Home ownership is a mixture of blessings and sometimes cumbersome responsibilities. Your home is almost certainly your number one investment, one you will keep on investing in with home repairs and renovations (to say nothing of mortgage payments).
When you own a home, there are some things you can save big on by going the DIY route, and other things that, well, are best left to the pros. There are some home improvements that are so full of benefits as to count as “no-brainers,” while others might involve a bit more risk. And there are certain projects that need to be prioritized, while others that can wait.
Experienced homeowners have learned these things by trial and error, but newer homeowners (if they are wise) will learn in a less expensive way (through advice from the experienced).
Here are 4 home improvement/management tips that can save you time, money, and stress, make your home more comfortable to live in, and increase your its resale value all at the same time:
1. Steer Clear Of DIY Plumbing!
You have a leaky pipe, rusty water coming out of your faucet, or a drain that is perpetually clogged. You want to save money so you do it yourself. The problem is made worse, you wasted money and ended up calling the plumber anyway.
If that story sounds familiar, it’s because it is. Plumbing is an area of home repair that requires more than rudimentary skills to do well. Plumbing problems are also often emergencies, which is why you should be thankful for this 24/7 emergency plumbing response website.
2. Don’t Let Termites Eat Your Home
If you have discovered a termite infestation in your attic or another part of your home, assume the problem is worse than meets the eye. Contact an expert pest control Parsippany, NJ based, and get an inspection and extermination plan underway as soon as possible.
Why? Because termites have been known to hollow out enough of a house to render it unsafe to live in and because it doesn’t take nearly as long as you think (tens of thousands of termites can live in a single colony).
3. Invest In A “Real” Wood Deck
You may or may not be able to build your deck yourself, depending on your level of carpentry experience. But adding real wood decking to your home has too many benefits to pass up.
Genuine wood has a look and feel you simply can’t duplicate with any imitation material. It’s classic, and you can protect it with a finish that will bring its natural beauty out.
Decks increase your usable outdoor space and are great for relaxing, retreating to, holding parties and barbecues, and also make excellent “pool surrounds”. Annual maintenance will ensure your wood deck will last the maximum number of years while still looking its best, and such maintenance is rather light, so it’s worth it.
4. Renovate Your Kitchen First
You may have plans to redo virtually your whole house. But budgets and busyness constrain us to prioritize our objectives.
The kitchen is the most “lived in” room in most homes. As such, it (along with the bathroom) is the most frequently renovated. Think about it: it only makes sense to prioritize an upgrade of the room where you spend the most time.
Consider the convenience added new kitchen appliances bring. Your daily tasks are made significantly faster and easier. Modernize your kitchen first, and let the rest of the house follow.
Great tips! We didn’t do our kitchen first but the kitchen renovation definitely brought the most improvement to our day-to-day routine!
Great tips, especially on DIY Plumbing! Just don’t.
Never, ever, EVER allow your husband to do any sort of plumbing. I won’t write a short story here, but let’s just say, it won’t end well.
Great tips. I’m lucky to have a husband that can do pretty much anything around the house. Renovated our whole kitchen…even built the cabinets.
I have read EVERYWHERE that a kitchen reno is always the fist thing you should do because that’s the first thing people look at if you sell your home.
Wow! These were all things I never would have thought of! Great point about the kitchen, too – we spend a lot of time in there!
We are in the process of improving our home. We had a lot of termite issues that took a lot of work to get rid of. But now that we are past that we can start renovating the kitchen which is the next thing on our hit list.
I like these tips and I think plumbing is something that not everyone can do on the whim. I have never redone my kitchen but it needs it soon.
We’re in the process of building a house. These are great tips!!
We’re looking to sell our older home, and these tips are fantastic. Definitely renovating the kitchen first!
These are great tips! We’re looking at renovating our kitchen now and plumbing is the one part we won’t DIY
We just did a kitchen renovation this summer. It was a big job but we love the results. It is important to know when to call in a professional.
I agree with all 4 tips – now, as far as #1, my husband is a major do-it-yourselfer as we often get into scuffles.
I tackle a lot of our smaller plumbing jobs … the big ones get left to the plumber. I hate spending the money unless it’s a big deal.
Great tips. Very useful.
These are all such great tips. I do plan on doing my kitchen one of these days. We have a lot we want to work on in our home.
I Agree – start with the kitchen! I know our kitchen reno made our home a disaster for weeks… haha!
We’re actually having to replace some of the wood under our sink because of some minor leaks. This is good advice!
We have family looking to buy a home, these are great tips for first time home owners I will share.
Love these home improvement ideas! These are fabulous tips to making the most out of your home.
Yes! Always let a professional do the plumbing! And may I add… the electrical too! Too many stories for that one. LOL
good