Prioritising Your Home Improvement Projects: A Skill Worth Mastering
Home improvement projects are almost like an initiation ritual for the first-time homeowner. Almost without fail, every homeowner will eventually arrive at the conclusion that some type of improvement project needs to happen, and they are the ones to do it.
Welcome to the lovely and sometimes-maddening world of home improvement! Mastering these projects isn’t difficult and improving the look and functionality of your home is well within your grasp. There are a few skills that, once learnt, will be an asset to you while on this journey. Learn them, understand them, and use them to save yourself time, money and perhaps a little bit of sanity as well.
Understand Your Budget
Don’t let your imagination and ambitions run far ahead of your pocketbook. This is extremely easy to do at the best of times, but things can very quickly get out of hand when you are doing home improvement projects. Have clear boundaries about what you can spend and where you can spend it. If you need to deviate from this plan for any reason, it is to be discussed with a trusted advisor (spouse, family member, friend) who knows your goal and vision, as well as your budget.
Have a Plan and Stay Organized
Disorganized home improvement projects lead to time delays and cost overruns, not to mention stress. Staying organized is key to running a smooth operation that delivers the results you are looking for without ruining your excitement about the project. Day planners, to-do lists and a timeline of expected progress are great tools to execute your plan. Things won’t go perfectly but by staying organized and having a plan, you will get further than if were walking in blindly.
What Is Necessary vs. What is Optional
Home improvement projects that are critical or necessary should take precedence over optional and aesthetically motivated ones. However, this is not as black as white as it may seem. The cost of these projects also plays a role in determining in what order these can or should get done.
Example: A $10,000 re-shingling would be more “necessary” than a $150 entryway painting project. Doing the shingles first would seem like the logical choice but if repainting the entryway would significantly change the look of the home for the better and painting prior to doing the shingles wouldn’t set back doing the roof by very long, there is no reason you wouldn’t do it. Now, if instead, it was a $15,000 driveway project that was not “necessary” but optional, you should choose to do the roof first since re-shingling is more urgent than refurbishing the driveway.
Consider Making Improvements or Changes to Your Doors
According to Maria from Doors Galore “This one can be easy to overlook. When homeowners think of home improvements, they rarely think of how much a room can be changed with an upgraded door.” Whether it be the front door, the door leading to the backyard or one of the many interior doors in your home, a simple change can make a big difference. There are innumerable styles and options for doors, creating the limitless potential for positive change.
What Gives You the Highest ROI?
What are the lowest-cost but highest-impact home improvements you can do? Could changing the hardware in a room create the desired effect? Maybe painting a wall or changing something small will bring about the change you are looking for? Brainstorm ideas with your roommates or friends to see how you can maximize each dollar by creating high-impact, low-cost changes.
Use the Weather to your Advantage
There is a season for everything in life, and that includes home improvements. Plan your projects around the seasons so that you can leverage the sunlight, heat, and other elements of the weather to your advantage. Painting indoors can be done any time of year, but gardening or landscaping should be done in the warmer, drier months. All home improvement projects have ideal conditions. Think of these ahead of time and try and schedule them accordingly.
