Home Improvement – Add Value to Your Home Without Breaking the Bank

Home improvement is any alteration, repair or replacement of parts or elements of a dwelling, including the addition of rooms, the installation of floors, the painting or coating of walls, the construction or reconstruction of decks, porches, patios and other outdoor structures and the repair or replacement of doors and windows. It can also include the construction or repair of driveways, sidewalks, swimming pools and other structures not attached to the house, fences and water treatment systems.

While many homeowners want to renovate with an eye toward increasing their home’s resale value, it’s important to remember that your own comfort and enjoyment are the most important reasons to undertake home improvement projects. If you remodel solely based on what might attract a buyer, you may overspend and end up with a showplace that doesn’t feel like home to you.

In a time of economic uncertainty, homeowners are spending more on improvements that will improve the functionality of their homes. Deck construction is up more than threefold, while the number of homeowners hiring landscapers to build fences has nearly doubled. Anderson says the increased activity is likely driven by a desire to add living space and security.

There are many ways to add value to your home without breaking the bank. Refreshing the paint job, re-grouting tile and cleaning the rain gutters are all simple DIY jobs that can have a big impact.