5 “Projects with Payback” for Home Improvement Month
May is Home Improvement Month — the ideal time to make upgrades to your home.
“Owning a home means you have the ability to enhance your living space on a regular basis,” says Allen Lyle, co-host of the Today’s Homeowner with Danny Lipford radio show. “Home Improvement Month is the ideal time to consider updating your roof, adding a deck or changing out your windows.”
Lyle reminds people that improvements to the home are more than just a necessity — they’re an investment in the life and value of the home. “Don’t think of it as splurging on a new roof or privacy window,” says Lyle. “Instead, know that every positive change you make to your home adds to its overall resale value.”
In the 2016 Cost Versus Value Report issued by Remodeling magazine, 30 popular remodeling projects were evaluated. The study shows that, on an average, homeowners with mid-range priced homes can expect to recoup 91.5 percent of their investment when replacing a garage door. Other high return-on-investment projects around the house include a roof replacement (71.7 percent cost recoup expected) and adding a composite deck (64.4 percent cost recoup expected).
With these insights and motivation in mind, here are five “projects with payback” you can consider tackling during Home Improvement Month to enhance your home:
Project #1 – Replace a garage door. This is probably the hardest working door in your home. You enter your house through it several times a day, so update it with a style that reflects your home’s character. Consider a dependable American Tradition SeriesTM steel garage door from Haas Door® that combines elegant craftsmanship with durability. These carriage house style garage doors come in solid or wood-grain colors with unique overlay colors and details so you can personalize the door to your home.
Project #2 – Get a new roof. It protects your family and your home, so don’t take your roof for granted. Evaluate it every year, and, if it’s time for a replacement, consider a long-lasting, low-maintenance synthetic shake or slate roof from DaVinci Roofscapes®. The realistic-looking shingles resist impact, fire and insect damage for peace-of-mind. Plus, having this sturdy roof overhead can often result in reduced homeowner insurance premiums each year!
Project #3 – Add a new deck. Ready to enjoy your outdoor living space in a new way? Add Composite Decking and prepare to relax in style. Easy to install, low-maintenance compression molded composite decking has a deep, lasting wood-grain look. Best of all, there’s no need for painting or staining, and it comes in a variety of colors to complement your home exterior.
Project #4 – Upgrade to a designer privacy window. Tired of too-close neighbors looking into your home? Decorative privacy windows from Hy-Lite® solve that problem. Replace existing windows in the bathroom and other rooms with eclectic Baroque, Mission, Prairie or Metro windows in the Home Designer CollectionTM to add style and privacy to your home.
Project #5 – Replace rotted exterior trim. Can you poke your finger into rotting trim around your home? If so, it’s time to replace those insect-infested boards with cellular PVC trim. Long-term maintenance hassles disappear when you invest in composite trim pieces like those from Ply Gem®. The durable pieces don’t absorb water like wood, so they won’t rot or warp. And, because they’re a cellular material, they tend to hold paint longer, giving you more time to enjoy your home rather than work on it.
Snow guards should be considered in all geographic areas where accumulating snow fall is possible.