PROJECT 5: Deck Addition (Wood)
Does adding a deck pay off??
Cost $10,973
Resale value $7,986
Cost recouped 72.8%
National averages
What this project entails: Add a 16-by-20-foot deck using pressure-treated joists supported by 4-by-4-foot posts anchored to concrete piers. Install pressure-treated deck boards in a simple linear pattern. Include a built-in bench and planter of the same decking material. Include stairs, assuming three steps to grade. Provide a complete railing system using pressure-treated wood posts, railings, and balusters.
A new wood deck can look stunning, but if not done correctly it could turn into a drawback to buyers. Home owners should also be sure a new deck isn’t too big or small. “Home owners can add an 8-by-8-foot wood deck, but it’s so small the space seems useless,” says Bosworth. “Or they can put on a deck that spans the length of the home. That’s great for entertaining, but they’ll never recoup the cost.”
Bosworth also recommends that sellers who need to save money choose a contractor who’ll let them do some of the work. “Have the footings poured by a professional and maybe the frame put together by one, too,” he says. “But anybody who knows how to use a screw gun can put in the floorboards and railings.”
Adding a natural stain can be a final selling point. “I hear constant complaints from home owners about having to stain the deck every year,” says Bosworth. “Colored stains like darker browns and reds wear very unevenly. Natural stains wear more evenly.”
Before any work begins on the new deck, make sure that permits are in place. “Home owners should check with their local code enforcement department,” Worley says. “People who work [in the department] will often give them free advice to help owners avoid mistakes. They may even provide copies of building codes so home owners can be sure railings are the correct height and vertical slats aren’t too far apart or close together, potentially dangerous for children or pets.”
This project is considered essential rather than discretionary in many markets, particularly in neighborhoods where every home has an outdoor living space. Hope you enjoyed the home seller tips. As a broker in the Willamette Valley with Sundance Realty, I would love to help you get your house SOLD!
To read this article in its entirety click this link:
http://www.realtor.org/rmohome_and_design/Articles/2011/1101_costvsvalue
Copyright National Association of REALTORS®. Reprinted with permission.
G.M. Filisko is a freelance writer for REALTOR® magazine. You can contact magazine staff at narpubs@realtors.org.
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