Making improvements to your home, or to any property that you own, is bound to give you some return on your investment. How much and how quickly relies mostly on the projects you choose to do and how you choose to do them. Using the ideas in this article you should be able to make smart decisions when it comes to your home repairs.
Improving your home’s energy efficiency is a type of home improvement that could deliver significant returns in both the short and long term. Possible improvements to consider are: installing solar panels on your roof, cavity wall insulation, loft insulation and replacing any single-glazed windows with double-glazed or even triple-glazed windows.
A great way to make your home look new again is to slap on a new coat of paint on the outside of your home. If you choose a brighter color, your house will glow like a new pearl and will be the envy of everyone on your neighborhood block.
Even if you don’t use your fireplace much, it’s important to get your chimney inspected and cleaned regularly by a professional. Burning wood can cause creosote to accumulate, and that could lead to a chimney fire. Avoid burning pitchy wood like pine to help keep creosote under control after a cleaning.
Older awnings over porches and windows can greatly detract from the appearance of your home. By removing them, you are updating your house with a more modern look that allows its distinctive character to shine through. Furthermore, you will find that more natural light enters your house through the windows, brightening the mood.
When you are remodeling your bathroom, make sure not to add carpeting to the floor. Not only does carpeting stain easily, but the water from the shower will give the carpet, and subsequently your whole bathroom, a foul odor. Instead, go with a tile that can withstand any water that may get on the floor.
Before removing wallpaper from a room as part of a home improvement project, be sure to determine what type of wallboard is underneath the paper. Generally, you will find either plaster or drywall. Drywall requires much more care when removing wallpaper, as it can be damaged by over-wetting or scraping.
Did you know that a simple, cheap improvement like replacing your old window blinds can improve not only the look of the home, but its actual value as well? Over time, blinds become faded by the sun or damaged by little hands and paws or other mishaps. At most locations, you can find high-quality window blinds for under $20. They’re also incredibly easy to put in, especially if you’re just replacing older ones.
Improving your home’s curb appeal can be as easy as replacing a mailbox. A new, more modern mailbox can make your home feel upgraded. The project can often be completed in less than two hours. Just be sure to follow any Home Owners’ Association guidelines when picking your mailbox out.
To save a considerable amount of money and get virtually the same effect, install granite tiles instead of a solid piece of granite slab. Granite counter tops are very popular, but can be quite expensive with slabs priced at around $5,000. However, granite tiles can provide the same visual appeal, yet cost a small fraction of the slab’s cost.
Take inventory of your kitchen cabinet order as soon as it arrives in your home. Make sure all of the cabinets you ordered are present, as well as all hardware, knobs and pulls. Check the finish to be sure it is correct and examine the cabinets for scratches and defects. It is far easier to fix these errors now than to discover them halfway through your remodel.
When you begin to plan a home improvement project be sure to check with local officials on what permits you need. If you do not do this all the work that is done may be required to be torn down and the project started all over again due to regulation violations.
Using the ideas presented here to make decisions about how, when and why you are going to make remodeling changes or updates to your home or investment property, will net you a greater return on your investment and give you some leeway in making greater gains in your home equity.