NEWS

Catch up on the latest Riteway company news. Find out about our newest featured products and services. We are always pleased to talk to the media about trends for the kitchen and bath design industry.

NEW PRODUCTS

Keeping Up With the Jetsons

Propel your kitchen and bath designs into the future with these high-tech items

By Ellen Sturm Niz March 27, 2009 - website: http://www.kbbonline.com/kbb/content_display/news-and-features/features/e3i21450699a02373c29ede2bd38a5f9575

A world of conveyor-belt showers and cooking Rosie robots may still be years away, but the kitchen and bath industry already has some high-tech products that can make your rooms modern marvels. Visit the attached link to view these six items that add space-age convenience to your Earth-bound home.

2009 Cost vs Value - Kitchens

The following numbers are based on Remodeling Magazines national averages for the north east region including the Detroit Metro area.

MAJOR KITCHEN REMODEL (MID-RANGE)

Job Cost $ 58,253 Resale Value $ 38,726 Cost Recoup 66.5%

Update an outmoded 200-square-foot kitchen with a functional layout of 30 linear feet of semi-custom wood cabinets, including a 3-by-5-foot island; laminate countertops; and standard double-tub stainless-steel sink with standard single-lever faucet. Include energy-efficient wall oven, cooktop, ventilation system, built-in microwave, dishwasher, garbage disposal, and custom lighting. Add new resilient flooring. Finish with painted walls, trim, and ceiling.

MAJOR KITCHEN REMODEL (UPSCALE)

Job Cost $ 113,056 Resale Value $ 70,703 Cost Recouped 62.5%

Update outmoded 200-square-foot kitchen with 30 linear feet of top-of-the-line custom cherry cabinets with built-in sliding shelves and other interior accessories. Include stone countertops with imported ceramic or glass tile backsplash; built-in refrigerator, cooktop, and 36-inch commercial grade range and vent hood; built-in warming drawer, trash compactor, and built-in combination microwave and convection oven. Install high-end undermount sink with designer faucets, and built-in water filtration system. Add new general and task lighting including low-voltage under-cabinet lights. Install cork flooring, cherry trim.

MINOR KITCHEN REMODEL

Job Cost $ 21,758 Resale Value $ 15,038 Cost Recouped 69.1%

In a functional but dated 200-square-foot kitchen with 30 linear feet of cabinetry and countertops, leave cabinet boxes in place but replace fronts with new raised-panel wood doors and drawers, including new hardware. Replace wall oven and cooktop with new energy-efficient models. Replace laminate countertops; install mid-priced sink and faucet. Repaint trim, add wall covering, and remove and replace resilient flooring.

What the Numbers Mean

When comparing the data in this report to remodeling costs and resale values in your area, remember that averaging tends to have a leveling effect. On the cost side, small differences in the size or scope of your project, or in the quality of finishes and accessories you choose, can dramatically affect the price. A remodeling project that changes how a space is used: converting an existing bedroom into a master bath, for example, may meet an immediate need for the current homeowners, but it may be at odds with the needs of prospective buyers, who may not intend to put the space to the same use or who may perceive the change as a reduction in the number of rooms. Similarly, adding square footage may solve immediate space needs, but it also increases heating and cooling bills, something that may not be welcomed in this era of heightened energy awareness.

As for the cost recouped for a given project, it depends on a variety of factors that traditionally affect home values, including the condition of the rest of the house, the value of similar homes nearby, and the rate at which property values are rising, or falling, in the surrounding area. Whether the overall effect of foreclosures on national house prices is as severe as some claim, foreclosures have an immediate negative effect in neighborhoods where they occur. And in many areas, a large inventory of new homes on the market at discounted prices tends to have a constricting effect on resale values of existing homes.

Where resale value is a major factor in a homeowner's decision to remodel, it is prudent to consult with a reputable local remodeler about actual construction costs and to talk with an experienced Realtor about home prices in the neighborhood.

2009 Cost vs. Value - Bathrooms
April 2009

The following numbers are based on Remodeling magazines national average for the north east region including the Detroit/Metro area.

BATHROOM ADDITION (MID-RANGE)

Job Cost $ 40,138 Resale Value $ 22,322 Cost Recouped 55.6%

Add a full 6-by-8-foot bath over a crawl space with poured concrete walls. Include cultured-marble vanity top with molded sink; standard chrome faucets; 30-by-60-inch white fiberglass tub/shower with ceramic tile surround; single-lever temperature and pressure-balanced faucet; white low-profile toilet; general and spot lighting; electrical wiring to code; mirrored medicine cabinet; linen storage closet or cabinet; vinyl wallpaper; painted trim; and ceramic tile floor.

BATHROOM ADDITION (UPSCALE)

Job Cost $ 77,667 Resale Value $44,865 Cost Recouped 57.8%

Add a new 100 SF master bath to existing master bedroom over a crawl space. Include 42-by-42-inch neo-angle shower with ceramic tile walls with accent strip, recessed shower caddy, body spray fixtures, and frameless glass enclosure. Include a customized whirlpool tub; stone countertop with two sinks; two mirrored medicine cabinets with lighting; a compartmentalized commode area with one-piece toilet; and a humidistat-controlled exhaust fan. Use all color fixtures. Use larger matching ceramic tiles on the floor, laid on the diagonal with ceramic tile base molding. Add general and spot lighting including waterproof shower fixture. Cabinetry shall include a custom drawer base and wall cabinets for a built-in look. Extend HVAC system, and include electric in-floor heating and heated towel bars.

BATHROOM REMODEL (MID-RANGE)

Job Cost $ 16,568 Resale Value $ 10,656 Cost Recouped 64.3%

Update an existing 5-by-7-foot bathroom. Replace all fixtures to include 30-by-60-inch porcelain-on-steel tub with 4x4-inch ceramic tile surround; new single-lever temperature and pressure-balanced shower control; standard white toilet; solid-surface vanity counter with integral sink; recessed medicine cabinet with light; ceramic tile floor; vinyl wallpaper.

BATHROOM REMODEL (UPSCALE)

Job Cost $53,345 Resale Value $32,875 Cost Recouped 61.6%

Expand an existing 35-square-foot bathroom to 100 square feet within existing house footprint. Relocate all fixtures. Include 42-by-42-inch neo-angle shower with ceramic tile walls with accent strip, recessed shower caddy, body spray fixtures, and frameless glass enclosure. Include a customized whirlpool tub; stone countertop with two sinks; two mirrored medicine cabinets with lighting; a compartmentalized commode area with one-piece toilet; and a humidistat-controlled exhaust fan. Use all color fixtures. Use larger matching ceramic tiles on the floor, laid on the diagonal with ceramic tile base molding. Add general and spot lighting including waterproof shower fixture. Cabinetry shall include a custom drawer base and wall cabinets for a built-in look. Extend HVAC system, and include electric in-floor heating and heated towel bars.

What the Numbers Mean

When comparing the data in this report to remodeling costs and resale values in your area, remember that averaging tends to have a leveling effect. On the cost side, small differences in the size or scope of your project, or in the quality of finishes and accessories you choose, can dramatically affect the price. A remodeling project that changes how a space is used; converting an existing bedroom into a master bath, for example, may meet an immediate need for the current homeowners, but it may be at odds with the needs of prospective buyers, who may not intend to put the space to the same use or who may perceive the change as a reduction in the number of rooms. Similarly, adding square footage may solve immediate space needs, but it also increases heating and cooling bills, something that may not be welcomed in this era of heightened energy awareness.

As for the cost recouped for a given project, it depends on a variety of factors that traditionally affect home values, including the condition of the rest of the house, the value of similar homes nearby, and the rate at which property values are rising, or falling, in the surrounding area. Whether the overall effect of foreclosures on national house prices is as severe as some claim, foreclosures have an immediate negative effect in neighborhoods where they occur. And in many areas, a large inventory of new homes on the market at discounted prices tends to have a constricting effect on resale values of existing homes.

Where resale value is a major factor in a homeowner's decision to remodel, it is prudent to consult with a reputable local remodeler about actual construction costs and to talk with an experienced Realtor about home prices in the neighborhood.

We're Going Green!
December 2007

With the new year comes the realization that we, as providers of cabinets, countertops, appliances and countless other materials, need to initiate positive changes for the environment to help secure our children's future.

With this in mind, we are offering some web sites to educate you, the consumer, as well as ourselves, on eco-friendly products. Please go to on any of these sites for more information.

www.inhabitat.com

www.growagreenkitchen.com

www.greenhome.com

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