Whether we’re talking about adding more value to the house or simply adding your own style to the place, home improvement plays an important role. Given that you spend a big part of your time in your home, taking care of the place goes without question. While changing up the place isn’t required for owners to do after a set amount of time, there are various reasons to improve your home. Either you want to add more value (in case you’re looking to sell at some point in the future), or your taste changed over time (which means that you might want to get different furniture, have a different wallpaper, etc.), or simply because you want to decrease the chance for the property to experience damages.
Depending on the type of improvements you are considering, home improvement can be done by professionals, but it can also be a DIY project that you can sink your teeth into. There are several changes that you can make while on a budget and it’s important to keep in mind the fact that changing things up is beneficial as it will keep the place fresh. While some people might like familiarity, others prefer to keep things changing constantly.
Taking Care Of Important Things
Before you think about big projects or changing the decoration in the house, you should pay attention to what’s more important—maintenance. While adding your own style to the place is all well and good, you want to make sure that everything else is taken care of first. Neglecting to take care of the house will lower its value on the market, not to mention that will make living more difficult.
For example, taking care of pests should be a priority. The easiest solution for that is hiring professionals, such as Moxie Pest Control, and you won’t have to worry about bugs anymore. Plumbing is also an area that you should keep a close eye on, as well as smoke detectors, heating systems, loose wiring, leaks, etc. If there are structural damages to your property, then they should be dealt with. If not completely fixed, then you should at least maintain those areas in order to prevent further damage.
Remodeling
You don’t have to invest thousands of dollars when remodeling the kitchen or the bathroom. You can modernize the place or put your own twist on things without going overboard and spending way more than you intended. You can simply remodel your kitchen by adding a fresh set of colors or replacing old appliances that were kind of dragging the place down. You can opt for appliances that are energy-efficient if you’re looking to make the most of your money. As far as the bathroom goes, you can check around on popular sites and see when some bathroom items go on sale (especially if you are on a budget). You can easily give more life to the place by replacing some old tiles, or even just the door.
It may also be a good idea to update your fixtures to water-efficient units if you don’t already have them. Switch to low-flow faucets and showerheads. If you’re thinking of adding new fixtures, consider using a gray water pump to minimize the work and cost of the whole installation process.
Interior/Exterior
While you want to think things through before making any big decision, you can pretty much get as creative as you want—it’s your home after all. If you’re looking to make things look better then you can simply declutter the place and give it a good clean up, or you can take things a step further and add a creative wallpaper to your bedroom, change the carpets, figure out a color style for specific rooms, move the furniture around to create more space, etc.
Given that the first thing you see when you come home is the exterior, it’s safe to say that it deserves some attention if you’re looking to shake things up. Depending on the setup you have and how much you’re willing to spend on improving things, it can be as major as replacing the roof of your house to as little as adding some flower boxes to your windows. If you have a porch, then you can simply add new “Welcome Home” rugs or improve the lighting if you want the place to shine a little more. Of course, even just trimming the hedges and taking care of weeds on your lawn can make a big difference in the way the place looks.
Make Sure You Wear Proper Protection
Dirt and dust are just a few of the minor risks that come with home improvements. Projects, such as painting, plumbing, and even roofing, can present more serious hazards if one doesn’t properly protect themselves. In many cases, proper equipment and hand protection are necessary when doing any type of home improvement. So what are your best options when it comes to safety gear?
There are some types of protection that you’ll want to invest in. These include earplugs for dust, ear muffs for noise, goggles for eye protection, and safety glasses for clear vision. You’ll also have to protect your hands as you work. It’s best to use nitrile gloves made especially for home improvement projects. Gloves protect the hands from cuts, abrasions, and irritation and provide a bit of padding for added safety. While there are many types of protection available, you must select the correct types of equipment for your specific needs.
Pinstripe Magazine Staff
Online Men’s Lifestyle Magazine on Gear, Grooming, Girls, Gadgets
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