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.

Photo Credits: 1

Originally posted 2008-10-08 05:18:12. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Related Posts

• 4 Easy Little Touches Anyone Can Do To Their Home When it comes to home renovation, many people are under the impression that it means big projects that are costly. Actually, there are many different small and inexpensive projects that can be done that will not only make your house look great, but also increase its value. Most of these......
• Home Improvement Tips for Your Home When it comes to home improvement tips, it is important to keep in mind that the beauty of your home is absolutely in the eye of the beholder. A home is generally going to reflect the personality behind the residents. There is a very important role in home improvement that......
• Review of the Complete Photo Guide to Home Repair Black and Decker are known for the terrific DIY guides and this title is no exception. As the name suggests, you’re getting step by step photo instructions that make it easy for anyone to fix up their own home without having to be a professional handy person. You’ll get......
• The Best Home Improvements for Home Value Home improvement is a field that is relatively widespread in nature as there are a number of different ideas for you to choose from when it comes to choosing the best home improvements for your space. During the summer months, many people put thought into remodeling and improving their home,......
• Budget Fixes For Your House Fixing up the home is a task all of us have on our lists, but they never get done due to high costs for materials and labor. Home improvements do not have to blow the budget, however, and by doing it yourself, you can save even more. Here are seven......

Related Websites

• Kinds of Business Telephone Systems - A Simple Review Generally, there are four kinds of business telephone systems, namely the voice over internet protocol (VOIP), the KSU-less telephone system, the key telephone system, and the private branch exchange telephone system (PBX).All these telephone systems can provide the basic need of the business, and that is to converse with......
• How to Make Your Next Home Purchase Go Smoothly as Possible Buying a new home can be a very exciting experience in life, but it’s also a big commitment and a lot of work. If you don’t cross all of the T’s and dot all of the I’s, you’re asking for trouble. Follow these tips to make sure your next home......
• Rent vs Mortgage: Calculating Tangible and Intangible Costs We are still in the midst of what most would consider a great time to buy a house. Benefits are plenty for first time home buyers and those looking to trade up alike, including sizable tax credits and low interest rates. I personally know a number of people currently renting......
• Carpets For Bedroom How do you see the importance of bedroom in your house? A bedroom is a sign of comfort and it is very important to control the chamber in accordance with the mood and a separate structure from the house. Rugs for bedrooms are available in different colors, design, and style......
• Home Building Options - What is Meant by a Stick Built Home? Industry jargon can really put people off. In home building, it's often the reason why there is so much confusion and frustration. There are huge gaps in understanding between professional builders and their clients and this often results in a breakdown in communications.So, from time to time, I like......

Online Stores

• Victorian Chandeliers Home Lighting
• Dishwashers: Built-In Dishwashers Major Appliances Home Store
• Victorian Lamps Home Lighting
• Manufactured Homes Real Estate Opportunities

If you liked this article, vote for it on del.icio.us and stumbleupon.


Categories:

Handy Man, Kitchen, Wrecking

Tags:

1940, aesthetic appeal, arts and crafts, character features, cramped space, dining room, elements, galley kitchen, housing boom, opponents, sardine, tastes, time period, tract houses