As winter rolls around, home improvement projects tend to come to a stop. However, if you are looking to increase the value of your house, you can complete some tasks year-round!
Before you hang up the tool belt and bust out the snow shovels, take a look at the following home improvement tips for winter. Each of the following projects is winter-friendly and is guaranteed to improve your home’s equity. So what are you waiting on? Let’s get started!
1. Seal & Insulate (Windows, Doors, walls)
As the temperature starts to drop, you may notice certain areas of your home are colder than others. Why is this? There are two possible reasons.
The first reason the room may be colder is improper insulation. Make sure the windows and walls have proper insulation. Some areas to be more aware of are the attic, ducts, and foundation of the home.
Second, there may be a leak letting in cool air. Find the source of your home’s draft with a simple test. Watch this quick video to learn how to use the smoke test to find leaks in your home!
You can also use a thermal heat detector to find colder areas of the home.
If you find any leaks, seal them! Reducing the amount of cold air entering your home could drastically save you money this winter. You will also save money on cooling in the summer!
2. Redo the Floors
Redoing the flooring in your home is an intense task to take on. However, this project does not require working in the cold! Thus, it is the perfect winter project.
Start by upgrading any linoleum floors in your home. While these floors were once standard, they no longer add much value to the house. Replace them with a Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) or another flooring type.
You may even consider installing heated floors to keep your feet toasty throughout the rest of the winter!
3. Do Some Painting
Updating the paint on your walls is an easy way to add value to your home. Unfortunately, painting a room requires lots of time spent indoors.
I enjoy as much time outside as possible; however, since we will spend plenty of time inside during the winter, it is the perfect time to do some painting. So pick up some paintbrushes, choose the best colors, and start painting!
4. Update the Bathroom/Laundry Room
For many, the bathroom is their safe place. Here they can read the newspaper in peace, soak in a warm bath, and refresh in a relaxing shower. However, if you have an outdated bathroom, it may not be the relaxing sanctuary it should be.
Upgrade your bathroom by redoing the flooring (maybe heated flooring even), add a soaker tub, or update the shower nozzle. Each of these projects will help turn your bathroom into the sanctuary you deserve. Even changing the light fixtures can make the space more relaxing!
While you upgrade your bathroom, take a moment to inspect your laundry room. During the winter, this space fills with plenty of wet clothes. An outdated or unorganized laundry room can make it challenging to keep up with the increased loads.
Stop your clothes from piling up by giving your laundry room a facelift. Who knows, you might even enjoy doing the laundry afterward.
5. Remodel the Kitchen
While remodeling the bathroom will improve the value of your home, the most significant change will come from remodeling the kitchen. Most of the value of a home resides in its kitchen. It is where you prepare every meal, gather with the family, and make memories.
If the kitchen is outdated or not functional, it can have a significant impact on the value of your home as well as the memories you make in it! Redo the countertops, paint the cabinets, and add some backsplash. Each of these upgrades will make your kitchen feel more like you.
If you are up for a big job, gut the kitchen and design one from scratch! Redoing the entire kitchen allows you to tailor the kitchen to the rest of the home and your personal needs.
No matter what you do in your kitchen, be mindful of when the project takes place. You do not want a kitchen remodel to overlap with the holidays. It will likely be challenging to cook during the remodel. Prepare to eat lots of take-out when completing this winter project!
6. Upgrade the Little Things
Painting is not the only small project you can complete to improve the value of your home this winter. Every little detail you change will make a huge difference. So upgrade the little things!
These upgrades include cabinet hardware in the kitchen and bathroom, lighting fixtures throughout the house, and sink fixtures in the kitchen and bathrooms.
While the standard hardware and fixtures that came in the home work just fine, they lack style. By changing up these small details, your home’s style (and value) will improve.
7. Finish Old Projects
If you started any projects this summer or fall (specifically indoor projects), winter is the time to buckle down and get them done. Do not let the cold weather slow you down.
You may even have unfinished projects from past years. One such project might be the basement. If you have an unfinished basement, use this winter to finish it! A finished basement will add thousands of dollars to the value of your home.
Additionally, due to less demand in the winter, contractors may charge less to complete the work! Thus, it is the perfect time to accomplish this project.
8. Prep the Yard for Winter
Not every winter home improvement project has to take place in the heart of winter. Some winter projects should start just before winter begins! Preparing the yard for the cold months ahead is one such project.
Every year we battle to get our lawn to bounce back from the snow. You can help your lawn take on the winter with some pre-frost fertilizing. Add the fertilizer just before the first freeze of the season. Mow the yard at this time too.
Before the snow falls, make sure there are no tools, toys, or random objects left lying in the yard. As the snow piles on top of these objects, they create ugly dead spots.
Another way to improve your yard this winter is to remove any dead trees or bushes. While these might sound like summer or spring activities, they are cheaper to do while the weather is cold. Why is this? From May to August, customers swamp arborists and landscapers with requests. However, with fewer requests in the winter, you may be able to negotiate a lower price!
When summer comes, your yard will have a much better curb appeal with these projects completed.