New Year Renovation Tips for Your Home & Garden

January is here and with it comes big plans! If you are a homeowner, this time of year is a great time to start a home improvement project. It’s not just your home, but an investment in one your most valuable assets.  For instance, a report by Remodeling Magazine found that renovating just one bathroom on average cost can cost around $18,000, but you’ll most likely retrieve around 66% of that cost back when it is time to resale your house. In the meantime, you can enjoy beautiful home improvements and renovations, knowing that in the long run you’ll be seeing more resale value when the time comes to move on. Here are just a few ideas for home renovation tips for your home and garden to increase usability, comfortability curb appeal and general enjoyment for this new year and for so many in the future.

Update your Light Fixtures

A home improvement doesn’t have to cost tens of thousands of dollars to make a huge difference. It’s amazing what a new chandler or overhead lighting can do to change the dramatic effect and feel of a room with little effort. Style changes over time and what might have been in vogue before you owned your house may not shine so bright anymore. You can look for design and new light fixture ideas at your local hardware store and can often revamp old light fixtures with a simple paint job or new light bulbs.

Revamp your Entry

Curb appeal is what gives someone their first impression of your home before they even step inside the door. The aesthetic look of a home’s exterior can tell what someone can expect to find on the other side of the front door. Therefore improving your home’s entryway can make a big difference. A little bit of paint can go a long way in making your exterior feel fresh and inviting. Similarly, a new mailbox, outdoor lighting or window boxes can make a big impression with a small investment.

Renovate Your Garden

Speaking of curb appeal, good landscaping can soften the lines of your home and increase the value by 5.5 percent to 12.7 percent depending on the type of landscaping and the home’s original value. This might not seem like a lot at first, but this can quickly translate into an added $16,000 to $38,000 in value on a $300,000 home! Be ready to enjoy your garden while you live there knowing that the more life you breath into it, also increases the value when it’s time to sell. Make sure you plant at different levels to create intimacy and to allow every plant to shine. Tall shrubs and trees along the house soften lines and add whimsy. Research blooming schedules of perennials so you can be sure to have color year-round. For our desert climate globe mallow and brittle brush add bright colors in the winter while desert rose, and bougainvillea have a strong showing in the summer months.

Renovate your Hardscape

A garden is not just about plants but the hardscape which they grow around. To add value and drama to your garden and home exterior, invest in patio pavers, walls for added intimacy and garden beds at different levels for added interest. However, you don’t need to install all new hardscaping to make a big difference. Simply power washing your hardscape, sealing, and refurbishing old cracks can make a dramatic difference everyone one will appreciate and enjoy.

Make your Home More Energy Efficient With CC Suncreens

There are lots of small ways to reduce your energy use in your home such as installing LED lightbulbs, sealing cracks and replacing filters. However, as Arizonians we understand how hot the sun can be. A great investment for your home this year to minimize energy use are window sunscreens. Installing sunscreens on your windows will help to conserve energy by reducing the amount of solar heat on your home by 80% to 90% and cooling your home naturally by as much as 15 degrees! However, CC Sunscreens just don’t help save energy but are stylish and add curb appeal. To find out more about the many benefits of sunscreens, start your year out right and schedule a free at home estimate today.