Each year my wife, Bonnie, and I try to take one significant vacation–last years was a Alaskan Cruise. This year we decided to do something different–invest the money back into our home.
I know that sounds crazy what with home prices still falling in many parts of the country. Our logic is that construction costs are also more reasonable now and any value or features we add to make our house stand out from its peers is a plus.
While it may not look like it, this photo is our summer vacation.
We took a large, old and never used wooden deck, turned half of it into a 12′x16′ 4-season Sunroom and the other half a newly refurbished deck with composite materials–all within about two weeks.
Of course we hired someone else to do the work–that’s the vacation part! 
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
The transformation of your old deck into a year-around place to be not only looks good, but I’m sure will prove to be very popular. And you still have a deck to barbecue on!
The best part was having someone do the work!
that’s a very nice house already
Congrats on the upgrade. We’re looking to do something similar (screened in porch). I dunno but putting money into my own house feels like a reasonable thing to do in these times.
@don: I think we will make good use of both the Sunroom and deck and yes someone else doing the work was the best part!
@yz: Thanks!
@Eric Jeschke: The contractors who did our work said that business for them was starting to pick up–maybe more people are feeling the same way about investing in their homes. We’re glad we did it!