As you sit in your home, are you thinking of ways to improve it? As the year is about to end, more homeowners are in the same position. As you make your list of major home improvements, you have a lot to consider, from your garage to your landscape to your flooring. To help make your decision easier, we’ve put together this article to help you get started on typical major home improvements.
Upgrade Your Roof
Do you remember when your current roof was installed? Did it come with the house, or did you make updates since then? The age of your roof matters, especially when making timely repairs and replacements. For example, according to Bob Vila, asphalt roofing lasts about 20 years, whereas metal and slate can last up to 70 years. The climate that you live in also matters when it comes to the best roofing for you. To get started, you should contact a local roofing contractor for a consultation about the upgrades you should make.
If you live in an arid climate, a metal roof can help you with your energy efficiency. Metal is great at reflecting heat, so it’s ideal for keeping your home cool during hot weather. If you don’t mind splurging even more, ceramic tiling can last as long as a century and is often seen in Mediterranean homes and South Florida homes. Both metal and slate also have a Class A fire rating if you’re in an area that may be prone to brush fires.
Materials like metal and slate are also handy for their aesthetics. These are very beautiful, durable materials that can easily add extra curb appeal to your home. There are different types of metals to choose from, ranging from copper to tin to aluminum to steel. The right metal roofing contractor can further enhance your roof with various designs and finishes.
Are you looking forward to curling up in front of the fire at this winter? Make sure you add chimney repair to your list of major home improvements. After all, your chimney is also part of your home’s curb appeal, so that’s part of your roof. Most importantly, an upgraded chimney can help keep you and your family safe. When your chimney functions properly, it can make sure any exhaust fumes and gases from your fireplace go outside the home and not circle back into your main living quarters. As a result, it protects the air quality of your home and your family’s respiratory health.
Plus, chimney cleaning professionals can ensure that there isn’t a buildup of dangerous soot. They can also make sure that there aren’t any pests hibernating in your chimney. Such pests can cause blockages as well as other detriments to an infestation.
Turn Your House Into a Smart Home
When it comes to electrical devices, your smartphone and iPad aren’t the only smart technology available. Thanks to advances in home and smart technology, your entire home can become as smart as your phone with electrical services on hand.
Call an electrical contractor to upgrade your home with the various smart technologies suitable for your lifestyle. When it comes to major home improvement, you may want smart lights that can automatically come on or off whenever you enter a room or that you can operate by phone. As the winter months set in, it would be great to be able to come home that’s already warm and cozy. So, instead of turning on your HVAC system and waiting for it to warm up, you can remotely operate your smart thermostat to come on shortly before you arrive. Of course, you can do the same thing if you live in a hot area and you need to keep cool. Thanks to smart technology, you never have to wait for your home to reach a comfortable temperature again. It could be ready the minute you walk in.
Expand the Garage
You should add garage expansion to your list of major home improvements. Why, you ask? Because your courage isn’t just a place to store your cars. Sure, they protect your cars from the elements and theft, but it’s a viable space for other uses. If you have several people living in your home, or if you want to invest in a few more cars, your garage may not be able to fit all of them. So, instead of having a two-car garage and parking the rest of your cars on your driveway, why not properly expand them to take on more vehicles?
When it comes to curb appeal, think about how your garage door looks. After all, your garage doors are one of the first things people see when they approach their property. Regardless of how well you maintain the rest of your home, if you have an older, noisy, and dirty garage door, it could stick out like a sore thumb in a negative way.
There are so many more materials residential garage door contractors can easily match with your current home design. Do you have beautiful cars you don’t mind people seeing as they walk past? Are you proud to show off your workshop and show how often you stay busy in your garage? Why not invest in a semi-transparent fiberglass garage door? Are you a fan of metal and already have a metal roof? Match things up with a custom-made metal garage door. Are you a fan of farmhouse living? Create a beautiful rustic appeal with a barn house-style garage door that you can manually open.
Garage expansion could also include adding more storage. Typical Americans have the typical American has over 300,000 items in their home. If you find that you’re running out of space in your main house, there’s nothing wrong with using alternative spaces, such as your garage, to add extra storage. Some professionals specialize in building storage, specifically in garage spaces. So, if you enjoy working or spending time in your garage, you can make it as comfortable as possible by having things more accessible to you.
Create Your Own Off-the-Grid Water Source
Are you tired of being worried about the sanitation of your municipal water supply? Are you tired of the traffic and fees that come with living in the city and are ready to move to a more rural, quiet life? If so, then a water well installation should be at the top of your major home improvements.
Imagine the peace of mind you’ll experience when you have your water well at home. When you draw for a water well, you’re in control of the water that your family drinks and bathes with. In the event of inclement weather or a national disaster, you won’t have to worry about your home losing water as long as your well is functioning. Just make sure that you keep up with your water wall maintenance by having regular inspections and upgrades.
Proper water heater installation can also ensure that your family has adequate water when it comes to bathing and sanitation. Thanks to advances in technology, you can always get the most energy-efficient water heater solution available. One of the more popular ones that homeowners are choosing for major home improvements is tankless water heaters. Tankless water heaters take up less space and only heat the water that you’re using. They burn less energy, and as a result, you’ll save a lot of money on your water bills.
Build a Pool
Coming home and being able to take a dip in the pool whenever you like is a major life upgrade. That’s why you shouldn’t invest in the services of a local swimming pool contractor. Swimming is a great low-impact activity that can bring a lot of fun and exercise to your home.
According to Healthline, Americans should get at least 30 minutes of activity at least five days a week. Are you someone who doesn’t like going to the gym? If you’re looking for alternative ways of increasing your cardiovascular fitness and staying in shape, swimming is a great way to do so. When you have your own residential pool, you have no excuse not to partake in this easy activity. Forget being turned off by going down to the public pool, where you have to sit in other people’s germs and bacteria. Go outside to your beautiful custom-made pool any day, night, or on your lunch break.
Pools come in a range of designs and additional features. You can have an in-ground or above-ground pool. Contractors can add additional features like pool lights to make nighttime swimming easier. They can also increase pool security by adding a gate so that pets and kids can’t get in unless you are there to attend to them.
You or anyone in your home needs hydrotherapy. You can do so from the comfort of your pool. Thanks to the buoyancy of water, your muscles and ligaments can have healthy levels of resistance that won’t hurt them. A pool contractor may also be able to add extra water features, such as a jacuzzi or hot tub near the main pool. Your regular pool can also have heated water to make swimming in wintertime a lot easier. The right pool contractor can help you with all of your pool-related needs.
Maintain Your Septic System
Regular septic services are a must in any home. Without a functioning septic tank, your home is susceptible to an unsanitary environment. If your system has shown signs of needing servicing, you should add that to your list of major home improvements immediately. If your tank is several decades old, it may have reached its lifespan and needs replacement.
Even if it doesn’t need replacement, it may need some repairs to ensure it functions more efficiently. According to Bob Vila, septic pumping should happen at least every three to five years. Consider the size of your home when it comes to septic tank servicing. If you have a large household with many people constantly flushing toilets, bathing, and washing clothes, it can put a lot of work on your existing septic system. Plus, you may never know if people aren’t flushing things down the toilet or drains that they shouldn’t.
Reinforce Your Home’s Structure
A strong foundation is a must in any home. If you suspect any type of issues with your foundation, add it to the top of your major home improvements today. Your home foundation is much like a human skeleton. Without it, you wouldn’t be able to stand. If your foundation begins to rot or suffers damage from mold, it can become a safety hazard as a wall or ceiling could collapse at any time.
One of the first signs that you may need foundation repair is water damage. Water damage often reveals itself in wet spots on your ceilings and walls. A common source of such water damage is often a busted pipe or a roof leak. So, get to the source of these issues by calling a plumber or roofer today. Timely foundation repair can save your home and prevent your home from becoming unlivable. Plus, this type of upgrade can give you peace that you and your family are safe from a collapse. After all, your home is a major investment, and if you want to pass it down to your heirs one day, make sure that they have a solid foundation to work with.
As you consider your major home improvements this year, you have a lot to think about. Luckily, you don’t have to get stressed out, as many other homeowners are going through the same thing. As 2023 comes to a close, make sure your home is as efficient and functioning as possible. With the right major home improvement, you can upgrade your quality of life, increase your home value, and have a home that you can look forward to showing off during the holiday season and beyond. Hopefully, this article has provided a useful guide for you to follow, and good luck with your home planning!