Here are some of the bigger purchases homeowners think are worth it:
1.
The $200 investment was well worth it."
“A warming drawer in the kitchen.
I love it; I’ve had it in my last three houses.”
Anonymous
3.
“Getting an epoxy garage floor coating.
With Wisconsin winters, our garage floor was deteriorating.
We contracted a floor sealing company, and it stopped the deterioration.
Now, I can pressure-wash the floor every spring, and it looks like new every time.
“A 15-foot-long wall between our house and the neighbors.
It cost several thousand.
It keeps their two pit bulls safely away from us so that we can just enjoy the backyard.
So worth it.”
Joe, 48, California
5.
“A combo mini oven.
I got one when I moved because the existing kitchen didn’t have an oven.
The mini-oven is better than any full-sized oven.
I just wish it also had a microwave.”
“We waterproofed the basement of my century-old home.
Not having to mop up after every bit of rain or run fans and humidifiers 24/7.
It’s so worth it!”
grant101010
7.
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it?
If you’ve got the option to afford it, do it!
I contend it’s foolishnotto do these things!”
“A two-bay detached garage with enough depth for a workshop, cars, and power equipment.”
Steven, 60,New York
9.
“A natural gas, whole-house emergency generator.
We live in Florida, about 10 miles from the coast.
One year, we had three hurricanes in a row and lost power each time.
So, we got the natural gas generator and didn’t have another hurricane for three or four years.
But when we do lose power, it kicks on immediately and powers the entire house.”
“A Kitchen Aid washing machine has given me 30 years and more of perfect washing.”
emowizard26
11.
“An electric fireplace.
When we moved in, our home didn’t have a fireplace, and I wanted one.
It centered our family room and gave it some craftsman charm.
Now, I recommend an electric fireplace for anyone who wants a fireplace.”
“We’ve had a Dyson stick vacuum for about six years.
We use it almost daily, and we’ve had to change the battery once.
The vacuum covers our entire house (1150 square feet) on a low setting with one charge.”
aero2054
13.
We used the downtime to build an outdoor kitchen and cedar pergola near our pool.
By building it ourselves, we saved a lot of money.
“Our new back deck.
It is a composite, so there’s never scraping, sanding, or painting!
We had a wood deck for 30 years prior, and they were such a pain.
We moved to Kentucky six years ago and splurged on our deck.
The layout was slightly reconfigured, so the steps going down were in the middle.
It had a picture frame design, with darker pieces on the outside and lighter ones on the inside.
We put lights on all the caps and the wide steps.
It’s so nice; we love it!”
“We upgraded to hurricane shutters that stay on the house year-round.
I can open, close, and lock them from inside the house.
No more climbing on the roof and carrying metal sheets around to hang up!
I can board up the entire two-story house by myself in less than an hour.”
“It’s not an expensive splurge, but it works like one.
We got a water heater pump instead of the tankless water heaters because we wanted instant hot water.
17.Last but not least: “When building my house, I had 11 solar tubes installed.
They are fantastic at keeping every room light and bright and save a great deal on electricity.
They cost about $12k, but they were worth every penny.”
Herb, 76, Texas
Note: Some submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.
