No matter how much you love your home, you need to change things up a bit from time to time. It’s the only way of ensuring it preserves its appeal. The part you may struggle with is knowing which projects to undertake. Lucky for you, this article lists ten expert home renovations to consider that’ll keep your home looking and feeling as good as new.
1. Revamp Your Electrical System
Thanks to recent technological advancements, appliance and electrical manufacturers are producing more aesthetically pleasing and reliable products that appeal to homeowners worldwide. So, why not take advantage of them? Consider replacing your home’s entire electrical distribution system with the modern options available today for an upgrade.
Revamping your electrical system as part of your expert home renovations is the only way to enhance its performance and energy efficiency. Of course, working with electricity presents some serious safety hazards, so hire one of the reputable electrical services in your area. A revamp typically entails adding energy-efficient HVAC systems and fans, replacing outdated lighting fixtures with more stylish and elegant ones, and modernizing the wiring and panels. You can also have your electrical contractor install new circuit voltages, upgrade the circuit breakers in the fuse box or metallic panel, and update the electricals in your kitchen and bathroom.
Whatever you do, don’t stay with an old electrical system. Outdated wiring presents some serious safety risks for you and any other occupants. For example, it can increase the likelihood of electrical shock, electrocution, and overheating, which can cause electrical fires. An old electrical system will also lead to frequent power outages and other frustrating and expensive electrical issues.
2. Purify Your Water
When rain falls, it’s usually clean of minerals. However, as it flows through the different layers of the ground, it picks up minerals such as magnesium and calcium. Water with excessive quantities of minerals is known as hard water.
While it poses no health risk, it’s not friendly to your home. When the dissolved minerals in the groundwater flowing through your home’s pipes combine with the heat, resulting in scale buildup that will damage the pipes, fixtures, and appliances. Water softener systems work to remove the minerals responsible for hard water using a process known as ion exchange. Resin in the system traps mineral ions, exchanging them for potassium and sodium ions.
If you’ve been suffering from the negative consequences of hard water, then including a water softener in your expert home renovations can be a lifesaver. However, there are situations where a water softener isn’t the best choice. This appliance will surely keep your home’s water clear of mineral ions. Still, it won’t do anything about contaminants like bacteria and heavy metals such as iron, mercury, and lead. If you want something that will give you better-tasting water, then a water filtration system is what you want.
3. Install a Deck
A deck provides an amazing gathering spot. It is a great addition to your expert home renovations if you like playing host for family and friends. Whether for a midday meal or a summer BBQ, it’ll offer a cozy area to sit and enjoy the great outdoors. Add unique patio furniture pieces to ensure guests can mingle, dine, and conversate comfortably. The good thing with a deck is even if you don’t love entertaining, it will give you a place where you can enjoy the breathtaking view of nature on beautiful days.
The benefits don’t end there. Whether you intend to sell or not, having professional deck builders erect a deck in your yard can increase your home’s market value significantly. Most potential home buyers desire to have nice outdoor spaces. So, having a deck is a plus as it takes away the worry, hassle, and costs of adding one themselves.
Another benefit of this home addition is it can enhance your front or backyard’s aesthetics. With the virtually limitless array of stain and finish options for composite and real wood decks, you will surely find one that goes well with your home’s exterior. You can also incorporate storage space for outdoor game supplies and sports equipment to keep clutter hidden. A deck will also allow you to define your outdoor space so everyone can use and enjoy it.
You may have thought of adding a room or making other interior renovations to your house, but depending on the size of the project, doing so will cause a major disruption to your daily life. On the other hand, a deck can be constructed quickly and is usually confined to outside work, so you won’t have to deal with inconveniences while it’s being built. Ultimately, this home addition will be much more cost-effective.
4. Finish Your Basement
A basement is a useful room for any home. However, most people tend to not finish the space because it is not the most visible, and they mostly use it for storage. Don’t let this valuable space go unused.
Finishing your basement with the help of basement contractors will give you more room to accommodate your friends and family when they’re over at your place and need a place to sleep. You can transform a section or the entire space into an ultimate guest suite. Think of a roomy seclusion with a living area, kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom; your visitors will like it!
Your loved ones will come to your house more often if they know you have a special place ready for them. You could even decide to rent out your basement if you’re okay with it and have the amenities. This is a great way of offsetting the costs of your expert home renovations. Once the project is paid off, you can use the rent money to pay for your mortgage or other expenses.
Finishing your basement can also boost your home’s comfort. Unfinished basements are generally chilly and damp. However, when you have professionals install insulation during the project, you’ll notice that the space feels more comfortable.
During the cold winter temperatures, it’ll stay warm, and in the sweltering summer months, it’ll keep things cool. Since finishing your basement will help to regulate temperatures, you’ll also be reducing the likelihood of the excess moisture buildup that usually triggers mold growth and attracts pests. Another benefit you’ll get to enjoy is improved air quality.
5. Protect Your Patio
Who wouldn’t want to have a lovely outside area right on their property’s compound? However, creating an exterior space you and your family can enjoy for a long time without the constant stress or worry of repair needs requires going above and beyond in protecting your patio from the elements. Ultimately, the items that enhance your patio’s experience are also the ones that’ll sit outside in the rain, snow, and intense sun all year long. Luckily, there are a few things that can help you preserve this outdoor living space so it can serve you for a long time.
One of the best things you can do for your family and their favorite outdoor chill spot during your expert home renovations is installing an outdoor patio awning. When shopping for these additions, you’ll find a wide array of options, allowing you to find something tailored to your aesthetic and performance needs. You’ll also come across various prices, sizes, and features, so there’s a product out there for any price range, skill level, and performance need for an outdoor awning.
6. Update Your Garage
Despite the important role it plays for you and your home, you probably don’t think much about the state of your garage. Whether that’s when performing routine home maintenance or undertaking improvement or renovation projects. However, you probably use it to store your automobile and other miscellaneous stuff. What you may not realize is your garage offers a lot of untapped potential, which you can only realize when you update it.
Understandably, you might be hesitant about putting your money into such a project, especially if you plan to sell your home soon. However, that should be the last thing stressing you out because a garage update offers a great ROI, whether you’ll be staying in the home for a long time or listing it for sale. Statistics show that something as simple as garage door replacement can give you up to a 102.7% return on investment, one of the highest for upgrade projects, according to Realty Times.
You can also enjoy other benefits. The garage door makes up a significant part of your home’s facade, so when it’s looking neglected or outdated, it negatively affects the visual interest of the rest of your home. Upgrading it with the help of professional garage door services can give your curb appeal a much-needed boost. A brand-new garage as part of your expert home renovations also demonstrates your concern for the aesthetics of your home and your willingness to go above and beyond in maintaining it.
7. Beautify Your Home’s Exterior
You’ve probably heard this many times before, but it’s worth repeating, ”You only get one chance at making a first impression.” This holds true, even for your home. Your landscape is one of the first things people interact with when they approach your property. So, if you want to impress your neighbors, guests, or potential buyers with your home’s curb appeal, you’ll want to focus some of your resources there during your expert home renovations.
You can never go wrong with planting colorful flowers and shrubs. They’ll transform your outdoors into a bouquet of colors. Whether you’re into bold, vivid hues or beautiful pastel petals, you have an endless selection.
Picture yourself walking outside to a rainbow of colors daily. It doesn’t have to stay an imagination. By introducing vibrant flowers and bushes to your garden, you won’t just introduce nature’s beauty into your backyard but also get a free instant mood booster. It would be best if you also considered introducing hardscaping elements with the help of hardscaping services to define the space.
8. Insulate Your Home
The insulation in your home does a lot. For one, it helps to maintain the temperature that your HVAC system works so hard to generate by preventing air leaks and thermal loss through the walls and roof. However, its ability to do this deteriorates as it ages. The result is your heating and cooling system working almost twice as hard to keep you comfortable.
So, if you can’t remember the last time you installed new insulation, replacing it as part of your expert home renovations is a good idea. If you proceed with this project, consider using spray foam insulation. It offers great benefits like easy installation and durability and is great at preventing drafts.
9. Restore Your Gutters
When you think about the different components of your home, the gutters are probably the last thing that comes to mind. However, the gutter system is one of the most important parts of your home’s infrastructure. It works to protect your home from water damage, which can affect its structural integrity and overall condition.
If you’ve had yours in for a while, but they’re still in good working order, consider restoring them with the help of a professional gutter service. This way, they’ll serve you for longer and reduce the likelihood of needing premature replacements. So, as you consider expert home renovations to undertake, be sure to include the gutters.
10. Refresh Your Driveway
Your driveway is among the components that contribute to the first impression people have of your home. Over years of constant use, it’ll likely fade, develop cracks, and other faults that negatively affect its aesthetics and performance. If you hope to restore it to its former glory, consider investing in driveway sealcoating services as part of your expert home renovations. Besides giving your driveway a visual appeal boost and its original glossy black color, applying a sealer will also help to prevent further damage. While it’ll definitely cost you some money, seal coating is much more cost-effective than waiting for extensive damage to occur.
You want to enjoy your home for as long as you live there. So, if your financial situation allows it, make renovations and improvement projects a routine undertaking. This read provides some great examples of projects worth considering.