Not everyone is lucky enough to be a homeowner and have a foot inside the housing market, but for those of you who are, it pays to spend a little time refreshing the look for both personal reasons (i.e., being proud of owning a substantial investment) or commercial (you are seeking a sale to up or downscale). But for those with relatively limited budgets, not to mention the seemingly never-ending increase in the costs of everything, the question is, what upgrades will actually make a difference and provide the most bang for the buck? Whether you’re only able to invest in one large-scale change or have a budget more conducive to completing a lot of smaller-scale projects, we have you covered.
Repair Or Update Your Roof
The roof is one of those aspects of a house that everyone knows is important (for obvious reasons), but because it tends to be a bit out of sight for most, it also gets relegated to the out-of-mind part of the brain. While most modern home roofs remain perfectly intact and able to withstand whatever it is Mother Nature has to throw your way, it might be worthwhile investing in a professional inspection to see if there are any upgrades that can be achieved. According to AAA roofing over at www.aaarfg.com, these sorts of reports can offer you information to help you gauge its current condition and possible life expectancy. Once you have a handle on what you’re dealing with, you can then make an informed decision on your next course of action, which could include:
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Total replacement: If the condition warrants it, you might have to stump up the cash for a total renovation. While this can be costly, the result is often worth the resources you put into it. In some cases, it may even be stipulated in your homeowners' insurance policy that you need to keep it in good condition, and taking on this project will ensure that they can’t weasel out of a payment if or when the time comes.
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Renewing the waterproofing layer: In some instances, you might not require a full replacement, but you may need to upgrade the waterproofing layer. New materials are far more effective at allowing the house to breathe (to avoid moisture buildup in the attic), while still keeping the inside of the house clean and dry.
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General maintenance: Perhaps you need your gutters cleaned or new shingles to replace damaged ones. This is often the quickest fix and might even be covered by your insurance.
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Adding specific features: If you have the money to spare, installing solar panels could be one of the best decisions you ever make. They won’t enable you to entirely remove yourself from the grid, but you will discover pretty nice savings each month.
Eco-Friendly Landscaping Enhancements
If you’re already green-thumbed, then this might not appeal to you as much as other options. But if you’re like most folks, you will have a yard that includes a patch of grass, perhaps a few shrubs, and potted plants. Nothing inherently wrong with this, and if you enjoy mowing your patch of grass on the weekends, then more power to you. But if you really want to boost your curb appeal, consider the following landscaping ideas that will keep the place looking amazing without making too much of an impact on the planet.
- Turn your space into a wild garden that attracts more bees and bugs.
- Consider upgrading to a drought-resistant design if you live in areas prone to a dearth of rainfall.
- Use as much vertical space as possible. This is great if you want to grow your own herbs and veggies, since you can pack in a lot more in far less space.
- Include rainwater harvesting systems that ensure you can keep your yard watered and looking amazing even if you’re in the midst of a hosepipe ban.
Driveway And Pathway Improvements
The driveway is the most common entrance to your house for both you and any visitors you may invite over. As such, you really ought to make an effort to make it highly attractive from the outset. This might involve ripping up an old driveway and installing a new one using more attractive materials, or possibly enhancing the drainage to avoid pools of water during the rain. It can also include simpler upgrades like placing solar lights along the path and around the front of your home, so that as soon as night falls, your place will be lit up and looking fabulous.
There are plenty of things you might want to revamp about your home, but those mentioned in this post are just some to give you food for thought. If you can muster together a larger budget, then it pays to work from the top down. But if your budget is on the more diminutive side of things, you can still update things, but you will have to think a little more about which areas are most important for you.
