Increase Your Home Value with These Projects
For most people, a home is their most significant investment, and they want to do everything possible to help maintain its value. Dozens of home improvement projects will add value to your property, and many are surprisingly affordable. Both interior and exterior upgrades impact value, and many improvements are ideal DIY projects. Whether you want to give your home a new look or just freshen it up, here are a few recommendations by housing experts.
1. Enhance the Landscaping
Your home’s curb appeal plays a huge part in its value. A neglected yard makes a bad first impression on buyers and may turn a home into a neighborhood eyesore. Watering, fertilizing, and. mowing the lawn go a long way toward creating a good first impression. You might plant trees and flowers to give your home’s exterior a homey, welcoming look.
If you want an impressive property value boost, hire a landscaper to recommend and implement improvements. These specialists will design a landscape that is best for your property and is easy to care for. Landscapers may suggest adding an irrigation system that keeps plants, trees, and shrubs healthy. They can also create a minimalist low-maintenance yard using elements like a rock garden, succulents, and xeriscaping.
2. Add an Outdoor Recreation Area
Decks, patios, and outdoor cooking kitchens have become trendy features that house hunters often look for. A well-designed recreation area can expand living space and become a year-round entertainment space.
Building a patio adds space and value to your home. According to Moneycrashers, patios and decks often provide more than a 64% return on investment.
There are a wide variety of materials that can be used to create a deck, including various woods and composite decking. Many homeowners install brick or stone patios and even lower decks. For those who want a professional addition, contractors can build patios and decks of every size and shape and offer options for every budget.
Outdoor kitchens are in-demand features that add significant value to homes. Per specialists at ExtraSpace, homeowners who install outdoor kitchens recoup 100%-200% of their investments when they sell.
Kitchens added to patios and decks make it possible to enjoy meals throughout the year. Many homeowners add features like fire pits, pizza ovens, and comfortable seating areas that make outdoor kitchens perfect for any gathering.
3. Freshen Up Paint
One of the least expensive but effective ways to increase home values is to repaint their interiors. Fresh paint instantly gives rooms a cleaner, neater, more appealing look. Painting is an affordable upgrade that is also an excellent DIY project. Considering that the average cost for a can of paint is $25-$38, painting is an upgrade that provides one of the best returns on your money.
Since a neutral palette appeals to most people, it’s best to stick with beige, taupe, gray, cream, brown, black, and white paint. Grays are currently in vogue and are a good choice because they let decor pop.
4. Make Your Home More Eco Friendly
A home with environmentally friendly features appeals to house hunters and can save you money. You also have the satisfaction of knowing that you are conserving valuable resources.
Conventional toilets, showers, and faucets consume 41 gallons of water per person daily, approximately 60% of your home’s indoor drain. Choosing water-efficient showerheads and faucets lowers daily consumption by 36%, which is about 15 gallons per person. To save water and help the planet, install low-flow bathroom fixtures.
Consider adding a water filtration system under the sink. It will ensure that cooking and drinking water is safe and has a pleasant taste, which appeals to home buyers. You also save money and help the environment by eliminating the need to buy water in single-use plastic bottles.
Opt for energy-efficient appliances and lighting that increase your home’s value and appeal. Before buying an appliance, ensure it is Energy-Star Certified.
Evaluate your insulation since it helps regulate home temperatures. When a home is well insulated, the HVAC system doesn’t have to work as hard, which reduces energy use and utility bills. That’s a big deal because air conditioning accounts for 16% of your home’s energy consumption.
5. Improve Indoor Air Quality
You can increase your home’s value by ensuring it is designed to keep indoor air as healthy as possible. According to the EPA, poor indoor air is a common and severe health problem. Polluted indoor air can lead to eye, nose, and throat irritation. It’s associated with headaches, dizziness, fatigue, respiratory diseases, heart disease, and cancer.
Older carpeting can hide allergens and other contaminants contributing to poor air quality. HVAC contractors test air quality to see whether you have a problem. If so, you can improve indoor air by replacing carpets with hard surface flooring such as laminates or tile, which are easier to keep clean. Those materials do not absorb odors and appeal to buyers, especially if their family members suffer from breathing issues.
6. Give the Kitchen a Facelift
Even minor kitchen upgrades can significantly impact your home’s value. Depending on the project’s scope, you can expect to recoup 53%-72% of your costs.
DIY upgrades like replacing the backsplash, refinishing cabinets, installing new lighting fixtures, or installing new faucets can make a remarkable difference. If you have the budget for a major remodel, a contractor can often add doors, windows, square footage, cooking space, extra seating, and storage.
7. Upgrade Bathrooms
Fresh, attractive bathrooms also add value and appeal to home buyers. Even something as simple as new paint and lighting or replacing a mirror can make a big difference. Installing a new vanity, sink, or toilet will give your bathroom an entirely new look.
Homes with more than one bathroom are in demand. Adding a bathroom is an excellent investment if your home only has one bathroom and you plan a major renovation. Creating a new en suite in the primary bedroom, adding a half bath, or turning unused space into a bath can boost property values. However, these projects can get expensive, so working within a budget is essential.
Home improvement projects are a great way to maintain your property values and keep your house looking its best. Building a patio, deck, or outdoor kitchen and upgraded landscaping are projects offering excellent returns on investment. Painting interiors and upgrading the bathroom and kitchen give property values an impressive boost. Creating an eco-friendlier home and improving indoor air quality also add value.
We hope you found this blog post Home Improvement Projects to Make Your Home More Valuable useful. Be sure to check out our post 8 Green DIY Ideas to Enliven Your Home for more great tips!
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