When it comes to home improvement repairs, it’s easy to overlook some important but less obvious fixes and upgrades you can do around your home and property. These may not be high on your priority list, but they can make a huge difference in not only the look and feel of your space, but in the amount of money you’ll receive when and if you ever do decide to sell your home and relocate. These sorts of home improvement repairs can be anywhere too — from your living room to your backyard.
Home improvement repairs don’t need to be massive and cost you thousands of dollars either — sometimes simply changing out a door or painting a room can be enough to completely transform the look and feel of a space. When making a list of improvements and repairs to tackle, keep an eye out for anything simple you can do in an area, like rearranging or upgrading furniture. Often, it’s these small touches and ten-minute fixes that can make the biggest difference.
Here are some home improvement repairs you may be forgetting.
Exterior Improvements
Air Conditioner
Home improvement repairs don’t necessarily stop at your front door. Exterior improvements such as landscaping and painting can really elevate the look of your home, not to mention net you some extra income when and if you decide to sell your home and relocate. These kinds of home improvement repairs can be anything from replacing a scratched or dinged front door to redoing the landscaping in your front and back yards. Whatever your budget is, there are sure to be opportunities for you to upgrade and improve your space.
When considering what exterior improvements to make to your home, it’s important to consider a few factors. One of course is your budget. Replacing a door may be feasible in the short-term while refreshing the paint may have to wait another season or two. Once you have a handle on the base cost of different kinds of improvements, it becomes easier to make a plan.
Beyond budget, you’ll want to consider want verses need. What improvements need to be made and what can wait? By tackling things this way, you’re far less likely to run into maintenance issues while you’re working on upgrades in other areas. One example is your home’s air conditioner.
24 hour AC repair exists for a reason, but it’sbest if you don’t need to call in the first place, especially after hours. AC maintenance can easily be overlooked in the course of your planning and working in other areas of your home, but it’s vital to keep the unit running smoothly and functioning correctly. When you start to tackle your outdoor space, start with the air conditioner. This way you won’t run the risk of forgetting about it and having it struggle or break down when you need it.
Landscaping
When you consider home improvement repairs, landscaping may not immediately spring to mind, but it’s an important part of your overall space and is a great selling point, if you’re considering relocating. Landscaping sets the tone for your outdoor experience whenever you’re home, so make sure to give it the proper attention.
Depending on your lot size, you may even be able to divide your outdoor space into sections using retaining walls and decorative fencing.If this is possible, then you can tackle each area separately and knit the space together bit by bit, in a more budget-friendly way. Small fruit trees can also double as a great dividing line between sections, depending on layout.
Flower beds are a common enough home improvement project. Just be sure to research your flowers beforehand, so you know how best to take care of them. Choose colors that work well together as well as with the exterior paint color and pay attention to the actual green space left in your design. It should be able to stand on its own, without that bright snap of color, and still look aesthetically pleasing.
Rocks and other less-common additions to landscaping should also be a consideration. Is there an area where you’ll need a retaining wall? What about lighting? Will you be adding a water feature anywhere? This can easily become a big project, so always start with the basics. You can always add more and work your way up to things later on.
Pest Control
In the course of making improvements to your outdoor space, you may run into signs of unwanted guests either in your home boron your property. Animal removal services are generally your best option when it comes to keeping pests away from your home. It’s much safer to call a professional than it would be to try and deal with wild animals yourself. While some small pests can be safely trapped and removed, others may have to be exterminated.
Some common pests you may encounter are birds, bats, mice, and squirrels. Many of these kinds of animals can try to make your home theirs as well by nesting in places they have access to, such as gutters, porches, and occasionally attics, if there’s an access point they can fit through. In most cases, they’re pretty simple to deal with and no real cause for alarm so long as basic safety precautions are taken when dealing with them.
Roofing
One area that’s very easy to overlook when it comes to improvements and repairs is the roof. Home improvement repairs should always include at least a good long look at the condition the roof is in, even if you don’t add anything or need to repair it anywhere.
The roof of your house is a part of the basic structure and damage to it can affect the rest of the house faster and more thoroughly than you might realize. To help prevent wide-spread water damage or damage resulting from pests such as mice, birds, bats, and squirrels, it’s important to keep your roof in good condition.
Make sure there are no loose, missing, or damaged shingles on your roof as these can let water in and cause damage to the structure. If you do find damaged shingles, shore them up or replace them as soon as you can. If the issue is widespread, or you would just rather have a professional’s opinion, there are many local roofing companies that can help you out.
If your home uses kerosene, then the equipment to store the fuel and keep the heat running when needed should definitely be on your list of repairs and improvements when needed. This is especially true if you live in an area of the country that experiences harsh winters where heat can literally be a life-saver.
Accessibility Improvements
Accessibility improvements are a kind of upgrade designed to make the house more accessible to those with disabilities or other difficulties. Home improvement repairs such as these are often warranted by someone living at the property, but can be done as a precaution as well.
A lift chair is a chair designed to aid in standing. Upgrading a living room space with a lift chair makes it more accessible to the elderly and those with back injuries as the chair assists when moving back to an upright position. This is an example of a small upgrade that takes the space to a new level.
Minor Bathroom Remodel
A minor remodel in the bathroom can really upgrade your space. It’s easy to overlook the small improvements that can be made to a space when you’re in it every day, but consider taking a step back and seeing your bathroom from a new perspective. What’s within your budget to upgrade? Could you replace the old countertop? What about adding grab bars for extra stability? Even something as simple as changing the paint color can make a massive difference.
Miscellaneous
Bedroom Redo
Redoing the bedroom can elevate the space in ways you might not have even considered. Even minor things like dismantling baby cribs when they’re no longer needed can free of a lot of floor and visual space in the room. Consider doing an overhaul on the old bedroom furniture. You can even theme the room, so it’s more relaxing to be in.
Home Office
Whether you’re a writer or a family law attorney, having a home office can be a life-saver for those days when work just seems never-ending.
Bonus Room
Bonus rooms and rec rooms are not only a great selling feature, but they’re also just a great idea, especially for larger families who need space to spread out and unwind. Consider turning an unused basement or garage into a bonus room or extra bedroom to meet those needs.
Additionally, if you’re working with an open wall or anything like that during construction, it’s a good time to consider your future computer networking needs. If you have a home office, or kids who play video games in the rec room, it’s a great opportunity to go ahead and have any needed cables run for those hookups.
Level Your Windows
It may sound odd, but even from the interior crooked windows really make a house look unstable. If you notice that your windows are cooked, consider taking the time to find a good contractor who can shore them up and level them out. These kinds of small issues are easy to overlook for more pressing issues, but addressing them will help give your home a more unified, consistent look. Leveling windows can also help reduce stress on the exterior walls, which can lead to cracks and leaking over time. Taking care of small things as soon as you catch them is the best way to avoid damage further down the line.
So, there you have it — a few of the home improvement repairs you may be overlooking. As with everything home improvement, it’s important to consider both your needs and your budget before you commit to any large project. However, once you’ve spotted the project you want to tackle and are sure you can afford it, repairs and upgrades like these can really help secure and elevate your space, often for very little outlay up front.
These don’t have to be massive changes either — small improvements here and there really can make all the difference when it comes to the look and feel of a space. Just remember to see things from a new perspective, and you’re sure to run across all kinds of ideas. While kitchen and bathroom remodels remain some of the most expensive out there, there’s also a lot you can do for not very much. Be intentional with where you put your money andtake things stages if you’re working on a larger project.
Don’t be afraid of the outdoors either! Exterior fixes and upgrades are just as important, and sometimes more so, than interior ones. Your air conditioning unit will run much smoother for much longer if you take the time to give it proper maintenance. The same goes for sprinkler systems and outdoor lighting. Landscaping is a great way to elevate your outdoor space and can be as simple as blocking out a new flower bed in the spring and choosing plants with colors that work well together and with the exterior paint.
In the end, it’s easy to overlook all kinds of home improvement repairs, so it’s best to go room by room when you can and really try to see the space you’re living in. What needs to be changed? What can wait? Being intentional about things from the beginning will help keep you satisfied with the results as the project moves along.
