Buying a home is a financial decision allowing you to increase your wealth as the property’s value appreciates over time. One of the best ways to improve your home’s value and ensure that your family enjoys their stay is by renovating or remodeling it. Besides increasing your home’s value, a complete remodel enables you to upgrade several features and make it look and feel brand new.
Here are the top ten best ways to raise home value and make it more enjoyable.
Create an Outdoor Play Area
Adding an outdoor play area to your home is one of the best ways to raise home value. Simple landscaping features like plants, modern porch designs, installing a water feature, and an outdoor play area make the home more appealing. The front porch is the first thing anybody sees in your home. It gives the first impression and speaks of your style and personality. Apart from amazing your quests, a modern porch is among the best ways to raise home value. Furthermore, you can build a front and back porch.
Creating an outdoor play area is perfect, especially if you have children. Apart from adding enjoyment at home, they provide hands-on learning experiences to the children. However, there are factors to consider when designing an outdoor play area.
Most importantly, you have to consider your children’s safety. Install features and equipment that match the children’s size and complexity level. Existing trees, rocks, topography, and exposure to the sun can be potential safety hazards. Provide clear routes in and around the play area. Playground supervisors should see all the activities going on. Be inclusive and provide different play equipment, tools, and toys that children can play with, including loose parts.
Update Your Hot Water Heater
Most homeowners wait for their water heaters to fail before they think of getting an upgrade or replacement. However, that’s not the best option because you will look for a replacement in a rush and install what’s available. You won’t have enough time to look for a water heater that is energy efficient and meets your needs.
Upgrading your water heater is one of the best ways to raise home value. There are numerous options and types to choose from. Regarding variety, you may prefer one integrated with the heating system or a stand-alone, one that uses electricity or gas. You must carefully weigh all these aspects before investing in a water heater.
Another important aspect to consider when upgrading the water heater is its capacity in terms of first-hour rating and gallon capacity. The size of your household will determine this. Maintenance is another point to consider. You wouldn’t want to install a water heater that will keep breaking down or one that will cost a fortune to fix.
There is a 10-to-15-year lifespan for most water heaters. It is therefore advisable to have a hot water heater repair company assess your water heater and determine how much useful life is left. This will allow you adequate time to research and plan for a replacement.
Fix Up Your Driveway for At Home Sports
Most people think driveways are just a means of getting a vehicle off the street. Such people also don’t care much about how their driveway looks and don’t think there is much you can do to spruce it up. However, most driveways are at the front of the house and significantly affect the first impression of a home.
Numerous driveway design ideas can help homeowners make their driveways more aesthetically pleasing without compromising practicability and functionality. In addition to enhancing beauty, upgrading your driveway is among the best ways to raise home value.
Concrete drives are among the most popular because their durability is exceptional. They can last up to four decades without repairs, maintenance, or replacement. They withstand extreme weather conditions, from the summer heat to snow during winter and daily use. Installing a concrete driveway is also relatively cheap.
There are other alternatives to concrete driveways. Asphalt driveways are a popular and affordable option. They are made from sand, rocks, and asphalt cement and come in black, sometimes called blacktop. Though it does not allow color customization, asphalt is more cost-effective than concrete. Other driveway options include tar and chip, paver, brick, cobblestone, gravel, and mixed material driveways.
Get Your Yard Groomed
Your yard can be a place where your loved ones enjoy spending time. It should be a place to relax and enhance your mood. Grooming your yard is also one of the best ways to raise home value and improve your home’s image. However, grooming a yard requires time, effort, and the right equipment and tools.
Investing in garden tools and equipment for maintaining your yard is essential. However, buying every available gardening tool is not a good idea. It will depend on what you have in your yard. You could need a professional tree trimmer if you have large trees.
Grass shears are perfect for trimming grass around the house. They are also ideal for pruning delicate plants and flowers without harming them. A pruning saw is handy when cutting small branches without ripping or tearing a tree’s bark. Other useful tools you might need include a pole saw, leaf blower, thatching rake, and measuring and marking devices.
However, more goes into grooming your yard than having the right tools. Some plants need more care than others. Keep them free from diseases or parasites by checking on their health regularly. Mow your lawn properly by cutting the grass to the correct height and removing weeds. More importantly, water your plants as required.
Make Sure Your Roof is Safe
A roof is a key component of any structure and should be adequately maintained to serve its purpose. It also contributes significantly to the value of a home. Several aspects determine the cost of a roof, including the type, design, style, and materials. For an existing structure, the roof condition also determines its value.
A lot goes into maintaining your roof and making sure it is safe. Upgrading your roof is one of the best ways to raise home value. Regular inspections should ensure your roof is safe and in good condition. Periodic checks and maintenance will increase the life of your roof’s material, prevent leaks, and save you from expensive repairs or a complete roof replacement. You may need the services of a local roofing company to help you with the assessment and maintenance.
Though roofs are designed to withstand all types of weather and storms, they are prone to wear and tear. Caring for your roof involves inspecting the shingles, especially after strong winds and storms. The sun’s ultraviolet rays may also damage the roof over time. Trim branches that hang next to the roof. Strong winds and heavy snow can break a tree’s branch, damaging the roof.
Refresh Your Kitchen
Kitchens can become outdated over time, and updating them is among the best ways to raise home value and enhance its appearance. A kitchen refresh can be as costly and complicated as a complete remodel or as simple and inexpensive as painting a cabinet, adding a drawer, or replacing hardware.
Repainting your kitchen adds new color and texture and may make it appear new. You can repaint the entire wall and cabinets to a completely different color or maintain the existing one. You can also opt for a combination of colors that either complement or contrast each other. When it comes to painting, it’s all about your creativity and preference.
Kitchen hardware becomes outdated and discolored over time. Changing the hardware is one of the best ways to raise home value and add character and style to your kitchen. You can upgrade cabinet door knobs, drawer pulls, and sink faucets. There are numerous options to choose from in terms of color and material, from modern to vintage styles.
Adding drawer organizers and cabinet accessories is another way to freshen your kitchen. Every kitchen needs utensils such as plates, pans, glasses, cutlery, and cups. You will need space to store all these items. You will also need shelves to keep small appliances such as a coffee maker, toaster, and blender when not in use. Cabinet accessories and drawer organizers help you organize your kitchen better.
Clean Out Your Drains
Clogged drains can ruin your home’s enjoyment and affect many aspects of your home. Bacteria can breed and contaminate your water, produce odor, and pose serious health risks to your family. Clogs also lead to aesthetic and structural damage that may lead to leaky pipes and costly repairs. Homeowners should ensure that all drains are clean at all times.
Cleaning out drains is one of the best ways to raise home value. If cleaning drains is challenging, you should consider hiring a drain cleaning company. Drains from the kitchen and bathroom are the main culprits of clogs, buildup, and foul smell because they transport the largest amount of wastewater.
Cleaning drains involves removing potential clogs, banishing unpleasant odors, preventing future clogs, cleaning the garbage disposal unit, and preventing future clogs. To prevent clogs, use drain screens, avoid pouring some substances in drains, such as grease, and do regular maintenance.
Install New Window Treatments
Installing window treatments enhances your home’s aesthetics and is among the best ways to raise home value. Hiring an expert to measure, order, and mount window treatments can be costly, especially if your home has a lot of windows. But with the right tools, it is a simple DIY task.
You will only need a few tools, such as a step stool or ladder, a drill, a lever, anchors, measuring tape, and a screwdriver. The best thing is that window treatments come with instructions; all you have to do is read and understand. Open the box carefully to avoid damaging the window treatments and ensure everything is included.
One of the best practices is to measure twice and drill once. Measure and mark with a pencil before drilling. Measuring twice ensures you drill in the right position. Make sure you purchase the right anchor based on your wall type and window treatment’s weight. You may also install a solar screen to block ultraviolet rays.
Get Your Pool Ready for Summer
Swimming pools are worthy additions to any home, and maintaining them is one of the best ways to raise home value. However, they are seasonal accessories that you will not use in winter. Spring means getting your pool ready for the summer heat. Since the pool has been idle all winter, you must ensure everything is in working order.
Clean the pool thoroughly before use. Assemble the filtration system, remove any plugs from the pool, and clean the baskets. After everything is clean, contact your pool water delivery service for a top-up. Most swimming pools lose water during the winter, so ensure you top it to the optimal level. Get the water tested and wait for it to clear completely before jumping.
Update Your Tub for Bathtime Fun
There is no other place in the house where one gets to enjoy a private moment except the bathroom. It should therefore be as comfortable as possible. However, it gets outdated with time and may need an update to refresh it. There are numerous ideas to choose from when updating a bathroom, from installing a tub or glass shower to affordable and simple decor updates.
Installing wallpaper, a bathroom backsplash, and repainting are some of the best ways to raise home value. You may also upgrade the vanity or add cabinets to increase storage space. Always remember that safety is the first consideration when upgrading your bathroom. Install grab bars and non-slip tiles or bath mats.
There are numerous ideas for upgrading your home if it appears worn out. Depending on your budget, you may opt for a complete renovation or a cost-effective upgrade. These options will not only allow you to increase your home’s appearance, but they are also the best ways to raise home value.
