More Home Improvement Ideas Part 2

Photo by M&W Studios from Pexels

As we have seen from our articles over the last 3 months there are numerous ideas that can quickly transform your home into the home of your dreams - or certainly make your current house more liveable and appealing while adding more value. Most of the ideas can be created at a modest cost and with little time. They also don't disrupt the household as a major renovation would. Our articles and tips included: Simple home improvement tips, How to make your home feel bigger, creating more storage Simple Ways to Improve Your House Part 1 - Creating More Space and 7 Creative Storage Ideas for Your Home and ​Creating more space in your home with extra storage. We also discussed Improving your garden adds value and enjoyment to your home. Then our previous article More home improvement ideas

In this article we discuss a few more ideas which could easily transform your home.

Change carpets and refresh your home

Changing carpets can create a new refreshed look. Always ensure the old underlay is removed, all dirt is cleaned and that any mould is treated before the new carpet is installed. Use a good quality underlay which will help protect the new carpet, assist with insulation and provide the carpet with a more luxurious feel.

Photo by Pavel Danilyuk from Pexels

"Select colours that are light, but not too light that they’ll show all the dirt"

​Select colours that are light, but not too light that they’ll show all the dirt. Look for carpets that can be easily cleaned and that are hard wearing. Avoid heavily patterned carpets.

Even just purchasing a new large mat can transform a dull or damaged floor. It might not be necessary to take out those floor tiles you don't like, just hide most of them beneath a large rug.
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In cooler areas you could consider installing underfloor heating beneath the carpet. Always get a professional installer.

​Curtains, blinds and shutters

New curtains, blinds or shutters can change a room. Lighter colours can brighten rooms. New window treatments can help insulate the room from temperatures outside and even reduce noise. Choosing Window Coverings for Your Home

Tired of hearing the neighbours or traffic why not do some soundproofing 

Some houses can be noisy which could be because of:

• Noise from the outside, such as traffic, aeroplanes or the neighbours. Noise can be reduced by fitting double glazing to windows. Placing insulation in the ceiling void. Installing window treatments such as heavy curtains. Planting shrubs and trees in the garden to absorb noise. Even grass instead of paving helps absorb some noise and prevents noise reverberating. Constructing perimeter walls and wooden fences, or even installing glass panels to deflect noise.
• Noise from other rooms in the house. This could be through walls and/or the ceiling. This can be reduced by installing additional insulation in the ceiling. (Always take care that downlights in ceilings are adequately protected so that they don’t set the insulation on fire.) Investigating whether insulation can be pumped into wall cavities. Adding an extra skin onto the dividing walls with insulation between it and the existing wall. Building in baffle walls in the ceiling between the rooms. Introducing carpets in the rooms to deaden sound.
• Noise from the activities on the floor above. These can be reduced by installing carpets to the floor above to deaden footsteps. Installing a suspended insulated ceiling to the rooms impacted by noise from above

Maintenance – fixing what’s broken

"A lack of maintenance leads to further problems and spoils our enjoyment of the home"

​Regular maintenance is essential in every home. Unfortunately the lack of maintenance leads to further problems and spoils our enjoyment of the home. Often people look to move from their homes for silly reasons that can easily be fixed. So maintenance could include:

• Fixing doors and windows that jam.
• Repainting the house.
• Cleaning and servicing air-conditioning units so that they’re more effective.
• Repairing leaks.
• Repairing broken lights and appliances.
• Replacing cracked and broken tiles.
• Repairing damaged insect screens.

Conclusion

Hopefully we have inspired you to make changes to your home that will make your house more enjoyable for you and your family.

Happy home improvement. We look forward to hearing your stories of successful changes and seeing before and after pictures.

​Take care and work safely.
​#homeimprovementtips #homeimprovement #homereno #homeremodel 

​This is an extract from the author's book  'An Introduction to Building and Renovating Houses: Volume 2 - Finding Your Ideal Property and Designing Your Dream Home' 
​© 2022 This article is not to be reproduced for commercial purposes without written permission from the author.

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"Great for those that DIY. Very helpful in home renovations!" said a Reader on Amazon.com

​Want to learn more about designing, renovating and building houses?

​Paul Netscher has written 2 easy to read books 'An Introduction to Building and Renovating Houses - Volumes 1 and 2'. An Introduction to Building and Renovating Houses Volume 1 deals with Hiring Contractors, Managing Construction and Finishing Your Home.  and Designing your ideal home Volume 2 deals with Finding Your Ideal Property and Designing Your Dream Home. 
​("Great for those that DIY. Very helpful in home renovations!" said a Reader on Amazon.com 5*****)
These books are available from Amazon and other online bookstores in paper and ebook.

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