For Richmond, the top three projects are:
1. Siding Replacement Vinyl, Foam backed vinyl, or Cement Board. Estimated Job Cost= $9100-$12837 to replace 1,250 square feet of existing siding including all trim. It’s back at #1 for the 3rd year! Siding your home will get you between 89%-92.6% return on your investment and possibly even more with the up to $1500 tax credit. Why?
• Clean with a hose= low maintenance. And minimal upkeep means more time for your priorities.
• Looks like wood= low cost. With more variety than ever, buyers can’t even tell real cedar shake from vinyl cedar shake.
• No deforestation here= environmentally friendly. Enough said?
• Neither rain, nor shine, nor snow= high durability. In general siding is weather-resistant and stands up to rain, sleet, snow, and wind.
2. Window Replacement- Midrange Vinyl, or Upscale Vinyl. Estimated Job Cost*= $9066-$11,500 to replace 10 existing 3 x 5 foot double-hung windows. Only 6 of the major zip codes in Richmond have homes with an average age of 20 years or less. New windows anyone? You guessed it-next on the list of great improvements is window replacement. Despite the up front cost for vinyl windows, the good news is that the majority of that money will be recouped when the home is sold. Better news is that you can take advantage of the up to $1500 tax credit from the government. And the even best news is that competition has driven pricing down. Though wood replacement windows give a more upscale look, it’s vinyl that gives the much better return on value in Richmond. Whether vinyl or wood it’s an upgrade worth the money.
3. Midrange Basement Remodel. Estimated cost $50,306 for a 20 x 30 foot entertaining area with wet bar and 5 x 8 foot full bathroom.
Knocking "Attic bedroom remodels" out of their #3 position from last year, is basement remodels. As some off the most valuable square footage in a house, basement remodels can add excellent value to a home. You can even create a basement out of a crawl space. That’s right. We’ve got contractors who dig out crawl spaces quite frequently to create a wonderful room. And with people staying put in their existing home these days, adding on or renovating is a cost-effective way to add space for your family.
 

Runners up (#4 and #5) 
You may be wondering about kitchen remodels. The old adage that kitchens sell houses resurfaces this year at #4. Minor Kitchen Remodels such as refacing cabinets, new countertops appliances, paint and flooring will get you79% of your money back. And in Richmond, the Average price is $19,660.
Coming in at #5 is Attic Bedroom Remodels. The extra space is fabulous and local realtors will tell you that anytime you add a bedroom, it is money in the bank. Expect to get about a 78.8% return at resale when doing a midrange attic bedroom remodel for roughly $ 39,156 in Richmond.

What Richmonders want these days is a low maintenance house that is energy efficient and utilizes the space in the existing footprint. And with the up to $1500 tax credit out there for our top two projects, consider doing these projects first.