Man and woman work together to complete a living room renovation

jumpstart your home improvement ideas

Home remodeling, such as a kitchen remodel or flooring installation, can be daunting. Activities and expenditures related to home renovations are at their greatest levels since 2018. As opposed to 53% in 2020, 55% of homes had renovations in 2021. These 8 new year’s resolutions for home improvement projects will assist you with how to remodel a house, whether you’re looking for cheap remodeling ideas or renovation ideas for older homes. 

1. Expect the unexpected.

“What’s the best way to remodel my home?” is a question many homeowners have as they embark on home improvement projects. Be prepared for the unexpected, be adaptable, and adjust as needed when remodeling a home. 

“Things happen all the time, and things don’t always go your way. In life, in business and friendships, in marriage and parenting, whatever it is–you always have an expectation. But the reality is, it’s going to be different. Be okay with it, adjust, and everything is going to be okay. Come up with a plan B on the spot if you have to,” Sherrie Medeiros of First Impression Home Staging suggests. 

2. Plan a mess-free zone.

Setting aside a renovation-free area for your family to congregate and unwind before beginning the chaos of a remodel is a good idea. To ensure you have a convenient room to gather, eat, or relax at the end of the day, make sure you have everything you need in one location, such as a kettle or microwave. 

Family relaxes on a plastic covered sofa after moving into their new home

3. Get rid of outdated window treatments.

Many people disregard the significance of having attractive window treatments when creating a room, even though windows and access to natural light can make or break a space. Vertical blinds and draped, dingy curtains are a thing of the past. 

Your home window treatments are something that you should change only sometimes. Choose neutral window treatments that will work with your space and not get dated with time because they will hopefully be there for a long time. 

4. Avoid renovations that don’t add value.

Some house improvements aren’t worth the time, money, or effort. You should consider your location and current house value carefully before choosing the renovation that will add the most resale value. 

  • An excellent illustration of how a project’s worth fluctuates depending on its cost and location is adding a pool. Hot tubs, pools, and other water features don’t increase a home’s value and may turn off prospective buyers. 

  • It may be alluring to convert your garage into a different functional room, such as an office or additional living space. This only sometimes translates into increased home value, though. Installing garage doors returns investment money by 94%. Upgrading the garage door came in first place among 21 other home remodeling projects, according to Remodeling Magazine’s 2022 Cost vs. Value Report. 

  • The value of your home won’t increase with costly, professional landscaping if you intend to sell it soon. Trimmed and manicured bushes, shrubs, and trees will keep your lawn well-maintained instead of expensive landscaping. Keep your landscaping low-maintenance because buyers might want to add their own touches to the yard or garden once they move in.
Person mows bright green grass with black push lawn mower.

5. Install new flooring.

Are new floors worth it? According to Opendoor, new flooring might add an average of $10,000 to your home’s selling value. 
Weighing the advantages and disadvantages of a DIY project is crucial because flooring is a significant undertaking and can be pricey. Here are some considerations to make as you formulate your answer: 

Make sure it is done correctly. Making errors during installation might reduce your flooring’s beauty, usefulness, and durability. To ensure you enjoy your new floor, consider hiring a professional installation unless you are an experienced do-it-yourselfer. 

If you install your own flooring, it will generally take longer. Remember that the rooms in question won’t be usable during installation. Take on a DIY flooring project only if you have the time to work carefully and ensure that each step is carried out correctly. 

Hardwood flooring installation requires a higher level of skill and knowledge. You must determine with precision whether the subfloor is robust enough to use as-is or if additional structural support needs to be added. You will also need to purchase and be proficient with using power tools, assuming your wood flooring is ready to go. Additionally, you must allow the wood to adapt to the humidity and temperature of the room or rooms in your house. Even though many novice installers could skip this step, doing so will enable the wood to become stable and is the first step in a proper installation. If any of these methods seem entirely unfamiliar, it’s wise to hire a professional for your installation. Thankfully, Floorily has experts on standby to answer any questions you may have about your next flooring project. 
Beautiful modern living room with a large white sofa, brown leather arm chair, circular coffee tables, and Windy Pines LVP Flooring from CoreLogic and Floorily

6. Update your wood accents.

Older houses often have warm, saturated wood tones like orange oak or other warm wood types. These colors could give your room an antiquated appearance. However, tearing away components like cherry wood trim or kitchen cabinets is not always necessary. 

Think about the possibilities regarding painting, staining, and whitewashing. These inexpensive techniques for altering the color of your wood will significantly modernize your area if you’re seeking budget-friendly home improvement ideas. Painting, staining, and whitewashing also won’t call for any remodeling. 

Try to use a color that will neutralize your environment when applying stains and paints. Your home will look more modern if you use a neutral tone, and it will also be much simpler to decorate and select paint and décor. 

7. Hire professionals for extensive renovations.

When it comes to home renovation tasks, time is money. “We need to consider where to spend money and where to spend our most valuable asset, which is our time,” Lindsay the Stager suggests. 

It’s best to hire a general contractor or qualified group of home remodelers to ensure that a task is done correctly. Their genuine value stems from the fact that they have performed several similar jobs over the years, giving them a wealth of knowledge that enables them to complete tasks better and more quickly than inexperienced DIYers. You can save time by working with pros to perform your home improvement projects. 

For instance, if you install your flooring yourself, you might save money, but it might take far longer than if a team of expert installers handled the job. 
A flooring contractor measures wood-look LVP flooring to be cut and installed

8. Make time for breaks.

Take time to focus on your family and on yourself by taking breaks. Your attempt to beautify your home has taken time and effort. Why not take a deep breath and step back? 

Even though you may spend the entire day concentrating on remodeling, you can miss out on family time due to all the hassles and difficulties (such as the cost of a house redesign, problems with the renovation, the logistics, etc.). You can change that this year. Recognize that things take time, and be patient while waiting for the results to appear. 

Author

  • Sarah Dyer

    Sarah is the Communications Manager at Floorily. With a strong background in digital marketing, she develops strategies and marketing material to help grow and promote Floorily. In her free time, Sarah enjoys camping, hiking, and being a passenger on flights flown by her aviator husband.