For those with the creativity and drive, choosing a ‘fixer-upper’ as your home is a great choice. You can truly make the property yours with even the easiest renovations, or you can go all out and create a getaway paradise no matter where your plot of land is. Not all renovations, however, are equal. You don’t want to go so overboard that you wouldn’t be able to get the money in your home back if you were to ever sell.
For example, adding in a kitchen that is worth more than your entire house isn’t going to increase its value.Doing something little to every room to make it look better, and putting a bit of extra money into key areas like the bathroom, oran attic conversion can go a long way. Your end goal should be to create the perfect home for you that you can live in for years, but also one that gives you the most value back if you ever needed to sell.
That is why everyone looking to buy a fixer-upper should read this guide to help them get started:
Renovations to Do Before You Move In
When it comes to run-down properties, there are usually a few obvious renovations to do before you even move in. Typically, the best kind of fixer-upper is one that has cosmetic issues but nothing structural. Structural, electrical, and plumbing damage can be extremely costly to fix and therefore not worth buying in the first place (unless your goal was always to knock the entire building down).
Examples of cosmetic fixes that are easy to fix up and can instantly improve any property include painting (interior and exterior), redoing the floors, and other cosmetic projects like changing out the fixtures. It is these easy projects which you can easily do before you move in. Flooring, in particular,is best done when your home is empty, meaning you can do it fast and efficiently and you won’t have to see the rundown carpeting or scratched up hardwood.
When it comes to painting, there are a few things you should consider first. If you are planning on going all out with decorating you might want to hold off deciding on a color and repainting your home before you move in. On the other hand, if there iswallpaper you don’t like,or the walls are looking a bit dirty from age, repainting them in a light neutral color is a great idea. Rather than committing to a color scheme, however, opt for a light neutral color like a shade of white or cream. These options are easy to decorate around,and they’re easy to paint over, meaning they are perfect canvases for your designs.
Things to Address First
Once you move in you probably cannot wait to start making it home, but before you start to think about where to put your furniture or even what big changes you will make, you need to think about storage. Having too much storage is far better than having too little. Similarly having big, empty closets won’t allow you to use the storage space that you have effectively. That is why custom closets and storage solutions are perfect for every home. If you have a large room but no closet area, consider building a wall of cabinets and putting a window seat underneath the window.
By going into your home with a focus on storage, you can design storage seamlessly into your home. The last thing you want after spending a lot of time, effort and money into interior design is for your belongings to crowd out all of your artistic choices.
When to Commit to Large Renovations
The renovations your property actually needs will differ than what you think they need. That is why you should always live in your new home for a few months before you commit to an expensive remodel. Some problems you perceive your property to have may end up not being a problem at all. At the very least living in your property before you commit to a remodel can help you decide what you truly want and what will suit the space best.
Tips on Decorating
When it comes to decorating, you want to design from the base up. Your furniture should be the canvas because they are the most expensive and therefore the most consistent pieces of the room. For many, this will be the furniture that they already have, for others a trip to the furniture store will be in order. Generally, you want your designs to be simple and timeless. You can always change up the design with smaller artistic choices, but for many switching out their furniture is not an option.
You also need to consider the durability of your furniture before you buy. This is especially true if you have pets or children. The more durable the material and the design, the better. The more durable and long-lasting the furniture, the better.
From there you add your secondary pieces. These will be side tables, coffee tables, lights, and so on. They are pieces that can be equally as expensive but are typically smaller. They should balance your key furniture pieces. If you want to have earthy tones in your room, you can havea green couch and wood accent pieces, and build up from there. If you want a more modern design, you can have white furniture set and metal accent pieces.
Following on from the secondary furniture, it’s the large decorative pieces. These are wall art, rugs, curtains,and shelving. After those, begin to add the small decorative items, like throw pillows or sculptures.
Building up your room’s design this way will take time, but that will allow you to find the best and most eclectic pieces for your room that are a perfect representation of your taste and artistic flair.
Tips on Garden Landscaping
Your design efforts should never be focused entirely inside your home either. Your curb appeal and your yard are two very important aspects of your home that deserve your attention. Your curb appeal will alleviate your home’s standing and design to the world at large. It is how you can show how proud you are in your property and, when and if you sell, it’s how you will win the hearts of viewers before they even set foot in the door.
Your backyard should be your oasis, but it should also be within your means to maintain. Having a swimming pool when no one in your family doesn’t swim very often is not a very good investment. Investing instead in a great patio area so that you can hang out and enjoy the outdoors during the summer months,on the other hand, is.
Landscaping, however, is less like designing and more like a renovation. You have to have a lot of experience with gardening and garden design to create one yourself that looks and works well for your home. This, of course, assumes that you don’t want to add any patio area and the design choices you make are relatively small. When you start to think bigger, you will need to hire a landscaping company. They will have the tools, skill, and know-how to put your design together.
If you don’t have any experience with designing gardens, of course, you will have to rely on your chosen landscaping company even more. It can be very hard to conceptualize your garden when plants are very complicated entities. They live and grow, and how they grow and how they interact with other plants is something that you need to consider. Then, of course, there’s the likelihood of their survival, and how to design them so that they compliment the space they are in.
There is a lot to consider about landscaping that put it out of the DIY reach of many homeowners, and that’s fine. Instead, hire this company to help you design and create your landscaping dream. You can even hire them for continued maintenance so that your garden always looks perfect.
Tips on Curb Appeal
To freshen up your exterior your first step is to clear away all dirt and grime with a pressure washer. These pressure washers are very powerful and can be a huge danger to windows and other fragile items like your outdoor lights, which is why having someone experienced and with the proper tools is best. Once your building is clean, you can then hire someone to repaint your property if it needs to be refreshed. Combine this with new outdoor fixtures and even additional fixes like a new front door and garage, and your property will look brand new.
Your home is a large part of your life. It is where you go to after a long day at work. It’s where you feel most comfortable. It’s where you raise your family. You live, laugh, and grow within your home, and to ensure you have the best possible life within it you need to go through the effort to redesign it so that it reflects who you are.
Images by Matthew Millman – Wine Country Farmhouse by Bohlin Cywinski Jackson
