary. Here is a quick guide to help you determine whether or not wreckovating your home is a good idea.
1. What is the time period that the home was built?
This is the biggest factor when it comes to wreckovating and what it will do to the overall value and aesthetic appeal of your home. Generally, homes from pre-1940 that were not tract houses will have a lot of charm and features that should not be lost. Homes built during the housing boom of the 1950’s to now may not have these special details.
While completely changing the interior of an arts and crafts cottage may suit your tastes, will it increase the value of the home? Generally, when you are dealing with an older home that has those little touches you do not want to demolish them. They are what bring the home its charm. Wreckovating a home like that is considered to be a travesty by many people.
This is another common problem with Victorian homes. The small room sizes and quirky details may hamper your style a bit, but they are part of what makes that home “Victorian.” Removing these elements may greatly devalue the house, even if they do provide you with features that you need.
2. Will wreckovating enhance a room?
In many cases, a wreckovation is needed in many homes, particularly if they are dated and not as functional as they could be. Unless the house has character features, wreckovating can be quite useful and will actually increase the value of your home.
For an example, let’s say that your post-1960 home has a galley kitchen that is very narrow. You may be tired of feeling like a sardine in there and sick of dealing with the cramped space. Since there is an attached dining room, you have the room to expand that kitchen and make it more functional. This will only add to the value of your home and can greatly improve how much use you get out of that particular room.
While the decision to wreckovate is usually made when weighing how much use you get out of the finished product, the integrity of the style of your home should be considered. If you have custom woodwork, built-ins and other great little features, it may be best to restore them instead of ripping them out. A lot of work went into making those things and many of the techniques used have been lost to time. It is better to preserve those items and try to retain as much of their original character as possible.
Wreckovating has its place, but typically only when it can increase the value of your home and not take away from its original charm.
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Originally posted 2008-10-08 05:18:12. Republished by Old Post Promoter
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did you hear about the home that sold for $1.75 on ebay?
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