When it comes to renovating the home, not every upgrade gives you a good return on the investment. People’s unplanned choices end up costing thousands of bucks, which isn’t just worth it. The general contractors calgary home renovation industry has been ripping customers off by giving out expensive upgrade ideas. For instance, tearing apart every surface in the house to add a layer of reclaimed wood and subway tiles everywhere. Does this sound worthwhile? Definitely not. Yet people still believe them without knowing they have better options. That said, here we are going to highlight some of the most effective home renovations which will surely give your money back.
1: Curb Appeal and Landscape
Before spending a penny on the interior, just look at your front entryway, yard, landscape, and sidewalk. These are all the areas your buyer will notice first. And you know what they say about that— the first impression is the last impression. That’s pretty much true, especially when you’re trying to sell the house.
Real estate agents claim that a buyer will be less likely to seal the deal if he’s unhappy with the exterior. He will make up his mind the minute he put his eyes on your house. But how can you enhance the looks without investing an exorbitant amount on a renovation? Here are a few ideas that might work:
Landscaping
It is all about modifying visible features of the lawn. People spend a fortune on landscaping, but that doesn’t mean you cannot achieve results without investing a huge amount. There are cheap ways to do that — adding plants and shrubs around the area, decorating with stones and organic leftovers, building decorations such an oasis using recycled material, etc.
Architectural Details
Add lighting features at the front or around the sidewalk to make things more aesthetically appealing. You can bring out old chairs, paint it, and put them up at the front to add architectural details. This would surely work, especially if the details complement the architecture of the house.
Upgrading Walkway
You can fix the unleveled areas along the path to create a pleasing symmetry. Moss and algae can conjure up around the rocks and look disgusting. Make sure you remove them to revive a fresh and neat look of the walkway.
2: Repaint the house
Chipped off paint is an immediate turn off for the buyers, whereas freshly painted houses give a guaranteed return on investment. Back in 2012, a HomeGain National Home Improvement Survey was conducted, which statistically proved the return value of painting the house. As per the results, the home’s worth increases $2,001 in value by painting the interior and $2,176 by painting the exterior.
Repainting the house sounds simple, but there’s a lot more than meets the eye. Here are a few things that you must consider.
Avoid Odd Color Combinations
Needless to say, some hues just don’t go together—for instance, magenta and yellow, grey and green, etc. Make sure the combination you choose is aesthetically pleasing to most people.
Select Neutral Colors
Believe it or not, your house can get rejected just because of the color you put up. You cannot please every visitor, so what to do? The simplest solution is to go for neutral colors — white, skin, camel, shades of grey, etc. These will help you sell your house because they go with anything.
Paint the Front Door
Redoing the front door would be like giving your whole house a facelift. It is as important as it sounds because the door is a part of the first impression we’ve discussed above.
No More Than Three Colors
Visitors notice the exterior first, thereby making it crucial to enhance the outlook. For that, you can repaint the surface using an attractive color scheme. But remember to choose not more than three colors. That’s because too many colors would distract the viewer’s eye.
3: Renovate the kitchen
When it comes to adding value to your home, renovating the kitchen is the fastest route you can take. Any structural or decorative changes will certainly increase the overall worth.
Big spenders will go for a totally reshaping the kitchen and may get too carried away. Remember, there’s only so much you do can do, and after a certain limit, it would stop giving you return on investment. So, where do we draw the line? That depends on your budget, but here are a few things that mustn’t overlook:
Get Rid of Overused Features
Firstly, you must get rid of all the overused features — worn-out kitchen cabinets, wallpapers, tiles, appliances, and other things that have completed their life. It is time to replace them with better alternatives.
Structural Repairs
Once the worn-out features have been disposed of, you are bound to notice structural comprises in your kitchen. You might notice holes in the flooring and the walls, broken corners, and other flaws that need repairing. Make sure you address all the major structural repairs.
Plumbing
No matter how fancy your kitchen on the outside, a blocked-out pipe can wreak havoc on a freshly designed set up by overflooding. Therefore, check the plumbing system and, if necessary, install a new one.
Electrical System
Tones of kitchen appliances run on electricity. Hire an electrician to examine the electrical system and repair the areas that need repairing.
Counters and Cabinets
Counters and cabinets are the heart of any kitchen. Give extra thought while selecting them and make sure they go with your interior.
4: Don’t Forget the Entrance
All investments on the entrance prove fruitful and give maximum return on money. If you don’t want to spend heftily on all the exterior, that’s fine. Just focus on the entrance, and you would be able to recoup all the invested money. Here are a few ideas:
A Fancy Door
If your door is worn out, then repainting it would be worthless. Invest heavily on a fancy door to leave visitors in awe. We would suggest a steel entry door that can be installed inexpensively.
Stone Veneer
If you want to add a hint of sophistication and elegance, stone veneers are the solution. You can add them around the entrance door, pillars, and sidewalk to boost the curb appeal.
Wooden Deck
A wooden deck just before the entrance gives you not only recreational space but enhances the value of your property. If you’re selling the house, the buyers would instantly imagine scenarios in their head to utilize the wooden deck. Thus, making it a perfect addition to the overall outlook.
Light Features
Putting up pairs of antique-looking lanterns around the entrance would boost the appeal ten times. You don’t need to put them all around the walkway, but only near the entrance.
5: Remodel the Bathroom
Money spends on bathrooms doesn’t give the same value back as kitchens. Still, it gives more than a 60% return on investment. Since the return is less, you have to be realistic about deciding for bathroom renovations. Just focus on the essentials first by planning a checklist. Some of the essentials are mentioned below:
- Vanity upgrades
- Plumbing fixtures
- A fresh coat of paint
- Energy-efficient upgrades
- Water-saving upgrades
- Flooring and wall tiles or wallpapers
- Essential add-ons such as heat pads, high-end showerheads, etc.
6: Add A Home Office
A Few decades back, people would consider a home office to be a total waste of space. As time changed and technology took over, these setups became increasingly popular. And the trend is only going to spread. Moreover, this coronavirus pandemic has also taught us the need for a working place at home.
The home office would be a new trend for the next couple of years. It would be wise to allot a sperate room for a peaceful work environment. However, it doesn’t necessarily need to be extravagant. Just a small, quiet, and isolated room would be enough.
For today’s buyers, these setups are an essential selling point, given the fact that they have become a common necessity. It doesn’t impact the value as much as other factors in this listicle. But hopefully, in the coming years, a dedicated workplace would have a huge impact on the value of one’s property.
7: Utilize your Basement
Most people use the basement as a dumping site for unnecessary forgotten stuff. They overlook the fact that by remodeling the basement, they can greatly boost their property value. The extra space can be used to turn into children’s playroom, a home library, and even a recreational room.
Make sure the place doesn’t feel cramped or dark. For that, you can put up light sources around and keep a sensible distance between the furniture. Further, paint the walls with bright colors and put up flashy decorations to kill the basement’s creepy vibe.
Conclusion
Some renovations prove fruitless in terms of giving the money back. But by following our suggested ideas, you can add value to your home and ensure maximum return on investment. Just remember not to get carried away and plan wisely before making the final decision.
