Without a doubt, a kitchen has the best return on a remodeling project. The kitchen is the most important space in a home today, so when you are looking to remodel, it’s super important that you get it right.  It seems that the way people live today, more time is spent in the kitchen than any other room in the house. So, it’s important that it we designed for how people want to live.

Here are some guidelines to follow when remodeling your kitchen (brought to you by NAR’s Styled Staged Sold BLOG)

• Since functionally kitchens are multi-dimensional social environments in addition to cooking space a good kitchen today accommodates many people and tasks. “Open concept kitchen” is the hot new term since it expands the kitchen into the family room and allows for social interaction with everyone in the family room.
• Perhaps the biggest design feature of today’s kitchen is the center island. Peninsulas of the 1980’s and 90’s are yesterday’s news. One side of the island should have plenty of casual seating while the production side of the island can feature everything from sinks to a plain countertop work area.
• Clean, sleek modern styling is the pulse of the day. Ornate, dark wood cabinets are passé. Simple painted white wood, light maple and, for eco-minded home owners, bamboo cabinets are all the rage.
• Spend a good portion of your budget on appliances. Gone are the days when a plain refrigerator and basic stove will suffice.  The fancier, the better — including even high-end “toys” like wine units, if the budget allows.
• Today’s wide range of materials and price points for countertops and backsplashes make these two areas the fashion statement in the kitchen. Give yourself permission to choose something unusual, dramatic or colorful. Mix materials even. When it is time to “freshen up” your kitchen in 5-7 years – yes, you read correctly! — change these two elements and you’ll be able to create a whole new look.

They go on to say that if you are working with a tight budget, perhaps you can figure out a way to build a small kitchen island. If the current cabinet layout is OK, install new doors. Change up the look of your kitchen with a new backsplash, or new hardware.

Needless to say the Knoxville area has received quite a bit of rain this year.  I heard someone say the other day that we have received more than Seattle this year!  With lots of rain comes lots of water.  With lots of water comes drainage issues in your Knoxville home.  Here are some clues that your home may have a drainage issue that needs attention.

1. WHEN IT RAINS YOUR GUTTERS POUR – Is water flowing over the edge of your gutters like a waterfall in Cade’s Cove?  If so this probably means that the gutters are full of debris (leaves, branches, etc).  Not around to see the gutters when it rains?  Then look for these other clues that your gutters are full: vertical streaks of dirt on the outside of the gutters, siding or brick splattered with mud, or vertical strips of peeling paint on the house. Solve this problem by keeping your gutters clean.
2. ABBREVIATED DOWNSPOUT SYNDROME – OK, it’s really not called that, but it’s still a problem.  This is when your downspouts are too short and cause all of the water coming off the roof to dump next to the house.  Did you know that a 1000 square foot roof can dump as much as 600 gallons of water?  Guess where that water goes when your downspouts are too short?  Right along your foundation, and if you have one, into your basement.  Solve this problem by adding extensions to the downspouts, allowing the water to dump away from the house.
3. WATER STAINS IN THE BASEMENT – If you see water stains on the foundation walls of your basement you are experiencing a drainage issue.  The staining is most likely being caused by surface water seeping down (caused by one of the issues above or because the soil is not sloping adequately away from your home).  Solve this problem by eliminating the gutter issues mentioned above or regrading the soil so it slopes away from the home.  If it is not being caused by one of those issues, it could be a larger issue such as the basement effected by a fluctuating water table or storm drains backing up during heavy rains.  Solve this problem by having a professional install an interior drain system with pumps.
4. EXPANDING CRACKS IN THE FOUNDATION – Every home will eventually have cracks that come from normal settling.  Those aren’t the cracks we are worried about.  What you need to watch out for are cracks larger than 1/8″ wide that continue to expand.  This may be a sign of a drainage problem effecting the foundation.  Solve this problem by contacting a structural engineer to assess the situation.  Better safe than sorry.
5. MOLD IN THE ATTIC – What? How do you get mold in the attic? Look for mold growing on the underside of the roof.  Although this is at the top of the house it could be pointing to a drainage problem at the ground level.  Oftentimes if their is a drainage issue causing moisture in the basement or crawlspace of a home, that moisture will rise through the house and form condensation on the underside of the roof in the attic.  Solve this problem by finding the source of the moisture and eliminating it (most likely one of the causes mentioned above).  Also check to be sure one or more bathroom vents aren’t venting directly into the attic as this can form condensation as well.  If so, solve this by venting them through the roof or an outside wall.
6. WHO KEEPS MOVING MY MULCH! – If you notice your mulch moving, say onto your driveway, or depositing somewhere else, you have a drainage issue.  Nothing major, but you’ll need to move some dirt around to help the soil drain properly.  Always remember to keep the soil flowing downhill from your home as that is the way you want the water to run.

Have any other questions regarding real estate or need a recommendation for a contractor to help you with your drainage issues?  Contact the 865 Real Estate team today!