Home improvement can be a tricky subject because it can either require a home equity line of credit just to finish one job or it can be done on a shoestring budget and still look great. Assuming you are pushing for the latter of the two and want to get the most home improvement for every dollar put in here are seven great (cost effective) home improvement tips that are sure to increase the value of your home when you put it up for sale.
Fiber Cement Siding – Fiber cement siding is becoming one of the most popular alternatives to vinyl siding because it inherits all of the attractive features of wood siding with none of the flaws. For example, fiber cement siding is low maintenance, fire and termite resistant and holds paint color for seven to fifteen years.
Add a Wood or Composite Deck – Wood decks tend to generate a better return on investment than composite decking but you can expect wood to be higher maintenance so it’s worth weighing your options on maintenance versus initial price. Either way, adding a deck to your home will give you additional square footage outside of your home and increase the value of your home among potential home buyers.
New Vinyl Windows – If you have an older home one of the most promising home improvements is in your windows. Replace drafty or aging windows with vinyl windows which are cost effective, look great and are low maintenance.
Minor Kitchen Remodel – Sometimes a home improvement project doesn’t need to be a full scale military project. Updating your kitchen can be as simple as replacing the countertops with a more modern surface like granite, changing cabinets with a moderately priced new set and upgrading your appliances to newer and typically more quiet stainless steel appliances.
Attic to Bedroom Conversion – Wasted space such as an attic can be a great way to expand your home’s livable space without having to build beyond the home’s original footprint. One of the most popular ways to convert an attic to living space is by turning it into a bedroom or master suite with bathroom and walk-in closets.
Finish Your Basement – Similar to an attic project, basements also span the width of most of your home and offer up a tremendous amount of space to use. If you have a basement with at least seven feet of floor to ceiling height you should be able to turn the dusty, underused part of your home into a recreation room or guest suite. Every town varies on how extensive they will allow a basement renovation become so check with your local town officials and get the proper permits before starting.
Add Landscaping – Landscaping is super simple and an inexpensive way to increase your home’s curb appeal dramatically. Although you can go crazy with landscaping your home will benefit most from a walkway to the front door complete with plantings on both sides, fencing in the back yard and plantings that run the length of the driveway.
Home improvement is an exciting journey that will exercise your creative freedom and, with good planning, won’t cost you an arm and a leg to do. Using the list above as a guide you can improve many key parts of your home that will give you a marked increase in your home’s value the day you put your home on the market.
By: Joshua Ferris
If you own your own home, than you probably take pride in your house. Now, perhaps you are a very busy person or are not quite the handy type. This may discourage you from planning home improvement projects. However, do not fret because many people feel this way. There are many reasons why you should thoughtfully consider starting up on a diy project at home.
Sense of Accomplishment From Home Improvement Projects
Now, if you take much pride in your home and how your house looks, why not think about becoming more of a part of that. What I mean is if you were to contribute to the beauty of your home, you will feel like you did something worthwhile. If you plan on staying at your place of residence for a long time and maybe even pass it down to your children or grandchildren, than a home improvement project will make you feel more attached to your house. Not only will you feel more attached, but you also have the great opportunity of feeling that nice sense of accomplishment of when you contributed to something that means a lot to you and your family. As with learning anything that is productive, home improvement projects are surely a productive thing to do that will give you a good sense of pride and joy.
Save Money With Home Improvement Projects
My guess is that in most cases, it will be a lot cheaper to fix something in your home yourself than to go and hire a contractor or some other kind of professional. It does not matter if you are on a tight budget or not, it is always nice to save some money. There will always be something that we want or need that the extra cash could be spent on. With home improvement projects, you will be able to save money. This is a great reason to start a home improvement project because my motto is you can never be too frugal.
Broaden Your Horizons with Home Improvement Projects
If you are like me, you find new things to do quite interesting. Well, home improvement projects can be that new thing that sparks your interest. It is nice to be able to broaden your horizons. The best thing about this reason is that you do not have to leave your home to broaden your horizons. In my opinion, you can never have too many skills. A diy project will be a great asset to have under your belt.
So, these reasons above should be enough to get you nice and motivated to plan a home improvement projects. So get out that old and dusty tool box, and have fun while contributing to the beauty and splendor of your home!
By: Jay Brandley
When you want to get a project of new home improvement done, you can combine home improvement with a great improvement in family relationships if you take the opportunity of involving your whole family into the project. Even if it is a matter of just painting the walls with a fresh coat of paint, it provides a great event for the family and friends to come together and enjoy a roaring time. Yes, redecorating can be hugely enjoyed! Everyone can do home improvement jobs, young or old, male or female! Obviously, it is not a very good idea to involve small children into too much work.
When you approach everyone for help, you will surely get all sorts of excuses and complaints from them but you have to be really skillful and make them take a guilt trip for offering so many ridiculous excuses. Rest assured, they will come around to help in your project. A project of home is a huge task and you can make do with all the help you will get, especially from your family and friends. It will save you from paying exhorbitant rates that professional home improvement people will charge.
A project of home improvement could be either a small one of a simple paint slapping or a big one like changing the heating system. Every project of home improvement is very important irrespective of whether it is small or big and should be carefully done with due consideration for members of the family living in the home. You must discuss every project with all the members of the family and their views also deserve consideration, unless you are in a state of mind where you do not care about what they think. A project of home improvement is an important topic, More so if it is a big one with a lot of investment which also involves much work.
While enlisting help for your project of home improvement, it would be better to be choosy as slack people or those who are not on the same wavelength as you are regarding the project will mostly prove to be an impediment to the job on hand. They will either slow down the job or it will get messed up, preventing you from achieving what you set out to do. It is also important that you keep yourselves free for a few days or for however long it takes to finish the job, as leaving the job unfinished will defeat the purpose of the home improvement project. Contractors should never be asked to come if you are unable to pay them. A home improvement project is undertaken to enliven your home life and it should never bog you down with worries or bills. It should prove to be a joy from start to finish!
By: Abhishek Agarwal