18 New Home Upgrades That Add Value to Your House
New home upgrades that add value to your house are essential. You don\’t want your house to run into ruins a few years later. These upgrades ensure your house lasts and maintains its appeal down the road, should you decide to resell it. There\’re a few upgrades that withstand the test of time than others, and they can save you a few bucks along the way. They\’re the best home upgrades you should invest in. Here are the top 18 upgrades that will add value to your house:
1. A Kitchen You Love
Kitchen upgrades, whether minor or major, are a great way to add value to your house. Every buyer often looks at the kitchen first before any other room. Most buyers want an updated kitchen. So, they don\’t have to bother about remodeling after moving in. Most kitchen remodelers suggest the following upgrades:
- Putting a new backsplash
- Updating lighting fixtures
- Upgrading faucets
- Increasing storage space
- Refinishing cabinets
- Adding an island
Major kitchen updates might include:
- Installing wood, tile flooring, or laminate
- Adding seating, dining, cooking, storage space
- Adding doors, windows, or even square footage
- New cabinetry and countertops
Investing in the above updates will make your kitchen more appealing to your future buyer and help you sell faster.
2. Get that Bathroom Upgraded
People love bathrooms with luxury amenities and spacious layouts. Bathroom remodels are a way of increasing your house\’s value and making it more appealing to your potential future buyer. Here\’re various potential upgrades that will depend on your bathroom renovation budget:
- Upgrading lighting
- Putting in variety or mirror
- Adding storage space
- Painting, re-flooring, and retiling
- Installing new sinks, showers, toilets, or tubes
Another update is to add a bathroom to your house, particularly if you only have one. Houses with multiple bathrooms are a hot deal in the real estate sector.
Popular ways to add a bathroom include adding an ensuite to your master bedroom and turning the closet or other unused spaces into a half bath on the main floor. Please remember that creating a master suite or adding a bathroom where one doesn\’t already exist can be costly and might not add resale value to your house.
3. Replace Your Garage Door
Most homeowners forget that garage doors add significant value to homes. Garage doors make your house safer from burglaries and lousy weather. If your garage door has a crack that allows the drafts to enter your house, you\’ll probably lose money to a costly energy bill. Nobody wants to settle in a house with expensive utilities and uncomfortable drafts.
Before handling the project yourself, find out the steps involved. You might unknowingly land yourself into problems by accessing electricity wires that might cause death or injury if mishandled. Ensure your project\’s safety and integrity by getting quotes from professionals who install the best garage door to upgrade your house\’s value. A brand new garage door makes your home look new and well cared for!
4. Paint, Paint, Paint!
Don\’t be afraid of painting. It\’s one of the inexpensive and easiest things to change your house\’s appearance dramatically. Here\’re some tips; if you aren\’t sure about your color sense, hire a professional color specialist to help you. Also, think neutral and classic. Future buyers need to picture their stuff in the house, and too much personalization prevents that. If your painting skills are below par, hire a professional. In the end, it evens out since nothing is worse than a terrible paint job. So, fight your fear of commitment, get out, and splash a little color on those walls!
5. Install Smart Home Technology
Smart home devices are currently popular in the real estate sector because they help add value to your home and increase new appeal for a prospective buyer. Some of the highly demanded smart home upgrades include:
- Smart lights
- Smart smoke, radon detectors, and carbon monoxide
- Smart home security systems such as doorbell cameras
- Smart thermostat
Smart home automation increases your house\’s overall value because many homeowners are familiar with home automation and smart home devices. It can be challenging to determine how much value these upgrades add to your house, but your real estate agent should help you price your house accordingly.
6. Plant a Tree
Consider planting a tree if you finish your landscaping and still find out that your front yard is empty and gets too much sun. This is an excellent long-term investment, especially if you plan to stay in your new house for several years before reselling. Shade trees take time to mature. But, they help cut your cooling bills once they do. Shade trees are also good for the environment. They provide habitats for the native wildlife. You\’ll appreciate the amazing chirps of songbirds as you boost your curb appeal. Contact a reputable landscaping company to help you choose the best trees that will flourish in your compound.
7. Update Old Windows or Add New Ones
If the windows are deteriorating or look old, you might want to replace them. This is true especially for houses that are next to high-traffic areas. New windows keep the outside noise down to a minimum. This changes the whole feeling of your house. Consider using vinyl window replacements if you\’re on a budget because they offer great energy efficiency.
Sometimes, homeowners choose new windows that clash with their sliding. This causes your remodel to backfire and turn off your potential buyer. Some new homes can have smaller windows, so you might benefit by adding larger windows to your house to let in more air and light. This is costly but has a large impact on the brightness of your interior, which will increase your house\’s value.
8. Refurbish the Basement
Many basements are empty, plain spaces that rarely get visitors. So, there\’s no need to let all that space go to waste! Just create an entertainment room that can \”wow\” your guest. Adding a fantastic bar area, seating, and elegant finishes add value and character to your house.
9. Transforming an Unused Space
Many new houses come with extra, unfinished spaces that are just waiting to be used, such as attics, basements, and bonus rooms. As a homeowner, leaving those spaces means you\’ve square footage that you aren\’t taking advantage of. Making the best out of these rooms increases your living space and makes your house appealing to potential buyers. Plus, it\’s typically affordable compared to adding additional floor space to your house. The following are some of the projects you can explore and turn unused space into a:
- Guest bedroom
- Library or study
- Second living room
- Separate suite
- Home office
- Home gym
- Game room
- Playroom
10. Work on Your Fence
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Security, aesthetics, privacy are probably the main reasons that come into your mind when considering fencing on your home. Another reason you might not have thought of is that it increases your house\’s value. Therefore, when it comes to reselling, a tastefully designed and functional fence adds a boost to your house\’s price tag. Installing a fence might seem a no-brainer, but it\’s important to do it properly.
Also, fencing isn\’t always appropriate for every house, and some fencing hinders an apartment\’s resale value rather than boosting it. So, contact a local residential fence building contractor to help you shop for the right fence. The amount a fence adds to your house depends on its functionality, design, practicality.
11. Get a New Roof
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If your roof is something that your neighbors talk about (and not positively), fix it! A shabby roof indicates that the current homeowner didn\’t take good care of the house. If the roof is flat, plain, and turning green in the corners, the neighbors will look at it and see serious problems that might be showing inside your house. Replace old, flat shingles with architectural shingles that provide more depth and texture. It will help add value to your home. You only need to be keen on who you hire to roof your home as many quack roofers are in the market.
12. Don\’t Forget Your Floors
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Of all the new home updates that add value, flooring is the one that lasts the longest — or at least, that\’s the idea. Flooring materials that need to get replaced in five to ten years are essentially prone to tear and wear. Choosing architectural tile and stone or other durable floor materials help improve the value and reliability of the house. These materials last longer, and some of them improve cooling efficiency.
13. Upgrade to High-Demand Finishes
If you\’re planning to resell your new home soon, you should upgrade to high-demand finishes. This might include installing stainless steel appliances or a granite countertop in the kitchen. Smaller finishes affect the buyer\’s interest while minimizing the upgrade costs. Consider simpler changes like swapping out yellow incandescent bulbs for brighter LED lights or switching from brass locks and doorknobs to brushed nickel materials.
14. Conduct an electrical inspection of your home
Most homeowners don\’t understand the importance of electrical inspection, especially when putting their house on sale in the market. An easy and minor electrical repair like water heater repair increases the value of your house. To update your new home, you\’ll need to ensure that every electrical update sticks to specific standards and that safety at work measures are strictly followed. Besides, you can\’t live in or sell an outdated and defective house because it might affect the resale price tag. So, make a smart choice immediately and contact a reliable and qualified electrician who offers a complete range of electrical services at home.
15. Energy-Efficient Appliances
Energy-efficient appliances are features that every buyer looks for in a house. These appliances reduce energy spent without having negative effects on their performance. Looking for energy-efficient refrigerators, dishwashers, and washing machines will help boost your house\’s value.
16. Upgrade the outdoor space
If you want to add value, don\’t ignore your outdoor space. An outdoor fireplace or luxury tile and stone patio help create a perfect outdoor space for relaxing during a warm spring evening. Concrete patios are becoming more popular amongst many homeowners because of their durability and low maintenance. Contact a local concrete patio contractor to help upgrade your outdoor space with a concrete patio for an elegant landscape appearance.
17. Add a Sunroom
Sunrooms are easy home upgrades that allow us to enjoy an abundant amount of sunlight under a glass roof. Adding a sunroom improves your home price tag because it adds usable space. Ensure you furnish your sunroom with comfortable patio furniture and a small herb garden with potted plants.
18. Deep Clean
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You\’ll have to invest in deep cleaning by hiring a professional cleaning service or using your elbow grease. In addition to regular cleaning chores of mopping, vacuuming, or dusting, ensure you tackle rarely cleaned areas like cabinets, baseboards, blinds, vents, and doorknobs. Wash the windows and walls, steam-clean the carpet, and replace any broken screens or windows.
A new home remodeling project can be challenging to budget and prioritize. That\’s why it\’s important to choose the ones with the most benefits. If you plan to sell your house at some point down the road, concentrate on renovations and remodels that will boost the house\’s value than decrease it. Stick to your budget, and consult your realtor to find out where to start as your prepare your home for sale.