5 Home Improvement Ideas to Add Value to Your Home
Like most things in life, with time, the quality and infrastructure of your house start to deteriorate. When this happens, it is time to start looking into renovating your space. Houses need maintenance, and while a renovation can get costly, it is a crucial step in making your home livable and beautiful and adding to your resale value.
As a homeowner, nothing is more satisfying than knowing your property has a good resale value. But how do you get to this level? The answer lies in investing heavily in remodeling. According to a remodeling blog, depending on the size of your house and the amount of work you need to do, renovating a typical home in Seattle can easily cost you $500,000.
On the other hand, according to the Cost vs. Value Report, you may spend $175,000 if you’re going for a luxury update on your kitchen. These figures are common since Seattle is an expensive city in the Pacific Northwest. Hence, here are some ways you can add value to your home:
Get Your Bathroom Looked At
Bathrooms are important spaces in any home. A well-designed, functional bathroom can boost a home’s value significantly. In fact, redoing your bathroom can increase your home’s value by 10 to 40%, depending on what upgrades you install in your toilet. So look at your bathroom and decide what you need to upgrade. For instance, ceramic tubs look great, so if your bathroom has been sporting an older model, it’s time to contact a Seattle tub replacement company and get your bathtub changed.
Other renovations include changing the light fixtures, repainting the bathroom repainted, and, if your budget allows, getting a vanity.
Fix Your Kitchen
According to the 2020 Cost vs. Value Report, a minor kitchen remodel in the Seattle area can return 89.1% of the total costs. Therefore, you should also spend some time sprucing up your kitchen. Most homeowners want their kitchens to look modern and have the latest gadgets. Your kitchen may need several upgrades, such as getting fresh cupboards, replacing old hardware, a new counter for your kitchen island, and getting better light fixtures.
If your appliances like the coffee machine, air fryer, and food processor are outdated, consider getting new ones. If your budget allows you, get the tiles changed. Go for a style other than traditional woodwork, like marble tiles, since these last longer and are easier to clean. More minor updates include buying energy-efficient light bulbs and sticking to them instead of using regular lights.
Remodel the Basement
The basement can be converted into any space. With a handsome budget, you can easily make it an appealing family room with a brand-new TV set. The basement can also be converted into an extra bedroom.
However, you may have to put down extra money to set up another bedroom. First, you’ll have to invest in extra insulation since basements tend to get cold. You may also need to invest in proper lighting and an HVAC unit and spend extra on painting the walls to give them a more cozy look.
But if you’re not willing to utilize your budget on a bedroom, you can explore other options, like making a home gym. Although gym equipment can be costly, it can be an excellent investment in the long run, especially if you want to sell your house to families interested in indoor gyms. More versatile options include converting it into a game room, a large dining area, or a recreational space where the family can hang out.
Start Landscaping More
Curb appeal plays a massive role in your house’s value. If you spend time cleaning up the front lawn, making it look neat, tidy, and organized, you will attract various offers to buy your home. Landscaping is an art. Fixing your yard and making it look inviting takes tremendous time and effort. If you have neglected your space for long, you have your work cut out for you. Grass tends to get polluted with weeds. Apart from competing with the grass for nutrients, these plants serve no purpose, which can cause them to die and mess up your lawn.
Likewise, if you have trees, you must frequently trim their branches, clear the leaves, and ensure there are no scattered twigs around your garden. Your patio, driveway, and front entrance will also need your attention. No one likes dealing with an uneven pathway; if your driveway has cracks, you must re-cement the area or line it with gravel.
Once your garden looks neater and well-kept, you can add plants, especially low-maintenance flowers. The climate and weather in Seattle are ideal for flowers like the Palace Purple Heuchera, creeping Mazus, and Lavender. Planting these flowers can make your yard look fresher, which is what you should strive for.
Go for an Open Layout
Open layout plans make your house look spacious. Knocking down walls allows you to combine rooms and make it look like one big room. But you need to know what wall to knock down so it doesn’t destroy the overall appearance of your house.
If you want to know what wall to break down, study your blueprint thoroughly, look at walls not attached to your house’s foundation, and evaluate the best way to knock them down. If you do this right, knocking down the right wall can brighten up the room, make it look much more appealing, and add to your resale value. While you can knock down the wall independently, try getting a contractor to do it for you.
Home improvements add to the overall value of your house. When you spend time and energy tidying up your space, your efforts will pay off in the form of a high resale value. There are numerous ways you can spice up your space. These include renovating your bathroom, fixing your basement, and even looking at your garden. Once you understand what part of your house needs improvement, maintain it well so that it adds to your curb appeal. While this is costly, investing in your home will result in a higher ROI.