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Top 6 Cheap and Practical Home Improvements

Home Improvement

By Emily WilsonPublished 6 years ago 3 min read

When making an investment or improvement of any kind, your number one priority needs to be its cost-effectiveness. This cost-effectiveness consists of two separate aspects. First, you have the overall cost of the improvement, and second, you get the value that it generates for its cost. The problem with calculating the value of various home improvements lies in the fact that they don’t always generate profit (or even save money by making your home simpler to upkeep). This means that the value that you receive from them tends to be pragmatic, seeing as how it leads to lifestyle improvement. Here are six such upgrades that are definitely worth your while.

Improve your home’s energy efficiency.

The first thing we have to discuss are improvements that have an ROI you can precisely calculate in the amount of money they save every year. For instance, by installing double-glazing windows inside your home, you stand to save about $200 to $250 every year. Keep in mind, though, that there are numerous such upgrades that you can make on your home, and that the end result might be more impressive than you’ve expected. Insulating the place and replacing your front door are two of the most obvious ones. Apart from this, you should look for floor gaps and seal them, as well as insulate your attic.

A Shed

Maintenance of your property is an arduous, yet, rewarding task. First of all, well-maintained property has a substantially higher resale value. Second, it makes the entirety of your property more visually pleasing (which is a subjective reward of its own). Lastly, if you decide to start your own vegetable garden, you get the privilege of knowing what kind of food you put on your table. However, in order to achieve all of this, you need adequate equipment and this equipment requires some storage. So, constructing a shed might be a great idea.

Make an outdoor seating area .

The reason why having an outdoor seating area improves your home's pragmatism so much is due to the fact that it A) gives you one more usable area of your property, and B) provides you with greater energy-efficiency. A seating area can easily be turned into an outdoor kitchen, which will make your home much easier to cool down during summer. Still, outside of just investing in some seating furniture, you might also want to pave the area, as well as browse a custom shades store in order to provide the place with some cover from the sun and rain.

Install a ceiling fan .

Another cheap, yet incredibly amazing home improvement idea is for you to install a ceiling fan. You see, unlike popular opinion, a ceiling fan can both cool down your place, and keep it warmer. By merely rotating the blades from counter-clockwise to clockwise, you’ll push the warm air down, thus making it harder for the heat to leave your home. The reason why this is so amazing is that it does so with an incredible energy-efficiency. A ceiling fan doesn’t require too much power to run, and it’s a quite cheap fixture to both buy and install.

Build a playground in your backyard .

The best way to make your kids want to spend time outdoors is to incentivize them by creating a playground. Now, depending on your aspirations, this can cost you an arm and a leg. Some of the more complex treehouses can take days and weeks to build, and you might have to approach them like a proper construction project. On the other hand, installing a tree swing, and making a sandbox are quite simple and inexpensive projects, yet, the end result can be quite staggering. Instead of forcing your kids to play outside, why not try giving them a strong enough reason to do so on their own.

Make a fence.

The last thing you need to consider is making a fence around your property. First of all, this is a method to keep some larger pests away from your backyard. Second, it creates a visual barrier, thus providing you with more privacy on your own property. Lastly, the project itself is both simple and inexpensive, both of which make it qualify for this list.

In Conclusion

The reason why the majority of this list consists of property improvements lies in the fact that indoor improvements tend to be far more expensive. For instance, a major kitchen and bathroom remodel can cost an arm and a leg, which is something that you might not be able to afford. Other than this, bear in mind that even some exterior improvements like cladding and rendering tend to be quite expensive when compared to the amount of protection and resale value that they offer. Therefore, sticking to the above-listed might be the safest course of action.

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About the Creator

Emily Wilson

I am a business psychologist with a passion for travelling and marketing. Researching, exploring and writing are my favourite things to do. Besides that, I love animals and music.

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