Believe it or not, fall is here. For homeowners around the country, that often means a time to rake leaves, put away the deck furniture, and start to prep the house for winter. But the crisp air of autumn also provides a very good time to consider making some home renovations. There’s likely to be fewer disruptions happening around you and it’s a chance to assess where your house stands in terms of sellability and what you might need to do in order to get it in shape.
“Fall is the ideal time of year to take a closer look at windows, heaters, and HVAC systems to see if there are any potential problems you can head off,” says Zach Tetley, co-owner of Nexus Homebuyers. “Better to put in the time now to find out what you’re dealing with than to be stuck in the middle of winter with some major renovation needs.”
Along with making sure your house is winter-ready, fall is also an opportune time to consider some renovation projects. Let’s take a closer at some of the top home renovation tips to complete this fall.
Consider a Cabinet Refresh
Whether we’re talking about the kitchen or the bathroom, cabinets can be easily overlooked but can truly transform a room. This might be a good time to consider an upgrade, but don’t just choose anything. Cabinets can be a costly installation so you want to make the right choice. Consider the style that not only looks good but will remain trendy enough in the future if you decide to sell your house on the market. Whites and natural colors are always going to be safe bets but blues and greys can also provide a bit of wow factor.
Fix Up the Flooring
Another area where it might be surprising about the true costs is flooring. Once you consider just how much square footage you’ll have to work on, things can add up in a hurry. So make sure you make the decision you’re happy with the first time because it might be too expensive to do twice. Porcelain tile might be the way to go as you can now get porcelain that realistically looks like wood or marble and it’s also much easier to clean and will stand the test of time.
A Fresh Coat of Paint
If you want to give your house a fall makeover but don’t want to throw down tons of cash, the easiest way to do so is to give it a fresh coat of paint. A new color on your walls can instantly change the look and feel of a room and house. If you want to play it safe, consider some pale neutrals like greys and taupes. Don’t be afraid to ask for help at the paint store as it’s important to get the undertones and any trims correct as well.
Liven Up The Landscaping
Who says the fall is a bad time to consider your yard? It’s actually a great time as there’s more of a chance you’ll find good landscapers available and it’s a time for change and renewal. See about freshening up the flower beds and bushes and consider ways you can make your yard more eco-friendly. There’s a strong push right now for artificial turf, which might not sound appealing but sure sounds good when you realize you don’t have to mow the lawn anymore. You might also want to look into native plants to see how you can incorporate them into your landscaping.
Bathroom Reboot
There’s something about the fall that seems to make a lot of people consider a redo on their bathrooms. Perhaps it’s the impending arrival of cold weather that makes people about how to make this important room more cozy. The best way is to add radiant-heat flooring. That makes for a nice experience on those chilly mornings and it also helps to create ambient heat in the house. If the bathroom is located in a part of the house that tends to get cold, such as a basement or above a garage, that’s a nice added benefit. It’s also a great way to add value to your house overall.
Get Decked Out
If you didn’t have a deck to enjoy this summer, fall is the ideal time to start building one for next year. If you try building a deck in the spring or summer, the weather can wreck havoc on the wood and yourself. But in the fall, cooler air and calmer weather makes life easier. It also helps to dry out the landscape, which makes it easier to build the deck on top of it without creating any potential damage. If you can get it done before winter, you’ll have a brand-new deck to enjoy come next spring.
Make A Master Suite
First-floor master suites have become very trendy as the American population ages and in-laws have moved back in with some of their kids. These suites come complete with baths, closets, and bedrooms. There’s a lot of value in adding this kind of renovation to your house as you consider it’s value and the potential for when you decide to sell it. Allowing for multigenerational living in your house creates a lot of opportunity down the road, either for yourself or for when you sell.
Get Efficient
Fall is a great time to take stock of your house and consider all the ways it can be more energy efficient. Take a look around at your heating system, lighting, and other potentially inefficient areas to see how you can upgrade and replace older and less efficient products. You could end up saving a ton of money in the long run by investing in green and eco-friendly renovations now. Consider calling in an expert or two to assess the potential as well as you might not be aware of the latest trends and gadgets.
Head Off HVAC Issues
Fall means that winter is around the corner and you don’t want to be taking on the cold temperatures without a HVAC system in working order. And you don’t want to wait too long to make any necessary repairs. You should try to figure out any problems now before it’s too late.
If you have a furnace, now’s the time to replace furnace filters, ideally with high-efficiency versions, that will ensure that germs, dust, and other particles don’t come flooding into your house. Check your heat pumps to see if they’re cycling on and off or making strange noises. If that’s the case, try to identify the issue. Boilers are already pretty energy efficient but they can fail from time to time. If it’s not firing up as it should or seems to be leaking, get it inspected sooner than later. The last thing you want is a busted boiler in the dead of winter.