It's cheaper to improve than it is to move. That's especially true when you have special lifestyles. The Reges new square-footage is mostly devoted to an upscale kitchen where they can enjoy their culinary hobbies as well as entertain friends. There's lots of equity out there. I think we are on a tsunami wave,'' says Iris Harrell, owner of Harrell Remodeling Inc. in Menlo Park.
Additions add value.
A major kitchen remodel can boost the value of a home by 127 percent of the cost of the job in the nearby San Francisco market, according to Remodeling Magazine's 1996-1997 Cost vs. Value Report. Among the 60 cities surveyed for the report, the one closest to Santa Clara County is San Francisco. Today, according to Remodeling Magazine, the returned value could equal from 54 percent for replaced siding to 144 percent for a bathroom addition. Of course, the magazine's values aren't absolutes. Instead, experts advise, add home improvements that bring your home up to the neighborhood's standards.