Home DIY

The Top Four Renovation Tips To Increase The Value Of Your Property

Home renovations can do more than just make your house more comfortable – they can also add to the value of your property. Renovating your space is a great way to modernize your home while at the same time making it more comfortable and attractive.

Before you invest a lot of money in home improvement projects, however, it is important to understand how the renovations will impact your home’s resale value. That way, you can be sure that you are investing your money wisely. Keep reading for the top 4 renovation tips to increase the value of your property.

1. Find ways to make your home feel more spacious.

Opening up your home so that it feels larger can make a huge difference in how potential buyers perceive it. Older homes, in particular, tend to have small rooms that can feel a bit claustrophobic. Knocking down a nonstructural wall or two can make a huge difference in how spacious your home feels.

For instance, if you take out the wall that separates your kitchen from your living room, it can create an open-concept design that is perfect for entertaining. Most homebuyers love the idea of being able to visit with company or keep an eye on their kids while they are cooking dinner.

Additionally, getting rid of walls can make your home feel much larger. Instead of being stuck in a series of tiny rooms, you can enjoy a much more open, inviting space.

If possible, you may even want to consider adding on to increase your home’s square footage. Adding additional space is always a great way to increase a property’s resale value. Typically, the cheapest home additions are the ones that don’t involve plumbing. Instead of adding a bathroom or expanding your kitchen, consider tacking on an extra bedroom or a sunroom. The low cost of these additions means that you can enjoy extra space without spending a fortune in the process.

2. Increase the amount of light in your home.

Dark homes without a lot of natural light can feel sad and uninviting. On the other hand, homes that have a lot of light coming in through skylights or windows tend to be much more uplifting, drawing people in and making them feel welcome.

Simple home improvement projects such as putting in a new window or adding a skylight can go a long way toward helping you create a light, airy space. For an even easier project, consider looking into light tubes. These small, round tubes are a great alternative to larger skylights. They use a series of reflective materials to bring light in from the outdoors without requiring a large hole in your ceiling.

3. Focus on surface details.

While it is definitely important to have a home that is structurally sound, it is equally as important to make sure that it looks nice. Most potential buyers focus on the overall aesthetic of the house rather than on structural elements that lie under the surface. It goes without saying that you should make any repairs to your home when necessary, ensuring that the home’s structure is in good shape.

From a renovation standpoint, however, you will generally get more bang for your buck by focusing on surface details such as wallcoverings, flooring, and countertops. Modernizing your space through the use of paint, tile, natural stone, or other design elements can go a long way toward increasing your property’s value.

As you begin planning your home renovations, be sure to keep these three tips in mind. By focusing on creating a space that is open, brightly lit, and beautifully decorated, you can add a ton of value to your home.

4. Rejuvinate Your Roof

One of the best ways to increase the value of your home is to revitalise your roof with a beautiful coloured liquid rubber paint. This not only waterproofs your roofs, repairing leaks and lengthens the life of your roof, it can also make your property look newer.

When doing so make sure you choose a reputable roof waterproofing company with a great service history and happy customers.

Setting Up Your Basic DIY Toolkit

DIY toolkit will enable you to do your DIY home improvements and repairs. Here are some of the tools which should be in your DIY Toolkit.

Tools for your DIY Toolkit

The Toolbox

A toolbox also known as a toolkit is a box to organize, carry, and protect the tools. It could mean a small portable box that can carry a few tools to a project location or a large storage system set on casters. When choosing a toolbox, the most important factors to consider are sturdiness and adequate capacity. To help to keep tools organized, most toolboxes come with many compartments. Modern tool boxes are predominantly metal, plastic or wood.

Hammer

A hammer is a tool or device that delivers a blow to an object. Hammers vary in shape, size, and structure, depending on their purposes.  Hammers are hand tools used to drive nails, fit parts, forge metal, and break apart objects. The most common type of hammer is the claw hammer. The Claw Hammer is probably the one that comes to mind when most people think about a hammer. It is very versatile and can be used for a great many jobs making it a must-have for any DIY Toolkit.

Wrench

A wrench is a tool used to provide grip and mechanical advantage in applying torque to turn objects. The most common wrenches are the open-end wrench, adjustable wrench, combination wrench, Allen wrench and box-end wrench. There are many wrench sets available in the market today. You can get one and add it to your DIY toolkit.

Pliers

Pliers are hand tools used to hold objects firmly. They are also useful for bending and compressing a wide range of materials. There are numerous different types of pliers, each with distinctive features that suit them to various tasks and jobs. The known types of pliers are the long nose, pump, electronics and cutting pliers. There are also locking pliers which are multi-purpose gripping tools, with size-adjustable jaws is ideal for gripping nuts, pipes, and fixtures. But the most common plier is the Combination Pliers also known as lineman pliers or side cutters. Combination pliers are heavy-duty, side-cutting pliers designed for all regular wire-cutting needs. They have gripping jaws, a cutting edge, and insulating handle grips that reduce the risk of electric shock from contact with live wires. This versatile tool should be in your DIY toolkit.

Flashlight

This should be included in your DIY Toolkit. A flashlight is a vital tool when the power is off or for repairing in dark and tight areas.

Awl

Useful for marking and starting off a nail or a screw hole. Can also be used for detecting studs or blocking in stud work, or joists in ceilings.

Screwdriver Set

Screwdrivers are used for turning screws. A screwdriver is classified by its tip, which is shaped to fit the driving surface on the corresponding screw head. Some manual screwdrivers have interchangeable tips that fit into a socket on the end of the shaft and are held in mechanically or magnetically. These often have a hollow handle that contains various types and sizes of tips, and a reversible ratchet action that allows multiple full turns without repositioning the tip or the user’s hand. If interchangeable tips screwdriver is not available, you can have a selection of flat-head screwdrivers of different sizes because they will enable you to deal with a variety of sizes of slot-headed screws.

Utility Knife

A utility knife is a knife used for general or utility purposes. It is used for many precision and general cutting purposes. It also includes small folding or retractable-blade knives suited for use in the modern workplace or in the construction industry.

Tape Measure

Retractable, lockable tape measures are easy to use. A tape measure is essential for providing accurate measurements.

Teflon and Electrical Tapes

Teflon tape is a lightweight, thin tape used on threaded plumbing connections to prevent leaks. Electrical tape is an insulating tape used in many electrical tasks. These are good additions to your DIY toolkit.

Duct tape

Duct tape is commonly used in situations that require a strong, flexible, and very sticky tape. Some have a long-lasting adhesive and resistance to weathering.

Work Gloves, Dust Masks and Safety Glasses

Work gloves to protect your hands when handling building materials and using heavy tools. Dust masks are essential when sanding or sawing to prevent you from inhaling harmful substances. Safety glasses or goggles are vital for eye protection. Investing in good-quality protective wears ensures safety to yourself when doing your DIY projects.

Power Drill

A multi-purpose, battery-powered drill and screwdriver can be used for a large number of tasks. Drilling implies creating holes, and a power drill is an ultimate luxury when tired hands have turned too many screws. It adapts not only to drill bits to bore holes, but also to every kind of screw-head bit, making larger projects go quickly and with less muscle.

Nail Set

A nail set is used for sinking nail heads below the surface of the wood so that you can then fill the hole with wood putty and sand it, to make the nail disappear. This way the hammer never has to make an ugly dent in the surface you are pounding.

Glue gun

A glue gun can be used to bond surfaces together when doing your DIY projects or home repairs. It is a very versatile tool and definitely deserves a place in your DIY toolkit.

Checkout this Handyman Tips

DIY Home Painting Tips

#1 Plan Ahead

Planning ahead your DIY home painting project is the most important step you should take.  You will virtually always get a better final result when planning ahead. Confucius said, “A man who does not plan long ahead will find trouble at his door.” Taking the time to plan intentionally gives you more time to think and make well-informed decisions. When planning your DIY home painting project, you should consider when are you going to paint, how long will it take, what tools to use, and most importantly, how much will be spent.

#2 Visual Inspection and Preparation

If you don’t do inspection and preparation, chances are, you’ll end up wasting your time and money. If you paint over dirty, oily surfaces, the paint will easily chip or peel off. Paint won’t adhere very well to dirty or rough surfaces, so be sure to clean the siding and trim thoroughly, allow to dry, and sand. Look for areas that need to be scraped or sanded before applying the paint like cracked, flaking or peeling areas. You can also give the walls a quick wipe-down with a damp cloth so that paint will have a clean, dust-free surface to stick to. Greasy areas may also need a bit of washing with soap, followed by a rinse with clean water.

#3 Wait For Dry Weather

Another tip for your DIY home painting project is to avoid painting on rainy days because humidity means drips and slow paint drying. Select a dry time of year when there are little rain and lower humidity. Paint needs time to dry and will not adhere to surfaces that are not dry.

#4 Quality over Price

Get high-quality paint, brushes, roller covers, and painter’s tape. High-quality paint means you will paint fewer times over the years, and you’ll get better coverage when you do paint. Good roller covers and brushes give wide coverage so that you don’t waste time and paint on re-application, and high-end painter’s tape is also beneficial when it comes to sealing out drips and blurs.  Don’t be tempted to buy low-quality materials to save up some money.  You might end up paying more in the long run.

#5 Box Your Paint

Paint color may vary slightly from one can to the next.  Boxing your paints together eliminates the problem. Boxing your paint means combining all the paint into one large container and mixing it thoroughly. This way, your color will be consistent from beginning to end. Get someone to help you with a realistic estimate of how much paint you’ll really need so that you can buy it all at once instead of using one gallon at a time.

#6 Protect Everything You Don’t Want To Be Painted

You will never regret the time you spend covering furniture, hardware, and floors before you start your DIY home painting project. Drop cloths and small plastic bags secured with tape are an easy way to protect doorknobs. For painting the exterior of your home, be sure to cover the ground, bushes and any other vegetation below the area you are painting.

#7 Paint from Top to Bottom

Drips are inevitable. Painting from top to bottom will allow you to feather out mishaps in the direction you are working. Starting at the top and working your way down while painting also helps control streaks, as you will be working with gravity rather than against it.

#8 Avoid Lap Marks

Lap marks are those ugly stripes caused by uneven layers of paint buildup. They occur when you roll over paint that’s already partly dry. The key to avoiding lap marks is to maintain a “wet edge,” so each stroke of your roller overlaps the previous stroke before the paint can begin to dry.