Recently we visited at a friend’s home. They are doing exterior paint work. The paint which will last for the life time (a ceramic paint it was) would cost them upwards of $25,000. Huge price to pay for owning home. But , upgrading your home can be a good experience, filled with joy and wonder. Can there be improvements that would cost less?
A home is a beautiful thing, filled to the rim with items that truly make it unique to the resident and his or her family. However, sooner or later these unique items should be upgraded or replaced. The reasons for this could be anything from the technology become obsolete, to improving the quality of life for the family.
These updates do not need to break the bank. Here are five basic ways to improve the home, without having to pay more than what a new television would cost.
Put in some rugs
The carpet is the one item of the home that receives the most wear and tear. There is not getting around the fact that people and pets spend every waking hour of the day moving around, slowly dirtying and wearing the once luxurious fibers to something barely there.
A rug is a cheap and decorative fix to this problem, giving the home owner a chance to easily reduce stress on the carpet and customize the home at the same time. Good rugs can be found at all major retailers, so feel free to look around to find the best rug for the living room.
An additional perk of this is that quality rugs help reduce potential accidents in the home, by helping keep furniture from skidding around wooden floors. You will no longer have to worry about children playing around and getting hurt on the furniture, since it would be nigh on impossible for them to get the couch to budge!
Change the locks
One of the most sound investments a home owner can make is in a decent set of locks. Ideally, locks should be upgraded every couple of years to take advantage of advances in the field, and to prevent the ingenious lock peak from identifying your home as an easy target.
A skilled locksmith will be able to tell you if your home is due for an upgrade. The ideal set of locks will come with anti-tampering technology, and include multiple ways to unlock the devices. For instance, a combination lock can be invaluable for instances where the keys were accidentally left at the office.
Install a security system
A security system is another way to improve the safety of the home. Much like a decent set of locks, this system provides an added disincentive for potential thieves from breaking and stealing both your possessions and your peace of mind.
A good security system will come from a reputable firm with decades of experience in the industry. When talking to a locksmith, discuss various options to determine which one will work best for your family.
The ideal security system will incorporate a variety of features, such as door monitors and shattered glass detectors. In addition, more advance units can be customized to provide some remote control for the house’s locks and climate controls. This is a nice perk for any weary traveler with pets. You no longer have to trust a neighbor with a key to the house, simply hit a button on your phone to let them in to feed the cat.
A final perk is the ability to control the home’s climate control systems with the more advance monitors. This gives the home owner the flexibility to change conditions in the home on the fly, enabling the residence to be at the perfect temperature when the owner walks in the door. No more having to wait ten or twenty minutes for the heater or air conditioner to really kick in.
Upgrade the lighting
The quality of lighting determines what sort of activities can be easily done in a home. If you desire for the family to interact with each other in games and discussion in the evenings, the right sort of lighting is key to helping induce the proper mood.
Full spectrum lighting, powered by ultra efficient LED light bulbs, can easily and cheaply improve the quality of light in the common areas of the home. In addition, these light bulbs are certified to last for decades, enabling this to be a “buy it and forget it” sort of solution.
Another aspect of lighting is to install basic nightlights in the hallways and bathrooms of the home. This enables family members to easily make their way around the home at night without disturbing anyone else.
Good lights are available at any home improvement store. Do not be afraid to experiment, for these bulbs are guaranteed to outlast most of the light installations they are placed in.
Paint the walls
A fresh coat of paint can turn a drab room into a colorful experience that welcomes both friends and family alike to spend time enjoying each other’s company in the room. The color used should reflect both the role the room plays in the home, and its location within the home.
For instance, a room facing the rising sun can be painted a delicate shade of pink to reflect the early morning sky throughout the day. This will engender feeling of relaxation and help inspire a good mood whenever someone enters the room.
A child’s bedroom can be painted any color imaginable, though here is an idea that will bring a smile to any parent’s lips.
Chalkboard paint can turn a part of the wall into an easily washed canvas for the most creative of children. This, paired with the right assortment of chalk, can help a budding artist find their talent without destroying the rest of the room.
Good quality paint may be found at any home improvement stores. Take a small sample of any color home, and see how it would look before committing yourself to a large project.
Conclusion
By creating a secure and friendly environment that can be controlled from afar, the astute home owner recognizes the ability of twenty-first century technology to create the ideal home, for less than what a new television would cost.
The suggestions discussed above are merely a few of the thousands of possibilities available. Look through some of the articles on this site and you will find dozens of other good suggestions for the prospective home improvement project.
I’m seeing quite a few posts about home-improvements on PF blogsites recently and this is another useful one. I especially like the idea of improving security systems since technology is so advanced, and becoming increasingly affordable. I’d imagine quite a few home owners still deem it an unforeseeable expense, though, depending on the crime rate in their area.
Going through a round of improvements here as well.
A good security system is certainly handy, especially since it typically means a reduction in your home insurance if you have any significant valuables stored at home. But paying the security service every month sure gets tiresome after a while.