Consider the Joy Score For Your Next Kitchen Renovation
When it comes to renovations and real estate people are often very focused on ROI (return on investment) but is that the best metric to measure?
Our day to day lives are governed by more than just dollars and cents. In fact quite the opposite, the are mostly governed by emotions and how we feel.
So in 2017 the National Association of Realtors created the Joy Score. It measures which renovations make people the happiest. Not too surprising is kitchen renovations and bathroom remodels top the list of those projects with the highest Joy Score.
Individual interior renovation projects reporting high “Joy Scores” included:
- Kitchen renovations: 10 (for both projects with hired professionals and done via DIY)
- Bathroom renovations: 9.6 (for both projects with hired professionals and done via DIY)
- Kitchen upgrades: 10 DIY; 9.2: hired professionals
Pet Renovations
One thing that was a little surprising was the Joy Score for renovations for pets. Now, at McManus Kitchen and Bath we love adding pet specific elements in to our design, after all the are a big part of a family. But we quite realize the impact in can have on a homeowners happiness.
Some of the most popular pet renovations included:
- Putting in a fence: 9.4 Joy Score for projects with professional installation, 9.5 for DIY
- Adding Luxury Vinyl floors: 9.3 for projects with professional installation, 9.5 for DIY
- Building in a doggie door: 9.1 for projects with professional installation, 9.2 for DIY
ROI vs Joy Score
Remodeling is expensive. One of the more common things we hear from homeowners during budget meetings is that cost “more than the they paid for the house” or “More than the house is worth”.
While this might be true there are some things to consider.
- Was the house bought 20 years ago? Housing costs have gone up and homes costs much more today.
- Could you sell your house with an outdated kitchen or bath?
- How much stress and inconvenience is your outdated kithcen or bath costing you.
It’s that thrid one that most people need to consider more. We use our kitchens and bathrooms every day, often mutilple times a day. Things like limited counter space, lack of storage or hard to clean surfaces can cause small daily frustrations that can really add up to big stressors over the months and years.
We own homes so that we can enjoy time with our family and friends, so we an relax and recharge away from a chaotic world and so that we can customize our daily routines for our needs.
Your home should facilitate happiness in your life, not be a barrier to it.
Thank you for reading! We’d love to be a part of your next remodel. Check out our Design Services page.
Paul McManus
Certified Residential Contractor, CRC1331326
Get Started With A Design and Budget Consult
We start each project with a Design and Budget Consult. It will help you clarify your design ideas, understand the remodeling process and create your Good Better Best budget. It’s the best way to start planning your project.
