Spring is a time when everything is fresh and new. The season often elicits the desire to spruce up your home and do a few renovations. Most homeowners have more potential projects than they have time to tackle. The list can seem overwhelming. Knowing what others are doing helps narrow the options.
The Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University recently released its Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity (LIRA) report for 2022. LIRA predicted continued robust remodeling market gains of up to 19.7% through the third quarter of 2022.
Growth in construction and remodeling paired with rising inflation and costs means you may have to pick and choose which projects you can afford at one time. With that in mind, you want affordable projects with the best return on investment (ROI) possible. Here are our top picks to get you started.
Here at GreatBuildz, a free service that connects homeowners in Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura, and San Diego Counties with reliable contractors, we speak to homeowners every day about planning their desired remodel to ensure a strong return on investment – here are some ideas & tips to get you started.
Best Springtime Renovations of 2023
1. Fresh Paint
People often dig into spring cleaning in the early part of the season. What better way to freshen up a few rooms than by adding a fresh coat of paint? While you don’t need to do this every spring, you can divide your house into zones and repaint a different room each year.
Stick with lighter colors to make rooms look bigger. Bright colors add some fun to otherwise boring decor.
The cost of paint varies, depending on the brand and quality you choose. A gallon of Behr Premium Plus in satin runs approximately $31.98 at California Home Depots. Most medium-sized rooms take at least 2 gallons of paint to complete two coats. You’ll also have the cost of any tarps, painting tape, rollers, and brushes. The price will vary depending on where you buy your paint if it’s on sale, and how many square feet you’re covering.
ROI: If you’re planning to sell your home soon, you might not see an immediate ROI from painting, but your house may sell faster and seem more appealing to buyers.
2. Clean Energy Sources
An excellent spring home renovation takes advantage of clean energy with projects such as installing solar panels. The U.S. Energy Information Administration says solar and wind will comprise 40% of the energy generated in the United States by 2050. Homeowners can jump on board and switch now.
The average cost for solar installation is about $16,000 in California. Prices vary based on your location and federal and local clean energy credits. It takes several years to pay off solar, so if you don’t plan to stay in your home, it might not be worth the investment.
ROI: The system will pay for itself in eight to 10 years. Any additional savings is profit.
3. Backyard Deck
Warmer weather makes some people want to spend more time outdoors. A renovated back patio area extends your usable living space. The cost to build a deck will vary widely depending on several factors.
For example, do you want treated lumber or a composite material? The cost of wood keeps going up in most areas of the United States, so the price today may not apply tomorrow. People also build different size decks. Some have stairs, while others have special features that cost more to integrate.
ROI: The National Association of Realtors (NAR) conducted a remodeling impact report about outdoor features and found a new deck can have an 80% return on investment.
4. Kitchen Refresh
The kitchen is one of the top rooms to renovate if you’re thinking about selling your home in the near future. People often decide on whether or not they want to buy a house based almost exclusively on their love or hate of this one room.
Full kitchen renovations can run in the tens of thousands of dollars. If you don’t necessarily need a full kitchen remodel, you can do several inexpensive things to improve the look and functionality of your kitchen.
Paint the cabinets or have them refaced. Add new cabinet pulls or a backsplash. You can also make changes such as new appliances, fresh countertops, or window treatments.
A coat of paint also brightens things up without costing a lot of money. Put some extra attention to reducing clutter and brightening things up to see the highest ROI possible.
ROI: This varies greatly depending on the quality of materials you renovate with and how extensive the renovations are, but it can make your home more desirable to buyers.
5. Window Replacement
You might lose quite a bit of heating and cooling through the windows if you live in an older home. According to the U.S. government, replacing your windows with Energy Star-rated ones saves an average of 12% and reduces greenhouse emissions.
Replacing all the windows in your home can run upward of $20,000 to $30,000. However, you can also replace one side of the house at a time or divide the replacement in half.
ROI: Energy Star estimates most homeowners save around $101 to $583 per year and up to 6,205 pounds of CO2 emission.
6. New Floors
Are your floors dirty and dingy? Installing new wood or vinyl floors gives your home an updated look and a fresh appearance. There are options for nearly any budget, and you can do one room at a time or your entire house.
The cost of floors varies. Your best bet is to visit your local hardware store or flooring center to see what they have in stock. Find a style you like within your price range and choose to have them installed or do the sweat equity yourself to save money.
You may be able to refinish or paint rather than buy all new dependinonon the type of flooring you currently have. Wood floors can be sanded, stained, and sealed. Vinyl flooring can be painted and sealed.
ROI: New floors improve the appearance of your home and can help with resale value.
7. Add Little Touches
Adding in little touches refreshes your home decor for spring without taking too much time or money to implement. Some new, bright throw pillows on the couch or a wall hanging can completely change the feel of a room.
You can make the changes environmentally friendly by repurposing unused things or picking ucond-hand decor.
Make a List
You may have more potential projects than you have time or funds. Make a list of the updates you’d like to do and check some of them off this spring. Any small improvement makes a big difference in the value and comfort of your home.
When it comes to planning renovations for your home, you shouldn’t have to go it alone – GreatBuildz can help simplify your renovation experience.
GreatBuildz is a free service that connects homeowners in Los Angeles, Orange County, Ventura or San Diego with reliable, thoroughly screened general contractors and provides project support from start to finish. Call now (818.317.3567) to chat with a real person about your next remodel project or visit our website for more information: www.greatbuildz.com
Author:
Rose Morrison is a home & construction writer from Pittsburgh, PA. She’s the managing editor of Renovated, a web magazine for the real estate industry. She’s most interested in sharing home projects and inspiration for the most novice of DIY-ers, values she developed growing up in a family of contractors.
