Home improvement seems to exist within a never ending cycle. Americans spend more than $400 billion per year on remodeling costs to upgrade or repair their homes, and this trend appears to be continuing on an upward swing. Many common household repairs are simple solutions to everyday problems. These might be a kitchen cabinet restraining, or the installation of fixed bookshelves in the living room in order to recreate the energy of the space. Many of these smaller projects have become DIY fixtures among homeowners looking to spruce up their homes with little additional investment.
However, there are many larger problems that plague houses and their homeowners and require professional help. Planning for these larger repairs is crucial to maintaining a healthy cash flow and keeping your home up to date. Eventually, of course, you will want to sell the property and move into a larger, or more luxurious home. You may find that moving cities fits with your career or lifestyle needs. Whatever the reason, selling a home with baked in problems with the roof, windows, or foundation is a recipe for settling on a fraction of your asking price. Make sure you keep up with home renovations and repair work now in order to enjoy optimal peace of mind now while you maintain residence in the home, and also later when you decide to sell it.
1. The Roof
Your roof is one of the most important features of your home. A failing roof can create devastating consequences for your family and belongings inside. Fortunately, the signs of an aging roof are easy to spot. On average, your roof is likely to last about 20 years before it needs replacing, but all manner of events can impact this longevity. For those living on the southeastern United States, hurricane season can tear a roof off a home whether it’s five or twenty-five years old. Similar damage is threatened by forest fires on the western coast, northern blizzards, and the scorching sun of the southwest. No matter where you call home, some variety of natural hazard exists to threaten your home’s long term health. Getting ahead of these issues is essential. This means getting up on the roof at least once a year to clean off debris and check for any new and concerning damage since your last maintenance. Shingles that are cracking, tearing, or becoming discolored may be showing signs that your roof is beginning to fail.
Hiring a professional for this job is crucial. Professional roofers like those at McLean Roofing have years of experience in the industry and can typically complete a roofing job in about a week. Of course this is dependent on the size and angular shape of your covering, but the professional roofing contractors at any reputable firm have seen it all and can handle whatever condition or style your roof presents.
2. The Kitchen
Your kitchen is the lifeblood of your home. Most houses have their kitchens featured as the prominent, and central, space in the home’s interior. This has become the stylistic norm in homebuilding and for good reason. The kitchen is often the statement piece for many homeowners. Rebuilding your kitchen is one of the most common upgrades that homeowners take on and kitchen transformations can come in all shapes and sizes.
Many homeowners begin with indoor floor plants when sprucing up their cooking space. This is a great way to provide a light and airy feeling within the space that is often stifled with the musk of cooking oils and spices. While these are welcome scents during mealtime, the remaining hours of your day can become bogged down by what’s left over from the stove or sink. Floor plants provide a pop of color and an increased brightness to any room. In addition, many indoor plants require only indirect sunlight or low light, meaning that you can place them anywhere that suits your tastes rather than strictly covering up your window space.
Renovation work that incorporates creative ways to design a small kitchen is also a great strategy to redefine this all-important hub of the home. Utilizing all the space you have in your kitchen to create drawer and utility space is essential to making the most of this room that homeowners salivate over. A perfectly crafted kitchen is something that we all dream about, and can really skyrocket your home’s resale value as well. Implementing some quality of life upgrades that give off a touch of luxury are often the go-to addition for kitchens both large and small, but niche kitchens benefit the most from the inclusion or granite countertops, large tiles, and built-in appliances that save workspace around the stove and sink.
3. Landscaping
Any homeowner who has enjoyed the space of their home for a calendar year or longer knows the importance of a fantastic outdoor area. A back patio or front porch to relax on after a long day is welcome relief that can improve your mood and mental health over the long term. Studies have shown that even just 20 minutes outdoors can benefit your heart and lung health as well as decrease your stress levels. Nature and green space in particular is crucial to a long term happiness in your life. This has to be why homeowners focus so much attention on creating a wonderful outdoor paradise to compliment the home that lies within these four walls. A back patio that extends seamlessly beyond a living or dining room can even make the home feel larger and more homely. Homeowners who are thinking of creating an extension into their garden area benefit most from wooden patio construction or a paver effect that creates a cooling, ground level foot feel with a luxurious patio flooring to perfectly complement the earthy feel that naturally seeps into any backyard.
Improving the quality of life you enjoy in your home should be a top priority for every homeowner. Tackling these and other quality of life upgrades will dramatically improve your enjoyment of your home and give you a greater ability to relax.