People are so funny when it comes to home improvements. There are some projects that homeowners jump into with zeal, and some that literally make them sigh and say, “Why me?”
Somehow, doing a kitchen, which is a major project in terms of planning and shopping, gets people all excited, in spite of the fact that doing a kitchen involves many hours of work, which involves stripping out the old kitchen and installing a new one, which could mean being without a kitchen for around 2-4 weeks.
Yet, when people are inconvenienced this way, they typically shrug their shoulders and giggle as they say “We have to eat out for the next few weeks while my new kitchen is installed!” So, instead of feeling sorry for them being without a kitchen, the other person is usually happy for them since they’re getting a new one, even if it comes at the expense of being without a kitchen for a few weeks.
Homeowners, when installing new windows or siding, usually don’t think of what they’re doing as a “renovation” since all the banging, wood chips flying, noise, and workmen takes place outside, which is not such an inconvenience so they don’t really think of it as a “renovation.”
Painting is another project that most people do not consider a renovation. If you ask someone what’s going on in their homes when you see workmen walking in with ladders and cans of paint, they’ll never say, “I’m doing some renovations!” Usually they’ll say, “I brought in the painters and I’m doing some painting.”
I think what it comes down to is people feel that in order for a job to classify as a “renovation” it must include breaking. That is, breaking walls, breaking floors, breaking cabinets or fixtures, breaking the budget. If something’s not broken, a person feels they’re not truly renovating even though what they’re doing could be classified as an upgrade which would make it a renovation.
So, if “breaking” is considered necessary towards whatever renovation project you’re doing, what is the story with fixing sidewalks? Don’t you need to break the cement in order to replace the old broken sidewalk with a new freshly-mixed cement sidewalk?
Why is it that homeowners—who are so eager to renovate kitchens and bathrooms, upgrade their windows and siding, or freshen up their homes with a new coat of paint—when it comes to replacing the sidewalk, not only will they procrastinate forever, they actually hate having to replace their old sidewalk, which in the scheme of things, really enhances the house overall and adds a touch of elegance to it.
I have yet to meet a homeowner who says, “I’m having my sidewalks re-done and I’m so excited!” (Never heard anyone use the word “renovate” when it comes to their sidewalk.) Usually, what I hear is “I have to do my sidewalks; I have no choice!” or “The insurance company is making me re-do my sidewalks!”
What is it about sidewalks that for some reason causes most homeowners to cringe and make a face when they need to do some renovations or repairs? It’s also part of the entire picture of a house when someone walks up your front walk and looks at it, yet for some reason, homeowners look at fixing their sidewalks pretty much the same way as people who have to make an appointment with the dentist to have a tooth pulled!
Maybe we should start a fad with having color schemes for our sidewalks, similar to choosing colors for the trim or siding of our homes, maybe then renovating the sidewalk will become a little more exciting!
Anessa Cohen lives in Cedarhurst and is a NYS Licensed Real Estate Broker (Anessa V Cohen Realty) with over 20 years of experience offering residential, commercial and management real estate services. You are invited to visit her website at www.avcrealty.com. She can be reached at 516-569-5007 or Readers are encouraged to send any questions or comments by email to anessa@avcrealty.com.
