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Top 10 Home Improvement Projects

According to the 2010-2011 Remodeling magazine Cost vs. Value Report, these updates bring the best return based on their cost and the value they add to your home.

Image courtesy of Peachtree Doors and Windows: 24-gauge galvanized steel door with a high-performance composite sill. | View Full Photo Detail

#1: New Front Door

Payback: 102.1 percent
You can expect to pay about $1,218 for a half glass 20-gauge steel front door, however this small change will raise your home's resale value by $1,243, generating a return of 102.1 percent. You'll find that switching from an existing wood door to a steel door requires much less maintenance as well. One caveat: Base your door choice on aesthetics, not energy efficiency claims, since you'll actually lose more heat from cracks around the door frame than through the door itself.

By Dona DeZube

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