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Better Late Than Never: Getting Around to Those New Year’s Home Upgrade Resolutions
We are quickly approaching the end of 2021. With that in mind, how are your New Year’s resolutions shaping up? If you’re among those who tend to fail to follow through with their resolutions, don’t feel bad. After all, only about 8 percent of those who resolve to make changes in their lives actually see it through.
The good thing about a New Year’s resolution is that there’s always time to kick it into gear. There’s no hard-and-fast rule that says you can’t begin one at any point throughout the year. That’s especially true if you’ve resolved to get some much-needed work done around the house this year and make upgrades that add value to your home.
If you’re still wavering about your resolution, try thinking of it as part of a larger plan, a blueprint to fix and replace objects that will add curb appeal and put you in a good position should you decide this is the year to place your home on the market. Once you buy those paint supplies or find a good contractor to repair your roof, you’ll be off and running.
Foster Green Design + Build offers the following advice to help you turn those resolutions into reality!
DIY projects
If you’re handy with tools and have some experience with basic home repair, there are many ways you can improve your home without investing a pile of money. One of the most common household problems is a leaky toilet, that troublesome commode that keeps running and increases your water bill. If you suspect a leak, put a few drops of red food dye in the tank and check back in an hour or so. If there’s red in the toilet bowl, you’ve got yourself a leaky toilet that’ll need your attention before you sustain water damage to your bathroom floor. No need to call in the plumber: simply changing the flapper will probably do the trick if you have a tank-to-bowl leak.
There’s nothing quite as frustrating as turning on the shower and being greeted with one very cold splash in the face. If your water heater isn’t getting the job done, draining it will likely solve the problem by removing sediment that creates clogs and adds to significant wear and tear. Typically, a water heater should be drained once a year, which makes it a great New Year’s resolution candidate. You can DIY it with a length of garden hose attached to your unit’s drain fitting (make sure you turn off the water flow to your heater as well as the power). Drain the water to an outside drain or across your driveway.
It’s amazing how much a fresh coat of paint can do to dress up a house that’s looking worn and dingy. According to Consumer Reports, painting is one of the best and most cost-effective ways to upgrade appearance and increase value. Repainting your front door is a great way to get heads turning your way; the same goes with your exterior trim, and why not the mailbox too? While you’re at it, you can spruce up your interior by painting any old furniture that needs a good sprucing-up.
Jobs for the pros
A good home improvement rule of thumb is to let the pros handle any job that involves extensive wiring/rewiring, or modifications to your plumbing. Putting in a new bathtub can add significant value, but it’s a surprisingly complicated task and very easy to mess up the plumbing, make a mistake with the sealing, or damage your walls getting it in and the old one out. Doing any repair work involving concrete is also a good job to leave to the pros; you can find qualified professionals through sites like Angi and read reviews before you bring them on to tackle the task.
Comforts of home
This year, make your resolutions work for you with home upgrades that pay you back. A manageable list of home improvements can add significant value without stretching your budget. And you’ll enjoy the comforts of home that much more.
Courtesy of Pixabay.com
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