Properly Planning Your Home Improvements

Home improvements are great things to do, because they achieve two purposes. They make your home a nicer place to live while you are there, and they help boost the value when it comes time to move and sell. These particular projects can run the gamut from simply replacing worn carpeting to painting the whole house. Read on into the following paragraphs for how to make sure you properly plan your target improvements.

If your goal is boosting your home value, then you first need to know how much it is currently worth. You need to have a good idea just how much value you will get from a home improvement so you can know where your home value will wind up, and then you can figure out whether or not it is worth all the time and money you have to invest into it.

You have to know what your budget is. You might identify a five thousand dollar project that adds fifteen thousand to your home value. But what if you only have two thousand dollars free? At that budget, you should not even do a two thousand dollar project because you have no wiggle room for errors, accidents or overruns.

Make sure that you apply for and receive all needed permission for the project you want. At a minimum, you have to check your local government for building codes. Depending on your neighborhood or property, deed, covenant and association regulations might also have to be taken into consideration. Also call your homeowner's insurance, just to see what they have to say.


Make sure that the project is safe to do. Do not work on electricity or plumbing on days anyone else is home so that you can shut them off in full before starting. Do not have your children help you out. Have a first aid kit handy, as well as a way to call emergency services in the event of an incident. Do not handle open flames outside on dry or windy days, and do not use harsh chemicals and aerosols in closed door environments.

Plan out a schedule that is detailed and realistic. If you are planning on putting your house on the market, you want to have your improvement complete before you start the final process. Even if you are staying, you want your project done before shorter or hotter days happen due to a season changing, or have to go on vacation only to come home to a big project needing finished.

If you are seeking home improvements to enjoy rather than just bump up your home value, then you need to think about how long you intend to stay in your home. Your home improvements are going to need maintenance, upkeep, repair and eventually even replacement. Make sure you know what these costs and schedules are and are personally prepared for those responsibilities.

When you plan both thoroughly and in advance for a home improvement project, you can first decide if it is right for your circumstances and then go through with the projects you settle on within a reasonable timeframe and budget without surprises. Keep the ideas in this article in mind when you get the home improvement itch next.