If you have an old house, it can have many problems that need fixing – the paint, carpeting, missing window screens and drafty windows that let in cold air in winter. There’s no doubt this project will cost some money. But what you might not know is that by getting your hands dirty on this one-time investment, you could save tens of thousands of dollars over the next few decades. And with a bit of work, you can turn your fixer upper into something beautiful again.
Change Out the Lighting
The first step to fixing up an old house is changing out the lighting. Old houses usually have dim, yellowish lights that don’t provide enough light for a room or hallway. You can change them by using LEDs which use less energy than incandescent bulbs. In addition, they last longer so you need to replace them less often.
If you’re fortunate enough to have actual sunlight, consider installing skylights. These allow natural light in and are an efficient way of heating a home as well.
Alternatively, have a window installation contractor place large windows for maximum natural light and aesthetics in your house.
Add Curb Appeal
If you’re looking for a way to increase the value of your property, consider adding some charm with curb appeal. You can do this through painting and landscaping around the house, repaving an old driveway, or installing new siding.
Adding any of these things will make it more appealing to buyers. In addition, when people search for homes, they want certain features that might not come standard with every home, such as lovely stone veneer doors, brick exterior walls, stained glass windows, or even beautiful flowers in front yards. These small touches may seem insignificant, but when combined help sell a home quicker.
If your walkway has cracks or worn-down edges, it will make the front yard appear unfinished and uninviting. A little bit of landscaping, such as mulch around flowers, can also help increase a home’s appearance at first glance and give buyers something nice to look at.
It doesn’t take much to get started with adding curb appeal, but it goes a long way towards increasing the value of any property, so why not try today?
Repaint the Ceiling and Walls
The paint on the ceiling and walls might be a little faded, cracked, or dirty. However, it is an easy fix to repaint them with high-quality latex paint in any color you want.
Find a color that is complementary to your other rooms and the exterior of the house. Keep in mind; if you’re adding any new carpets or flooring, you can change them easily later on with no painting needed.
Paint one wall at a time, so you don’t get paint all over yourself! Make sure you cover everything, including window sills. If it’s not dry before nightfall, put up a plastic tarp around the edges so nothing gets wet with dew or rain.
Rip Out the Old Carpeting and Torn Flooring
When you finish painting the walls, it’s time to rip out the old carpeting and torn flooring. If your house has gone without change for a while, this will be an essential step. There are many types of floors that you can use in place of carpets – from vinyl plank to tile or hardwood.
The best thing about these is that they are less likely than carpets to attract allergens, affecting those with respiratory conditions like asthma or allergies, pet dander, dust mites, and other pests.
Add New Hardware
Could replacing your doorknobs and drawer handles make a difference? New hardware gives an old house new life. If the previous homeowner didn’t want to spend money on updating their home, this might be one way to provide it with a fresh look without breaking the bank.
With that in mind, there are some things you’ll want to take into consideration before making any purchases for new hardware. First of all, size is critical! For example, you wouldn’t put doorknobs from a two-bedroom apartment onto doors leading outside because they would break if someone tried to open them with too much force. Likewise, you don’t want something small cluttering up space where larger items belong, or it will just look like the wrong size.
Second, you’ll want to make sure that your hardware matches each other and is consistent throughout the house in terms of style. Third, think about whether you have children who might want to play with shiny objects. Something bright would distract them from what they should be doing and could get scratched more easily than a duller option that doesn’t catch their eye as easily.
In conclusion, don’t underestimate how much new doorknobs and drawer handles can do for an older home; even if all else fails, this could give it a whole new life without breaking the bank.
Conclusion
In conclusion, when you’re looking at a fixer-upper, it’s imperative to have a vision of what that house will look like in the end. In addition, you need to know what needs fixing and what can wait until later for your budget.
