LEXINGTON, Ky. — Home values are up 20% across the country, according to research from Zillow earlier this year. Homeowners are deciding to remodel and make improvements to their current home to increase value rather than selling their homes. It’s making Kentucky home improvement companies like N-Hance busier than ever.
There are three popular home improvement trends happening right now in Kentucky. It includes floor refinishing, color on cabinets, cabinet refinishing and door replacement. The trend is what’s keeping 21-year-old Josh Stump on his toes.
“I do something different [home improvement project], just about every day,” said Stump.
Stump is the lead technician for N-Hance, started right out of high school. The Lexington based home improvement company does 3-4 home improvements per week. Stump is originally from Georgetown, but has spent the last four years working in Lexington for N-Hance and says he’s busier than ever cabinet improvements.
“All the draw slides and boxes get removed, then pretty much anything you see in the kitchen gets covered with paper and plastic. The only thing that will be showing whenever we get done taping is the wood framing,” said Stump.
He relies on his team to help him lay paper and plastic to protect the homeowners appliances and floors before paint goes on. Stump also relies on homeowners like Paul Cantrell to select the color of paint that best works for their cabinets.
“We’re happy in the area and we don’t want to move and this is just a way to get a remodel or a refresh on your kitchen without the expense,” said Cantrell.
Stump says for a project like painting cabinets, it will only take 4 days. According to Zillow , 6.2 million homes are expected to sell during this year. Which means homeowners like Cantrell get to save thousands.
Koger is happy to guide customers like Cantrell on the best home improvement option that will save money. Koger says replacing cabinets can cost up to $15,000 but a simple paint refresh with them costs about $3,000, a difference of $12,000.
“If you give a fresh new kitchen, whether it be freshly painted or fresh new cabinets, you don’t lose value on your house. So when you have a buyer coming in and looking at your house and they look at your cabinets and say, ‘Wow!’ Guess what? That $15,000 doesn’t come off the top,” said Koger.
Koger says remodeling rather than replacing is the next best thing for homeowners, especially considering the current demands of the housing market. N-Hance also operates in Louisville and Northern Kentucky to make home improvements.