Masters of the House

In a recent survey conducted by the National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB), 69 percent of homeowners said they’d like to have a larger master bedroom—and they were even willing to sacrifice space elsewhere to get it.?
????That’s certainly true in Northeast Florida, according to remodelers such as Ken Whyrick, who say master suite renovations and additions rank high on the list of popular projects.
????“People are looking at their bedrooms as retreat areas,” notes Whyrick, who recently took an extra bedroom in a Ponte Vedra Beach home and turned it into part of a new master suite complete with space for a home office and extra storage.?
????“If they have children living at home, they want a place to get away from all the activity,” Whyrick adds. “Likewise, if the children are older or have moved away, they no longer need so much family space. Either way, they’re looking at larger master suites.”
????Savvy homeowners are also aware that an investment in a master bedroom and bathroom remodel is likely to offer a solid return.?
????The 2007 Cost vs. Value Report published by Remodeler Magazine estimates that a mid-range master suite addition in the South Atlantic region recoups about 73 percent of its cost when the house is sold. The national average is 69 percent.
????But resale value aside, function and comfort are top priorities for most homeowners. That’s
because instead of moving up, many are opting to stay put and turn their existing homes into dream homes.
????As a result, master bedrooms have evolved into spaces for more than simply sleeping and bathing. Beds and dressers co-exist with couches, end tables, refrigerators and fireplaces, facilitating entertaining and even light dining.?
????“When people remodel a master bedroom, they typically want more usable space and more storage space, and their ideas are based on a model home or another newer home they’ve seen,” explains Jacksonville designer Judith Sisler Johnston, who redesigned her own master bedroom to include a sitting room with a fireplace and wet bar.?
????“Today’s master suites can be used for daily living and can offer the same type of ambience as a small living room,” Sisler Johnston adds. “If it’s spacious enough, a master suite can have a sitting room zone.”
????Or an adjoining closet or smaller room can be transformed to include comfortable seating, lighting, bookcases and often a fireplace.?
????Bedroom televisions are more important—and larger—than? ever, and are replacing pieces of art on walls over dressers. They’re also appearing in built-in media units or gracing fireplace mantels.?
????For late night munchies, and to keep crumbs out of bed, many sitting rooms are being designed with mini-kitchens—sometimes called morning kitchens—where you can enjoy a pre-shower cup of coffee, microwave a bag of popcorn or even prepare a light dinner before turning in.?
????Mini-kitchen options range from a simple coffee station to elaborate setups complete with microwaves, refrigerators and sinks. Homeowners can spend less than $500 to more than $15,000, says Alan Setzer, owner of appliance and fireplace supplier Setzer’s.
????“We’re selling a lot of under-counter beverage centers right now, with such features as
stainless steel refrigerators and wooden doors,” says Setzer. “I’d say about 75 percent of homes that we outfit have an average of $1,000 invested in a bedroom mini-kitchen.”
????But despite the welcome distractions provided by sitting rooms and kitchens, a bedroom is still a bedroom. And getting dressed is still required—although these days more homeowners are actually doing so in their closets.
????“When owners do an addition or a remodel, they’re usually carving out more space for storage, specifically in bigger, often his-and-hers, closets,” notes Jacksonville design consultant Mandy Gideons of California Closets. “They’ve typically lived in the home a while and are aware of their needs. So the emphasis is placed on making room for all their things.”
????And closet aesthetics have come a long way. Designers are installing packing stations, built-
in hampers and islands with back-to-back drawers.?
????“People are interested in closets not only to store their belongings, but also as places to do the work of getting dressed,” Gideons says. “With these functions moved to the closet, there’s more space in the bedroom for the relationship between the people who share it.”
????In fact, say experts, closet placement and proximity can contribute to household harmony. Adjacency to the bathroom, and not the bedroom, makes it easy for one person to shower and get dressed quietly if another is sleeping. And his-and-hers closets are ideal for those couples who may not share the same neatness standards.
????“Not everyone has the same style and sleeping habits as the people they live with,” says Sisler Johnston. “His-and-hers closets can often make for happier relationships.”
????The same can be said of bathrooms, adds Whyrick, who has had requests for his-and-hers bathrooms with a soaking tub in one and a large walk-in shower in the other.?
????And speaking of happiness, 26 percent of those surveyed by NAHB even went so far to admit they’d prefer two master suites—a? concept that has become popular particularly among baby boomer homeowners.?
????Says Sisler Johnston, “A good night’s sleep is very important as we get older, and often having separate sleeping areas ensures that for both people.”
????In such arrangements, the sitting room becomes even more important because it serves as the common space where couples spend time together before retiring to their separate sleeping quarters.
????Another plus to having a livable master suite, says Setzer, is the ability to use just one part of the home to save heating and cooling costs.
????“In this age of energy-conscious consumers, people like to have a part of the house that they close off from the rest, such as a functioning master suite,” Setzer adds. “They often have dual heating and cooling systems, allowing them to turn off the larger part of the home and still have the master suite comfortable and livable.”
????But whatever the configuration a homeowner prefers, experts agree that bed and bath combinations continue to evolve. Statistics confirm that since 1995, the size of the average master suite has doubled to about 700 square feet.?
????And as more people turn to their bedrooms for rest, relaxation and rejuvenation, master suite projects will remain at or near the top of the list for remodelers.?
????“In an era of the open floorplans and family living, the master suite offers homeowners a smaller, functional place in which they can enjoy time together, unwind at the end of a long day and even entertain if they don’t want to use the rest of their home,” notes Sisler Johnston. “Leisure space is what people are looking for—and? master areas have become one of the most important parts in the home.”

Doing Your Homework
When you hire a remodeler, you are buying a service rather than a product. The quality of service the remodeler provides will determine the quality of the finished product and your satisfaction with the result. Here are some steps to follow and things to keep in mind.
????The first step to hiring a professional is to build a list of candidates, and flipping through the Yellow Pages is not the ideal method. The best place to start is the Directory of Professional Remodelers (accessible online www.nahb.org). These home contractors uphold the highest professional and ethical standards in the industry.?
????In addition, seek referrals from trade associations such as the Northeast Florida Builders Association (NEFBA), as well as friends, family, neighbors, coworkers and others who have had remodeling work done. Independent trade contractors, building materials suppliers, architects, engineers, home inspectors, local lenders and insurance professionals can also provide reputable leads.
????Once you have developed a list of potential remodelers, check with the local or state office of consumer protection and the local Better Business Bureau. Ask if they have had any complaints about the remodeler. If so, were those complaints resolved satisfactorily?
????Also check with the state’s licensing agency and state and local building inspectors to see if they have received any complaints about the remodeler and to verify that the remodeler has the appropriate licenses and registrations.
????You don’t want to just question the remodeler, but also learn first hand from the remodeler’s current and former customers.
????For more information, log onto the National Association of Home Builders’ Web site at www.nahb.org/remodel to read an online brochure. You can also call NEFBA at (904) 725-4355 for a list of Remodelers Council members.

Cost vs. Return
Each year Remodeling Magazine compiles a Cost vs. Value Report, the industry’s only detailed account of investment returns for remodeling projects. The report establishes cost-to-construct benchmarks for common remodeling projects then estimates how much of that investment will be recouped at resale in the current market. These are South Atlantic regional averages so they may vary from prices in Florida.

MAJOR KITCHEN REMODEL
Average cost: $52,659? ?
Average resale value: $41,766?
Expected return: 79.3 percent

MINOR KITCHEN REMODEL
Average cost: $20,221? ?
Average resale value: $16,727?
Expected return: 82.7 percent

FAMILY ROOM ADDITION
Average cost: $70,867? ?
Average resale value: $51,004?
Expected return: 72 percent

BATHROOM ADDITION
Average cost: $33,236? ?
Average resale value: $22,670?
Expected return: 68.2 percent

BATHROOM REMODEL
Average cost: $14,445? ?
Average resale value: $11,388?
Expected return: 78.8 percent

MASTER SUITE ADDITION
Average cost: $88,680? ?
Average resale value: $64,549?
Expected return: 72.8 percent

TWO-STORY ADDITION
Average cost: $127,072? ?
Average resale value: $99,464?
Expected return: 78.3 percent

HOME OFFICE REMODEL
Average cost: $25,438? ?
Average resale value: $15,209?
Expected return: 59.8 percent

DECK ADDITION - WOOD
Average cost: $9,266? ?
Average resale value: $7,936
Expected return: 85.6 percent

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