Michael Aguilar

DFH17SEP034 - Home Improvement Options to Increase Home Value Dek: There’s no better way to increase the resale value of your home than to do some home improvement projects. Family Handyman looks at several for you. Install a Bay Window Overlooking the Front or Back Yard Shutterstock/ArchiVIZ https://image.shutterstock.com/z/stock-photo-big-window-with-garden-meadow-panorama-minimalist-empty-space-background-classic-interior-design-.jpg A bay window can open up your front or back room and let in more light. Most are designed and built to provide a calming and romantic place to sit while the seating itself doubles as an extra storage space. Since they update the look of your house, they also add value to it. Kitchen Remodeling Enhances Your Home’s Value https://cdn2.tmbi.com/TFH/Step-By-Step/display/FH07JUN_FUNKIT_02.JPG An updated kitchen can make your cooking experience more enjoyable by making everything more accessible or finally giving every kitchen tool a home of its own. Remodeling your kitchen is also a great way to increase your home’s resale value. Install New Appliances https://www.familyhandyman.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/FH03OCT_DISREP_01-2.jpg Most homeowners sell the dishwasher and stove when they sell their home. Both of these are easy to install yourself. Two people can remove and install both in about 20 minutes. A wrench and a screwdriver are the only tools you’ll need. Install Skylights Shutterstock/Radovan1 https://image.shutterstock.com/z/stock-photo-modern-house-roof-with-solar-water-heater-solar-panels-and-skylights-beautiful-new-contemporary-.jpg Skylights let the sun’s natural light shine in. Natural light is healthier than artificial light. A skylight in your office, kitchen, or sewing room will raise the value of your home because of this fact and because it can help save on lighting costs. Paint https://www.familyhandyman.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/FH071610_001_PERPAJ_10-4.jpg It may sound obvious but a fresh coat of paint will raise the value of any house. Prices are just going to be higher for houses that don’t have rain stains outside and kids’ fingerprints on interior walls. Paint that looks clean and fresh tells buyers that you take care of your house. Build a Storage Shed in the Back Yard https://www.familyhandyman.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/FH0211_003_SHEDTI_04-2.jpg Everybody has more than their house can store. Climbing up and down a ladder to dig out holiday decorations out of the attic can be dangerous and scary. Build a nice storage shed in your backyard and you’ll have somewhere to store those decorations, as well as lawn and yard tools, patio furniture, and pool toys in a clean and organized manner. Put On a New Roof https://www.familyhandyman.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/FH07SEP_ROOFOF_01-2.jpg “Put on a new roof?” That’s expensive, isn’t it? Not really if you do it yourself and stick with a low cost yet reliable composite roof shingle. All you need to install a new composite shingle roof is a hammer, utility knife, measuring tape, a ladder, roofing tar paper, and the shingles. You should wear a harness for safety while you’re working up there, but unless you have medical issues, just about anyone can install a new roof in a weekend with a helper. Remodel Your Bathroom(s) https://www.familyhandyman.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/FH01FEB_SMATH_01-4.jpg Bathroom remodeling is a sure-fire way to increase the value of y our home. You can go mild to wild, just change the sink and faucet to ripping everything out and starting over. The average homeowner has the skills and tools to remove the old sink and vanity and toilet and install new ones. Install a Jacuzzi Bathtub https://www.familyhandyman.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/FH03OCT_WHIRPL_01-2.jpg A Jacuzzi bathtub is a great way to relax and unwind after a hard day in the garden or on the golf course. Whirlpool tubs come in a variety of shapes and sizes, with many not requiring any fancy installation and fitting exactly where your old tub currently sits. Insulate https://www.familyhandyman.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/FH10DJA_INSATT_01-2.jpg Winter or summer insulation saves you money. Most heat that’s wasted in a house escapes through attics that are either under-insulated, improperly insulated, or not insulated at all. Blown paper/fiber insulation can be done by you over a weekend. You’ll save money and increase your house’s resale value. Go Solar Shutterstock/Diyana Dimitrova https://image.shutterstock.com/z/stock-photo-solar-panel-on-a-red-roof-.jpg Installing a solar power system (panels, inverter, and reversible meter) is a great way to save money over the long run and greatly enhance the value of your home. Solar power increases your home’s value because it means that the owners have more money left every month because they have a much lower power bill to worry about. A homemade solar water heater can increase your home’s value even more due to even lower monthly energy costs. Most renewable energy systems qualify for government rebates to help defray their cost. Install Track Lights Shutterstock/Rajesh Pattabiraman Working with not enough light is bad for your eyes and makes doing the work harder. Track lights allow you to put the light exactly where you need it instead of spreading it all around like a regular lamp. They’re also ridiculously quick and easy to install. Install Motion Lights Out Front https://www.familyhandyman.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/FH00OCT_MOLIGH_01-2.jpg Nobody wants to leave the lights on outside all night or until your late-working family member gets home. Putting motion detecting lights at your front door and in front of the garage can help make sure everybody gets inside the house safely and saves money by turning on and off only when someone walks in range of them. They’ll also help keep bad guys away because the bad guys won’t know if they were seen or not. Add a Second Floor Balcony Shutterstock/Artazum https://image.shutterstock.com/z/stock-photo-exterior-of-two-story-clapboard-siding-house-with-large-wooden-balcony-on-the-second-floor-.jpg Being able to step outside onto your private balcony is a luxurious feeling. You can use the balcony as a place to entertain guests or where you and your spouse can relax and unwind away from the kids and stresses of life. Add a Deck In the Back https://www.familyhandyman.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/FH14APR_DECKIO_01-2.jpg Adding a deck is another one of those home improvement projects that can quickly increase the value of your home and that just about any homeowner can do themselves over a few days. Decks are especially nice when the patio concrete is old and discolored. It’s also a great way to divide the backyard and make it look more welcoming and spacious. Build a Screen Porch https://www.familyhandyman.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/FH06MAY_SCREPR_01-2.jpg Screen porches are great places to spend lazy weekends drinking tea and reading the paper or visit with the neighbors. Done correctly, they can also significantly increase the value of your home. Upgrade the Basement Shutterstock/Artazum https://image.shutterstock.com/z/stock-photo-basement-renovation-mint-green-walls-and-tile-floor-northwest-usa-.jpg Another good way to enhance the value of your home is to finish finishing the basement or upgrade what you’ve already done. Turn it into a practice room for the aspiring musician in the family. The neighborhood kids would really love a basement game/play room. Convert the Attic for Extra Space Shutterstock/design.at.krooogle https://image.shutterstock.com/z/stock-photo-bright-teenager-s-room-on-attic-d-rendering-.jpg Converting your attic to either storage or living space is the last of our tips on how to relatively inexpensively increase the value of your home. A completely unfinished attic can have insulation blown in and then plywood laid over the rafters to create extra storage. If there’s head room in your attic, you can go the extra few steps to convert it into a bedroom for your oldest or to use as a guest room.