There are times when you take a look at your home and decide that something needs to change. Perhaps it’s time to pack up and move to a new home. Most times, however, your home just needs to freshen up with an improvement or two. Best of all, there are so many things you can do to give your home a new look.
Home improvements, however, aren’t all equal. Some are purely functional, others simply for aesthetic purposes, and a few serving both reasons. Then, there are the home projects that do both and, at the same time, add value to your home.
If you are planning a home improvement or upgrade project, here are several things you can do that will benefit your property in the long run.
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Give your home a face lift with manufactured stone veneer
One dramatic change to the overall look of your home is to replace the existing siding or paint of your home with manufactured stone veneer. It boosts your property’s curb appeal as manufactured stone veneer mimics the look and texture of natural stone.
Many consider manufactured stone veneer as the more sustainable option than real stone. Unlike natural stone, which is mined, manufactured stone veneer is made with a mix of Portland cement, iron oxides, aggregates, and pigments. Since they are manufactured, there is also greater consistency in color.
Manufactured stone veneer is usually used for decorative purposes. It can also be added inside the home, particularly for accent walls and fireplaces. Installation for a 300-feet part of the home’s exterior can cost nearly $10,000, but Remodeling Magazine reports that it can add as much as $9,000 to the overall value of a home.
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Replace your garage door
Most people don’t often look at their garages when drafting plans for home improvement projects. This area really only gets attention when it calls for it. What most people don’t know, however, is that a garage door replacement can increase a home’s resale value.
This is especially the case if the replacement is a four-section garage door with a lifetime warranty, installed on heavy-duty steel tracks. The entire project can cost up to $4,000, but it promises almost 95 percent of returns on your investment.
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Invest in a mid-range kitchen remodel
It is no secret that a kitchen remodel can significantly boost the resale value of any home. That said, full kitchen renovations can be expensive. On the other end of the spectrum, low-cost kitchen remodels might not add much or any value at all.
If you have the budget for it, opt for a mid-range kitchen remodel. This involves replacing the cabinets with custom storage and countertops, swapping old hardware with new ones, changing the sink and faucet with mid-range alternatives, and investing in an energy-efficient stovetop/oven range and refrigerator. Top the remodel with new paint and trim.
A kitchen remodel of such scale can cost as much as $23,000, Remodeling Magazine estimates. It can also add as much as $18,000 to the resale value of your home.
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Replace your home’s exteriors with fiber-cement siding
If you want to change your home’s exterior but find that manufactured stone veneer isn’t to your liking, consider fiber-cement siding. It gives homes a timeless and classic look, but its best qualities are that fiber-cement siding is durable and requires only minimal upkeep.
Fiber-cement siding is made of a mixture of water, wood pulp, Portland cement, and fillers, which can be fly ash or silica sand. The wood pulp makes fiber-cement siding flexible and resilient, while the Portland cement holds everything together.
A 1,250 square-feet replacement can cost up to $17,000, making it significantly more expensive than manufactured stone veneer. That said, this kind of home improvement can also add as much as $13,000 to the home’s resale value. Most of all, fiber-cement siding can last anywhere between 25 years to a limited lifetime thanks to warranties.
A slightly more affordable option would be vinyl siding. For the same amount of space, installation can cost over $14,000 and add almost $11,000 to your home’s resale value. Vinyl siding looks similar to fiber-cement siding and is just as low-maintenance.
For a complete look at 2020’s most cost-effective home improvement projects, check out Remodeling Magazine’s entire report here.
Looking for more tips for selling your home? The Groesbeck Group has a lot to share on selling a house in Washington State. Contact the team today at 360.941.3734 or Info(at)JeanGroesbeck(dotted)com to learn more.