Is Your Home Ready for Baby?

Get the Right Answer to Remodeling Your Home or Moving to a New One

Once the initial excitement of your new arrival tapers off, you're probably wondering, now what? Preparing for a new baby is easier these days, given the vast resources and tools available to parents-to-be, especially on the Internet. Remodel or Move is a Web site that helps people evaluate and calculate the costs of each option.

Remodeling expert Dan Fritschen, author of the book Remodel or Move: Make the Right Decision (ABCD Publishing LLC, 2005), has consulted with many parents-to-be to help them make the best decisions that will accommodate this major lifestyle change. "Our remodel-or-move calculator is an excellent tool to help parents-to-be weigh their options," he says. "The calculator estimates the costs of both remodeling and moving, so parents can make an informed decision."

Some of the typical questions parents ask are:

• Do we remodel our existing home to accommodate our growing family, or do we move to a bigger house that will have enough room for years to come?
• Can we remodel or move in time for our new arrival?
• How much will it cost to remodel? To move?

Before making this big decision parents should evaluate several important factors, Fritschen says.

For most people, this is usually the first concern when adding a new family member. Many double income households drop to a single income if one parent elects to stay home with the new baby.

There's also the cost of daycare to consider. If you have an hour-long commute, this adds up to more time and cost for your new baby at the daycare center, and less time for you to spend together. This situation lends itself to a move to a home closer to your work, and benefits you remarkably by giving you more time with your child, and less time and money in daycare and commuting costs.

Want to see more?

• Designing Your Nursery: Decorating Secrets Revealed!
• Smart Design: Outfitting a Stimulating Environment for Baby
• Make Way for Baby: Ideas to Create More Space for Your Newest Addition
• Talk about it!