Home improvement is a wide range of projects that can improve the interior and exterior of a house. It can include remodeling or adding rooms, as well as maintenance work like painting, refinishing floors and installing new appliances. There are also a number of DIY home improvement projects that can save homeowners money. For example, the addition of a solar panel can help reduce energy costs.
The categories of home improvement that are surging the most, Anderson says, have to do with sprucing up the outside of a property: deck construction is up 275% and fence construction is up 144%. He says that’s likely due to rock-bottom interest rates and a desire to get more value out of one’s biggest asset.
While it’s important to remember that not all home improvements add resale value, it’s equally vital for homeowners to make wise decisions when it comes to the projects they undertake. That means not splurging on unique or lavish light fixtures, for instance, that may turn off potential buyers. Or putting in a new bathroom that is entirely customized to the owner’s tastes, rather than a more universal layout.
And when in doubt, consult a real estate agent to see what renovations are most likely to pay off. For example, according to Remodeling Magazine, replacing an entry door or a garage door and re-siding a home will net 75 percent and 98 percent ROI, respectively, while a major kitchen remodel only brings about 60 percent ROI.