Summertime will be here before you know it, which is why it’s important to start planning home improvements now if you want them complete by the time the warm weather begins. Having an idea of what you want to change, knowing what your focus areas are, and getting the financial aspects in order are all important parts of your to-do list and can serve as an excellent way to keep yourself on track and accountable.
No matter how grand or small the project, following these tips will help to ensure you are perfectly prepared to make exterior revamps to your home.
Map Out Ideas
Before you jump into making upgrades to your home’s exterior, there are a few things you’ll want to map out before starting. The first thing to consider is making a checklist of what you want done around your home. This could be anything that was pointed out by an expert or just updates that you have been hoping for or ones you know you need to get done. Walk around your home and make notes of everything to help put it all into perspective.
Once you have a list of tasks, the next step is to get some inspiration and do some research. This can be the fun part. Brainstorm what you want your upgrades to look like through scrolling and pinning on Pinterest, watching HGTV, or browsing various home improvement websites and social media accounts. During this inspiration and research phase, you should also look into the costs associated with each project. Some projects can become bigger than originally planned once you get into things, so it’s a good idea to consult specialists, ask for their opinions, and get their professional estimates on the home improvement projects you are considering.
During this period, explore helpful software to ease the stress of planning your home upgrades. For example, if you are looking to enhance your home’s landscape, it may be beneficial to download a landscaping software. This allows you to visualize your ideas before jumping into the project itself. You could also look into different mobile apps to track home maintenance and the timeline of projects. These types of software and apps can be crucial for staying organized and bringing your ideas to life. Once you have your ideas mapped out, you’ll want to figure out your financial plan next.
Figure Out Financial Options
When making improvements to your home, it’s a good idea to lay out a financial plan that consists of a spending limit, a list of updates ranked from most important to least important, and payment options. Doing this will ensure that you are staying on top of your spending, and it will allow you to cross off jobs once they are completed and paid for.
You can stay financially organized by downloading budgeting apps, using an Excel spreadsheet, or, if you are the person who likes to have a hard copy, a notebook that is devoted to information around financing the upgrades. Having items organized will keep you on the right path when navigating your home improvements.
Once you have a plan of how you are going to keep your finances organized, map out estimates for each update. This will give you a better idea of what spending limit you can set for yourself and will allow you to build a spending plan. This is also where you should list out tasks from most to least important. If you notice there are bigger issues that need to be handled before others, make a note within your budget, and keep it in mind throughout the duration of the project.
After you have your finances organized, a ballpark of what you’ll be spending, and a priority list, you’ll want to educate yourself on various financial avenues you can take to fund the upgrades around your home. Depending on the size of your home’s exterior makeover, you can learn about what a personal line of credit is, or, if it is a bigger scale repair, you can look into a HELOC as a potential route. Some homeowners even have a fund devoted to home repairs and remodeling. If that is you, assess the amount of money you have in that savings account and see if you can allocate those funds to all or some of your projects.
Determine Curb Appeal Focus Areas
Creating focus areas that consist of what you are looking to upgrade is a great way to keep yourself and your home improvement ideas in order. Depending on the area, there are multiple aspects you’ll want to think about when revamping your home’s exterior.
Landscape
Start by analyzing and inspecting your home’s landscape. Especially if you live in a location where winters can damage your lawn, it’s a good idea to have a yard inspection done to see if there are any important steps you need to take as you prepare your yard for summer. From there, consider sprucing up the landscape around your front, side, and backyard. Before summer begins, it’s a good idea to change out shrubs and plant some flowers to bring your curb appeal to life.
Spring is also an ideal time to fix up and repave your driveway. Maybe you want to add some hardscapes alongside your driveway as well to make your home look even more inviting. Repairing your driveway is important because during the winter, water can freeze and create cracks in your driveway. Not only that, but plows scraping the pavement can also cause indents and make it look worn out. Repaving and repairing your driveway is a great way to enhance your home’s curb appeal.
Entertainment Area
Every welcoming home needs an outdoor entertainment space for relaxation and guests. If you are looking to wow your visitors this summer, consider building an outdoor kitchen and amping up your seating area with comfy furniture or a fire pit. This is a great way to create a welcoming atmosphere for your household and those who stop by.
If you have a deck, it’s a good idea to clear it off and inspect everything that was on it and the deck structure itself. Wear and tear can be caused by the change of seasons, so make sure to check the sturdiness of it to ensure it’ll make it through another summer. If you aren’t in need of a major structural change, you can easily refurbish your deck by cleaning, power washing, or restaining it before the season starts.
Pool owners have extra steps to take before the season starts as well. Make sure you are taking the proper steps to open your pool. Unfortunately, sometimes when you take that pool cover off for the first time after the winter months, you could be surprised with tears in the pool liner or cracks in the foundation. If that is the case, you’ll want to make sure to add that to the top of your list of updates that need to be made to ensure it’s done in time for summer.
Exterior Fixtures
Late spring and early summer are great times to change the siding of your home. Changing the siding of your home or having it painted are both great ways to give your home the refurb it needs. Power washing is also a good way to clean up the siding of your home if it doesn’t need to be replaced. Doing this will help make your siding look like new.
While thinking about aspects of your home that you want to make updates to, consider upgrading your windows to energy-efficient ones. This can help save you money when it comes to your electric bill and will make your home look refreshed. You could also consider changing or painting your door a different color to give the outside of your home a vibrant touch. These changes are great ways to give your home the modernization it needs.
HVAC System
With warmer weather on the horizon, you’ll want to make sure your A/C unit is ready to rock all summer long. Make sure you uncover, clean, replace filters, and have an inspection of the system done before you plan on turning it on for the first time. This can help save you from bigger issues within your HVAC system and can help circulate clean airflow throughout your home.
Creating these focus areas allows you to really get into the nitty-gritty of home improvement projects and can help give you a better idea of which projects are priorities and which ones can wait. Each area deserves attention when you are revamping your home’s exterior. Consider all the above, make a list of what needs to get done, talk to a professional for estimates, and make the project happen.
There are a lot of details to keep in mind when making home improvements, but following these guidelines can help ensure you are staying on top of each step of the process and will help you execute your home makeover journey flawlessly, allowing you to have your best summer yet.
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