There is no magical formula to determine if or when someone should remodel his home or even put an addition onto it.

However, it’s no secret that land and building prices in Fountain Hills remain in the upper echelon when compared to most Valley areas.

Because of that upward trend the past decade or so, many existing Fountain Hills homeowners have chosen to upgrade their existing abodes rather than design a new one on a custom lot.

Besides, there are plenty of homes built in the 1970s and ‘80s that could use an upgrade or two.

Tom McAuliff of Lifestyle Interior Contractors has seen many trends come and go since he started working in the remodeling industry in the early 1980s.

“People are staying home more these days and are creating an oasis or spa-type feel,” he said. “They want to enjoy their homes.

“You are seeing more large TVs, entertainment centers, larger patio and pool areas, even the bathrooms are getting bigger.”

As nationwide trends will show, McAuliff agrees that most people first look at kitchens and bathrooms when considering a remodel.

“Most people know that’s where the investments are in a home,” he added.

Besides kitchen and baths, other typical areas to consider when remodeling are bedrooms, niches, soffits and pot shelves, window and patio door upgrades, custom entertainment centers, interior doors, cabinetry or even upgrading tile work.

“It’s nice to be able to meet with a homeowner and go over the ideas they have,” McAuliff said. “People do come to us for advice, ask me what I would do.

“They lean into you and take advantage of your experience. It makes it more enjoyable to do the job and give the homeowner what he wants.”

He must be doing something right – McAuliffe estimates 90 percent of his jobs are referrals from other projects and homeowners.

One big project he likes to showcase is his own home.

His family relocated here from New York in late summer of 2000. He eventually bought a small home of around 1340 square feet. It only had two bedrooms, and with three small children, that just wasn’t adding up.

One day he had to chase a Frisbee his son threw up on the roof. While up there he noticed the magnificent mountain views to the east. So the builder soon determined his addition project was going to go “out” and “up.”

Today his home has just under 3100 square feet of livable space. He added a master bedroom and bath upstairs, a third-car garage, laundry room,  expanded the living room, created an office space, added a bedroom and bath on the lower level and had a pool built in the backyard.

Another big piece of advice that McAuliff has for homeowners is to not expect too much too quickly.

“People seem to want something done in a week or two,” he added, “but it just doesn’t work that way.”

Plans have to be drawn up, possibly permits obtained, bids obtained from sub-contractors, etc., etc.

“Back East a lot of people worked around the four seasons and planned a little better on when they wanted things done,” McAuliff said. “Here it seems a little different.”

For example, just this past summer he completed a major window replacement for a homeowner that likely cost a bit more because of utilities and the excessive heat.

“It probably would have been better to do that job in winter,” McAuliff said.

Nonetheless, McAuliff feels just about any type of improvement to a home will benefit the homeowner, either as an investment or just to upgrade a lifestyle or a home’s features.