How To Rescue Your Home From A Time Warp

A home that is stuck in a time warp can be a real eye sore. It may cause you to feel embarrassed about bringing friends and family to the house for dinner. Your children may feel as equally ashamed as you are about bringing their friends to a house that seems a bit run down. Trying to sell a home that is stuck in a time warp can be even more frustrating. Potential buyers may not see the home’s potential because all they can see is the tile falling off the bathroom wall. Fear not, my friends, for kicking your home into the twenty first century doesn’t have to be as difficult as it may sound. With a little bit of planning and some elbow grease, you can update your house one room at a time at your own pace. Here are some questions to ask yourself first before taking the plunge.

How much money do you have to spend?

Creating a budget for your home improvement projects is important. You don’t want to gut your entire house only to figure out that you only have enough money left to retile your bathroom. This is why planning is key to successfully updating your home. What are your priorities? Can you decide to live with the amber yellow refrigerator for a little while longer, but can’t stand taking a shower in that permanently stained tub? Figure out the costs of removing the old tub, purchasing a new one, and the labor involved in installing it. Do you have enough money for a custom design or do you need to choose something out of a catalogue? These are all things that will affect your overall budget for your home updates.

Are you skilled enough to do it yourself?

Many hardware stores are great at teaching consumers the basic skills in home repair. However, it is important not to get in over your head. Assess whether or not you have the time and the interest in learning new skills that are sure to add value to your home. Do you have what it takes to install a straight metal stair, or is installing a new backsplash behind your stovetop more your speed?  Remember there is no shame in admitting that you would rather have a skilled contractor come in and do the work for you. As a matter of facts, doing a job like installing a straight metal stair would be better left to a professional because of the safety concerns involved.

How much time do you have to devote to your project?

Are you planning to hold a party for your parents’ wedding anniversary in your home in six weeks? Then you may want to hire contractors that you know can do the job quickly and efficiently. You can ask your neighbors for recommendations based on who was able to stick to a reasonable timeline. Contractors are notorious for underestimating the time it takes to finish a job, so the more time you can give them, the less stress there will be on you to have the entire house absolutely perfect before your big event.