Home upgrades don’t always require a large budget or team of contractors. Often it’s the little changes that elevate your home’s beauty or functionality.
Adding storage to your home and upgrading your light fixtures are simple but effective ways to add value. Other projects with great return on investment include finishing the basement and installing energy-efficient home appliances.
Paint the Front Door
The front door is the first thing people notice about your home, and painting it a vibrant hue can boost curb appeal. It’s also one of the most cost-effective and simple projects to take on over a weekend.
Before starting, remove any hardware like the doorknob or deadbolt lock. Then, wipe down the surface to remove any dust and grime. Next, sand the door lightly to roughen up the surface and prep it for paint.
Umana recommends using a high-quality exterior latex paint, rather than the cheap stuff you can find at Home Depot or Lowe’s. It’ll last longer and look better. Before committing to a color, tape some swatches to the door and view them at different times of day to see how they look in natural light.
Upgrade Your House Numbers
Having clearly displayed house numbers does more than just aid in finding your address; it enhances curb appeal as well. Choose number designs that complement your home’s architectural style, whether sleek and minimalist or ornate and detailed.
A common place to display your house numbers is on or near the front door. However, if this area isn’t visible from the road (or it doesn’t have enough space for your house numbers) try mounting them on a door frame, like Julian Porcino did here, or even your curb.
If you need help installing your new house numbers, a Tasker can do it for you. Get an estimate today!.
Power-Wash the Exterior
Over time, the weather and pollutants take a toll on your home’s exterior. A little power washing goes a long way in boosting curb appeal, priming surfaces for painting, preventing damage, and returning the surface to its original glory.
Before you get started, however, be sure to test any area for lead paint. The force of a power washer can dislodge and spread this hazardous material.
If you do find traces of lead paint, consult the proper cleaning instructions to remove it. Otherwise, the experts at Lowes provide a handy step-by-step guide for this easy house upgrade. It’s also a great idea to power wash your gutters. Without them, water could overflow and cause leakage or rot in the foundation. This is an important task that’s easy to overlook.
Refinish Your Hardwood Floors
Hardwood floors add a lot of value to a home and are attractive to potential buyers. If your hardwoods are looking a bit worn, however, refinishing or resurfacing can revive them and make the entire home look better.
Refinishing involves sanding the wood to remove years of wear and tear. Skilled refinishers can even repair some types of damage, such as deep scratches and dents, with stain or varnish.
Refinishing can be more expensive than replacing the hardwoods, but it’s still an easy house upgrade that pays off. A new coat of stain or varnish can refresh the look of the floor and protect it for years to come. Hardwood floors that are refinished are also more appealing to potential buyers, so you’ll get a good return on your investment when it comes time to sell.
Change Your Light Fixtures
Replacing your basic big-box store boob light fixtures with something a little more stylish can elevate the look of your home for a relatively inexpensive price. Then switch to dimmer switches and you can create different moods in any room for an even more impressive upgrade.
Before you disconnect any wires, use a non-contact voltage detector to make sure there’s no electricity flowing through the junction box (ceiling or wall). Once it’s safe to remove the old fixture, follow the new one’s instructions for connecting the electrical wires.
The black wire usually connects to the exposed screw in the junction box, and the white and copper pair of wires might either attach to a green grounding screw or a dedicated copper wire coming from the ceiling (depending on your fixture). Connect them as instructed.