Remodeling: Which Area is Best?

Thinking of remodeling your home? Trends and times have changed. It used to be that the best place to invest your remodeling dollars was in the kitchen or bathroom updating. But to make your renovation dollar go furthest, focus on the part of the house everyone sees first.

Replace or repair your siding!

Payback: 82% to 87%

Cost: $10,000 to $13,000 for the typical house.

When it makes sense:
Your existing siding is visibly worn or has suffered damage (from a storm, for example).

Best way to do it:
Choose traditional wood siding (such as redwood) or fiber cement. Fiber-cement siding returns the most value for the money of any material, according to recent remodeling surveys. It costs about 40% more than vinyl and requires painting from time to time, but it lasts for decades (in fact, many products come with a 50-year warranty).

Caveat:
Getting prepainted siding, which can save you in the long run because it saves on maintenance later, will add roughly 10% to the up-front price.

Cost-saving move:
If only part of your siding is in bad shape - say, the south-facing wall - consider replacing only that portion and patching and painting the rest.