I often read, and have posted items, on kitchen remodels being among the best for getting a return on your investment. But what if you put in ultra-high-end appliances? And, here's a question raised by an LA Time story I was reading this morning: Have kitchens, with their granite counters and shiny ranges, become home-bound status symbols?

Here's an excerpt of the LA Times story:

The endurance of the showroom-quality kitchen indicates that homeowners still regard this once-utilitarian part of the house to be an emblem of status, as significant to their self-image as the car they drive. Plus, real estate agents and (surprise) kitchen designers will tell you that a camera-ready kitchen is key to a home's resale value.

Research data on consumer preferences released by the American Institute of Architects in February indicated "kitchens continue to be the dominant design area within the home, with dedicated computer work areas and cellphone and personal digital assistant recharging stations becoming an emerging trend."

For those waiting for the kitchen to come back down to Earth, there was a glimmer of hope: The study noted a slight retreat from top-of-the-line appliances.

One factor that may speed the change in mind-set: the growing interest in green building and renovation, with an emphasis on energy efficiency, using renewable resources and generally eschewing the kind of excess that has been a hallmark of many recent remodels.

Another bit I noticed in the story that I've read and seen on designer/cooking shows: the home kitchens of professional chefs are often small. They prize efficiency over grandeur. So what about you? Small or big kitchens? And take a moment to dream on this Friday and share one or two items you'd have put in your no-limits kitchen remodel. I'll start things off: temperature-controlled wine storage. And maybe a fancy waterproof drop-down computer screen and a keyboard easily put away in a drawer that I could use to look up and read recipes while cooking.

Many people who contemplate a remodel wonder at some point: How much of the money I put in will I get out when I sell? And what about the cost in the first place -- am I paying too much?

A local remodeler forwarded me a link to some stats that can help to answer some of these questions, at least on a regional basis. Remodeling magazine has put together a comprehensive list of typical home renovation projects, what they cost, how much of that will be recouped and how each compares to the national average.

Projects in the Seattle-Tacoma area that return more than 100 percent of what's invested, along with the average cost, according to the magazine: minor kitchen remodel ($22,698), wood deck addition ($12,812), wood window replacement ($13,120), upscale window replacements in vinyl ($15,743) and wood ($19,608).

If you're all about the return when remodeling, you might want to think again about projects where less than 70 percent of the cost is recouped: a back-up power generator, a sunroom addition and a home office remodel.

One other point worth noting: All but one of the 29 projects listed brings a better return in the Seattle-Tacoma area than the national average.

Find the whole list of projects and stats here.

If you hope to get your investment out of big remodel projects, here’s a look at some of what you could sink your cash into. Included are the cost and what percentage of the money you can expect to recoup, according to a report from Remodeling and Realtor magazines.

Small kitchen remodel ($19,366) – 106.4 percent
New sunroom ($55,813) – 70.6 percent
Home office remodel ($22,385) – 77.7 percent
Roof replacement ($17,060) – 88.9 percent
Remodeled bathroom ($14,889) – 103.2 percent
Master suite add on ($111,157) – 70.6 percent

For a full list of the projects, which include siding replacements, deck add ons and a breakdown between mid-range and upscale projects, go here(a link to a pdf of the list is at the bottom of the page).

If you've ever remodeled an old home you probably wince when it's time to tackle the plumbing. For years galvanized and cast iron pipes were the standard components used for home water systems. But father time has not been kind to this material. It was difficult to install, a nightmare to repair and ultimately it faces a corrosive demise requiring replacement.

Fortunately copper tubing and plastic came on the scene to save the day. And wow, what a difference. It's lighter, easier to work with, non-corrosive and it was less expensive. Can't get any better than that right?

Well there might be an even better idea making an inroads in new construction these days. Homebuilders such as Dream Builders NW are now specifying Manifold Water Distribution Systems in their luxury homes using something called PEX flexible water pipe.

I think most plumbers are still a bit reluctant to embrace this water distribution method, but with copper prices skyrocketing this year, homebuilders are beginning to force the issue.

The water manifold systems have some pretty strong points in their favor. Aside from being less expensive and faster to install, every plumbing fixture in the house has it's own dedicated water line from the central control unit. A separate line is run for each cold and hot line. And each one has it's own it's own shut-off valve which is marked like an electrical panel. This way you can shut down just one faucet for maintenance instead of having to turn off the water for the whole dang house. I kinda like that.

During installation the tubing bends around smoothly through the walls requiring virtually no elbow fittings. The end fittings are clamped on with a special crimping tool. From what I've read, it's a fairly easy installation learning curve so Do-It-Yourselfers should have good success with this for remodeling too.

What I couldn't figure out was how long this stuff lasts. 40? 50? a hundred years? Who knows? They've been using PEX tubing in Europe for a few decades but what happens if all starts to disintegrate? The manufacturers will only commit to the term, "long-lasting", so how does that make you feel?

On the other hand, does it even matter? In another few years we'll probably have something like "zoned microwave heating systems" anyway. Just don't turn it up too far or you'll accidentally roast the cat. ;)

Submitted by Steve Hurley

www.Tacondo.com