Home remodels on the rise in Phoenix

PHOENIX — It’s another positive sign that we are feeling much better about our home values in the Valley.

Everybody from home remodelers to the do-it-yourself weekend warriors are coming out of the woodwork.

KTAR’s Rosie Romero of “Rosie on the House” said the recent boost is among people who had big ideas for their homes in 2008 before they “got hit between the eyes with the economic two-by-four. Those projects are now coming back because they’re just tired of waiting.”

But many of those projects are coming back in a slimmed-down version of the original plan.

“What we’re seeing drive the phone calls right now is deferred maintenance,” said Romero. “If the home needed painting in 2008, people just patched things up and now it really needs that paint job. And instead of busting up the master bathroom for a full makeover, we just go in and update fixtures and luxury showerheads.”

Romero said his business has gone up by 100 percent in the past few months. Home Depot reported an 8 percent jump in sales in 2012.