As you may have read in an earlier blog, I just had my roof redone by Saber Roofing. It wasn’t that I really needed a new roof right now, I could’ve held out for maybe another five years, it just made sense. I am pushing 60 years old, the roof on my house was 40 years old, and I figure if the new one lasts another 40 years (and the new material warranties are more like 100 years) it will probably outlast me. Upon exploring my options, I was shocked to find that the price of this new roof was roughly the same as my parents spent on the previous roof 40 years ago.
In talking with quite a few of my friends, I have grown to believe that due to the economic recession, construction in general is about as good of value is it has been ever.
I had my house painted some ten years ago, I think I paid somewhere around $4500. In questioning the painter that did my eves as I had to have have my roof replaced, I was now quoted $3500.
The list goes on and on…
My neighbor just had four huge palm trees removed from her property and I would’ve guessed them to have been at least $5000 a piece. Guess again – $3200 apiece, felled skillfully, hauled to the dumps, and impeccable clean up afterwards.
There are other factors that make it even more attractive right now. I have been watching the (Dow Jones) stock market lately, and having it hover somewhere around 13,000 seems to be a real shot in the arm. We seem to be forgetting that it was only 2007 when it was over 14,000.
With healthcare uncertain, thanks to the GOP (grossly overweight party) and the housing market improving but still near a recent low, it certainly made sense to me to take some of the cash that I had purposely kept out of the stock market and invest it in something that I could be reasonably certain would enhance my near term future.
Hell, with mortgage interest rates near an all-time low, 15 year fixed under 3%, it makes more sense to refinance and take whatever you can out of your stagnant equity and improve your living conditions now! Screw the kids inheritance!
Take your tax deductions, improve your standard of living, and at least put a tangible stake in the ground of something the government is less likely to be able to figure a way of taking away from you.
Instead of watching my money make zero interest in the bank, I now have a beautiful new roof over my head, wonderful new clean carpets, a new front porch to chill upon, a very utilitarian outdoor storage shed (built with the help of Smallman Construction) a couple new trees in front of my yard, and a newly landscaped plot on the one side of my house (designed by Diane McGill…650.347.0719). Look up no-brainer in Webster’s and you will see the photographs of my house.
My Black Lab 