The First Jobs to Tackle When Renovating a Run Down Home

If you’re lucky, every home you move into will be in pristine condition. Everything will be in tip-top shape, and with plenty of care, you can keep it that way for a long time. But a lot of people aren’t so lucky. You might have to move into a less than perfect home because you can’t afford anything else. However, you might also choose to begin with a property that’s rough around the edges so you can do it up. It can save you a lot of money, especially if you’re planning to do some of the improvements yourself. It can be difficult to know where to start, though. When there’s a lot to do, prioritising all the tasks isn’t easy. We completly renovated our whole house a few years ago and it was hard work, but worth it.

Use this guide to take care of some of the most important elements first.

~ Roof Repairs and Replacement

Taking care of the exterior and structure of your home will always be the most important thing. You don’t want everything to start falling around your ears because you didn’t notice the warning signs. The roof over your head should be one of your primary concerns. Any damage could let water get in, causes drafts and mould and even affect the structure of the house. Roof work is one of the things you don’t want to do yourself. Getting up on the roof is dangerous, so the most you should do is survey it from the ground. You can also get onto a ladder to clear out your gutters. If you notice any damage either inside or outside, you need someone to repair it. You can find residential roofers at FergusonRoofing.com/residential-roofing/. They can explain your options and make sure you can get things fixed as soon as possible.

~ Doors and Windows

After the roof, you should take a look at your doors and windows. If they’re letting in drafts or not insulating your home properly, you’ll end up paying a lot more for energy. They also need to be secure to help protect your home and your family. New windows and doors can instantly make your home look a lot better, even if it still needs a lot of work inside. It’s worth it to pay more for extra stylish ones that will last you a long time. If you don’t want to replace everything, you can also do some repairs and give it all a paint job. As well as thinking about your exterior doors, you might also want to give some thought to your doors inside.

~ Attics and Basements

Problems in the attic or basement of your home can have an effect on the rest of the property. Dealing with them as soon as you can is a good idea. Some issues in the attic or loft will be fixed by repairing the roof. Drafts or leaks could be caused by holes or broken shingles outside. You should also ensure that there’s plenty of insulation in the roof to keep the house warm. You could end up losing a lot of heat through the attic if you’re not careful. Down in the basement, you might need to look at basement waterproofing in Davenport or similar in your area, as damp can often be a problem. Waterproofing will stop water from seeping into the basement thus preventing dampness and mold from growing. You can also look into having the space damp-proofed to protect it. But you might have to deal with existing damp problems first.

~ Dealing with Damp

The basement isn’t the only place where you can find damp around the house. You might discover it in a few places, so it’s always a good idea to be on the lookout for it. It can be caused by a number of issues, including inadequate ventilation. Sometimes you can deal with it yourself if the problem isn’t too bad. However, often you will need to call in a contractor to help you. If you rent your home, it’s important to get your landlord to deal with it. If you buy a home knowing that there is a problem with damp, make sure the final price reflects that.

~ Heating the Home

Making sure you have enough heat in your home should be your next mission. Taking care of the exterior of the house and insulation will help to keep the heat in. But now you need to choose how you’re going to create the heat in the first place. There are lots of ways you can keep your home warm. You need to consider your energy options, as well as whether you want radiators, underfloor heating or something else. When it comes to your energy options, you might go for a standard gas boiler. However, you might be looking for something greener. Many people consider solar power, a wood burner, a ground pump, or another option. Explore what’s available to you to decide what you like best.

~ Floors

You home’s floors are more important than you might think. A lot of homes still have wall to wall carpets, which many people can’t stand. If you’ve moved into a carpeted home, you don’t have to put up with them. Taking them out and choosing something else can make you a lot happier with your property. You have lots of options to choose from if you want hard floors. You could have wood, bamboo, granite, concrete, vinyl, and more. Don’t worry about the floor being too cold without carpets. You can put rugs down to keep things warmer, and even install underfloor heating. Rugs are much easier than carpets to care for because you can pick them up and wash them.

~ Walls

After the floors, you can deal with the walls. Damp is probably the biggest issue you will face, but there could be other problems to deal with too. Making any repairs is the most important thing to do before you start decorating. You might want to replaster or even strip the wall back to bare brick. Once you’ve dealt with the surface of the walls, you can consider whether you want to paint or put up wallpaper.

Renovating your home can mean a lot of work, but it can save you money over buying something brand new. Make a list of all the jobs you need to do so that you can prioritise it all.

Rebecca x

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