There’s a wide range of reasons to start making home improvements from safety or new lifestyle accommodations to the simple fact that you enjoy projects. It never hurts if these projects increase the value of your home, but the most important thing is that you enjoy the additions you make. There’s little point if the time and money spent aren’t improving your quality of life, even if you aren’t planning to stay for much longer. Adding more space, renovating rooms, or adding safety and energy-efficient features are all worthwhile projects. Here are a few home improvement projects, both big and small, that you can start right away.
Outdoor Deck
A deck addition is fantastic for increasing the value of your home, especially as outdoor living areas have consistently grown in popularity. Naturally, you’ll be getting a great deal of additional living space as well. You get a good range of practical options when adding a deck such as an outdoor cooking area, a new lounge area, space for gardening, not to mention the great view. You may even become more popular with your neighbors since you’ll have a place for parties and outdoor activities.
Adding a deck isn’t exactly the cheapest home improvement option, but you can explore different companies, deck sizes, and features to find a plan that fits your budget. As usual, you can cut the price practically in half if you decide to do the work yourself.
Swimming Pool
Adding a pool can be a great summer project if you and your family are committed to it. This is an important point since pools are among the more expensive additions you can make. Even a smaller in-ground pool can easily run you $30,000, and it won’t necessarily add to the resale value of your home. In fact, homes with pools can be harder sells to families who don’t particularly want one or the maintenance responsibility that comes with it.
If you’re prepared for the responsibility of a pool, however, you can turn your yard into a long-term recreation paradise. Pools are a great choice for families with kids since everyone can exercise together, stay healthy, and relax in a safe environment. You may even save some money on vacations with pool-resort staycations and parties. Just make sure you have a pool fence so you can lock it up when not in use.
Improved Energy-Efficiency
Few people could argue with saving on the electric bill, and as we become more environmentally conscious, it becomes more important for homes to have energy-efficient features. There are several ways you could go about increasing the energy efficiency of your home with more expensive options being to replace all your old appliances with newer, more efficient ones. Depending on your area, you could even hook up some residential solar panels.
You don’t have to take steps this drastic, though. You could see noticeable improvements from things as simple as installing extra insulation in the attic or by sealing spaces around your doors and windows. Even switching to LED lightbulbs, if you haven’t already, can help out with the light bill.
Small Renovations
Small-scale renovations throughout the house can be done on a budget and without spending a great deal of time. For example, you could fix any leaky faucets or damaged tiles in the bathroom, which will make a big difference without having to tear the room down and start over. Making a single replacement in the kitchen, such as an old fridge or stove, can breathe new life into the room without having to remodel the whole thing. You could also make better use of wall space by hanging utensils or adding a shelf. If you just want a slight change of scenery, look for some small additions you can make, and see if you enjoy those before moving on to bigger projects.
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
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