Home Improvement Tips for New Home Owners

Almost as soon as most people move into a new home, they start thinking about ways it could be changed or improved. Here are some home improvement tips to consider for your new home.

Asses your house ~
Think abut the ideas you might implement. Walk through your home with a critical eye, and build your wish list. Rank your list in order of importance (i.e.: aging pipes more important than upgrading the tub to a Jacuzzi).

Establish your timetable ~
Think about how long you plan to be in your house. If you're not planning to be staying in your house very much longer, you should concentrate first on the items that potential buyers will be most likely to look for.

Stay Flexible ~
Both your timetable and your budget are likely to end up higher than you planned. That's just how these things work. You can give yourself a buffer by adding an arbitrary percentage to your plans (i.e.:assuming +10% means a $10,000 and 60 day project will cost $11,000 and take 66 days), but even then, you may get surprised. The more flexible you can be, the less stressed out you will be along the way.

Look for ideas ~
Check out friends' houses, design magazines, and project sheets at your local home store to get ideas. Be sure to ask for sample cards and swatches to bring home and look at in your home's own lighting. Some of them will look very different than they did in the store.

Make a Budget ~
Making a budget is part of the planning stage of your home improvement project because planning ahead means you can work out better deals. Try to handle as much of your budget as you can without resorting to credit cards, because the interest rates on those is always extremely high.

Enlist Help ~
Do you have family or neighbors that might be willing to lend a hand? You don't always need skilled labor. Sometimes you just need a few extra willing pairs of hands. Even if you're not paying them, be sure to let them know how much you appreciate them by feeding them when the work is done, and/or volunteering to help with their projects in return.

Get Permits ~
Check with the city or county (or both!) offices in your area to see whether you'll need permits for your home improvement project. Be sure to budget the costs of those permits into your plan.

Be Safe! ~
Remember, you want to live to enjoy your upgrades. Make sure you read and understand the manual of any tools you will be using, and that you don't get in over your head. Embarking on your own home improvement project can be very rewarding, but sometimes you really do need a professional for the job. Don't be embarrassed to ask for help.