Krazy Deal Daze

Friday, December 3, 2021

What Home Improvements Should You Prioritize?

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There are a lot of decisions to make when you are renovating your home. There is a seemingly endless array of possible home improvement projects to take on, but a finite budget and timeline in which to do your improvements. Knowing what improvements are worth it and which are not is never easy, but this article is here to help. Here are eight home improvement projects that you should prioritize when you are renovating your home.

Roof Replacements

Your roof is your first line of defense against the elements. An old and damaged roof can lead to leaks which can cause incredible amounts of very expensive damage to your home. Worse yet, a roof collapse could cause injury and even more damage than a leak. Updating your roof and replacing it when it comes time is essential to maintaining the safety of your home. Depending on the type of roof you have, you should be replacing your roof somewhere between every fifteen and thirty years. Do your research to find out what kind of roofing you have and when you should be replacing it.

New Flooring

The floors in a home get dirty and damaged over time. And while proper maintenance, clearing, and repairs can help keep your floors nice for longer, you will eventually need to replace the flooring. Floors are very important to the structural stability and resale value of your home, and adding new flooring offers a plethora of advantages as a homeowner. For carpeting, you should replace your floors every decade or so, and other types of flooring last longer or shorter than that. Make sure you know how long your flooring has been in your home, so you know when it is time to replace it.

Bathroom Remodels

Bathrooms are some of the most important spaces in your home both for livability and for the resale value of your home. Remodeling your bathroom provides a comfortable and modern space for your bathroom, which is always nice. Bathroom remodels also offer a very high return on investment to the value of your home. Buyers are always looking at the bathrooms as a signal for the value of homes and having a nice and updated bathroom sends value signals to buyers. If you have not updated your bathroom in some time, then now is the time to do so.

Kitchen Remodels

Much like a bathroom remodel, a kitchen remodel is one of the best things you can do in your home for both the livability of your home and the resale value when it comes time to sell. Kitchens are one of the biggest selling points of houses and updating your kitchen can increase the value of your home almost exponentially. Not only that, but upgrading your kitchen will make your life better while you live there too. Remodeling can make you proud of your home and make cooking in your kitchen a joy again. If you love cooking, or want to get back in the habit, then remodeling your kitchen is a great step to help you get in the kitchen more and love the time that you spend there.

Upgrade Your Appliances

Your appliances are some of the most valuable home renovations and remodel items that you have in your home. Upgrading your appliances can help save you time on your day-to-day chores and tasks with upgraded machinery that does the tasks faster and more efficiently than older appliances. New appliances add value to your home, as appliances typically are left in the home upon move out. New appliances are also usually more energy-efficient than older appliances, which can save you a ton of money on your monthly utility bills. If you have not upgraded your appliances in a long time, then now is as good of a time as any to prioritize this update to your home.

Upgrade Your Outdoors

If you have a lot of outdoor space at your house that you don’t use, then you should prioritize renovating your outdoor spaces. You can add a deck, patio, outdoor living area, or even something as simple as a small gazebo to give yourself usable space in your yard. Any of these options are great ways to add some livability to your outdoor area to promote bonding time spent outside with your family and friends. They also all add tons of value to your home, as buyers love having usable outdoor spaces. You should prioritize the outdoors any time you are renovating your home.

Finish Your Basement

An unfinished basement in your home is a lost opportunity for more usable living space. An unfinished basement is pretty much only useful for storage, which is helpful, but not exactly the most valuable space to have in a home. Finishing your basement can offer another living area, office, storage, bedroom, or whatever else you want. The opportunity that an unfinished basement poses to improving your home space is so great, that it should be right at the top of your list if you have an unfinished basement

Take a Crack at Your Attic

If your home has an attic space that you don’t use, or only use for a little bit of storage, then you are staring at a huge opportunity for your home. Just like with an unfinished basement, an attic space that is unfinished gives you the chance to add a new room to your home, without needing to go through the costly process of a home addition. Turning your attic into a bedroom, office space, or tv room can be a great way to add functionality to an otherwise unused space in your home. So, give it a shot and see what kind of space you can make your attic for your family.

Renovating a home offers endless opportunities. But at the end of the day, you need to make decisions on what renovations are worthwhile and which ones need to wait. Focus on these eight renovations that deserve priority when considering home improvements and see what a difference they can make in your home.

Read this next: 4 Tips for Saving Money on Your Next Home Improvement

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Thursday, December 2, 2021

What You Need to Think About Before Starting a DIY Project

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As someone who is money-savvy, you have learned that the cheapest way to get something done is to do it yourself. With videos online to show you how to do everything from laying a driveway to reupholstering a couch, you can complete more projects yourself than ever before. One major factor that can cause your DIY to fail, however, is to rush into it without careful research and planning. Here are some things to think about before you start your next project.

Take Some Time to Learn

While everyone likes to just get in there and start, patience is certainly a virtue when it comes to DIY projects. Every DIY project takes knowledge and skill, and if you don’t know how to do something, it isn’t likely to come naturally. You need to know the ins and outs of whatever it is you are trying to accomplish. Learn about the materials, watch demonstrations from experts, read step-by-step guides, and practice if possible. While you may believe that you can figure it out as you go and be tempted to skip this step, don’t! That is a great way to waste time and money, having to redo whatever you did wrong. First, take the time to learn!

Estimate Your Costs

There is nothing worse than starting on a project only to realize that it is going to cost more than you can afford. This is why it is critical to estimate costs before starting a project. The HFTB (Hope For The Best) method is not a very practical one and can lead to lost money as you start a project but are unable to finish it. Optimism is great, but when you are estimating how much a project is going to cost, you should be a realist. Think of every single item you will need to buy and price it. That is the only way you can really know if you can actually afford it.

Get the Right Equipment

It can be frustrating to have to delay the start of a project while you acquire the right equipment, but it will save you time in the long run. Having the proper tools makes a world of difference when it comes to how long it takes to finish a project. You can buy the tools you need, but for large items, it is a good idea to investigate renting them. It will be worth having the right equipment when you realize how much more efficiently you are able to perform the work.

Staying Safe

Whether you are working with power tools or climbing on the roof, safety is what matters most. Novices are the most likely people to be injured on a job, simply because they lack the correct safety equipment or knowledge they need to do a job correctly. As you do your research, be sure to watch out for potential hazards and learn how to protect yourself. Wearing protective eyewear, gloves, and shoes is paramount. Knowing how to operate power tools correctly is critical. And using extreme caution when climbing ladders and scaling rooftops is a matter of life or death. You should also properly dispose of any debris you produce. Worksite debris poses a variety of hazards. Self-dumping hoppers increase safety by removing debris from your worksite.

Enlist Helpers

Many projects will be very difficult or even unsafe to perform on your own. Think ahead to the help you will need and ask for help. Enlist neighbors, friends, or family, but be sure to ask them well in advance. They need time to plan, and it is inconsiderate to pop in on a neighbor to ask for their help right then and there. Think of any heavy lifting or two-person jobs you will need to do, and plan accordingly.

Take an Inventory of Your Needs

Before the day of your project, you will be far more efficient if you make a list of everything you will need. This includes all materials, as well as each tool. Strive to anticipate everything. It can be very frustrating to be forced to stop your work to make a store run. Once you have assessed your needs, you can take inventory of what you already have and what you will need to purchase. Do this well in advance, as some items may need to be special ordered.

Gather Your Materials

Before you begin working, grab everything you need and keep it in a convenient, centralized location. This will save you the hassle of making multiple trips around the house in search of the things you need as you work. Organizing it in a systematic way will also save time and energy. As you finish using a tool or material, put it back in its designated spot. An ordered workspace facilitates an ordered mind, and you will find that your project goes more smoothly.

Roll With the Punches

Once you have learned, planned, shopped, and gathered, it is time to get started. Your planning is sure to help your project go as well as possible, but nearly all DIY projects will face some setbacks. If you accept this as fact, then you will be able to roll with the punches when they come. If you expect perfection, you are likely to get discouraged and maybe even give up. Have a plan for how you will react when something doesn’t go as planned. This should include a willingness to try something another way, the determination to keep trying, and a healthy dose of ingenuity and resourcefulness. And this is where your optimism should shine!

Doing a project yourself is a great way to learn new skills, save money, and improve your self-esteem. It can be a real challenge, but few things are more satisfying than sticking something out and completing a difficult task. You will feel the joy of a job well done. If you follow these eight suggestions, there is little that can stop you from success. Soon, you might be the one creating the instructional videos!