Your home is your sanctuary. It is a shelter, that many feel lucky to have. It is where you make memories with your family. This place is where you spend most days. Whether you’ve had a good day or a bad one, your home is the constant. Homeowners take pride in their living space. While taking a drive through your hometown, you might ride past several blighted properties and homes in disarray. While it’s important not to judge, the thought of it may be concerning to some. They may fear their homes ending up like that if they don’t address home repair issues when they arise. Unfortunately, many families are struggling financially. That malfunctioning garage door may have to wait because they just don’t have the money. While you can afford to wait on some home repairs, before long they can pile up. Before you know it, your home is in constant need of repairs and you are overwhelmed. There is, however, hope for the cause. You don’t need to break the bank to have a nice home. There are several cheap home updates that will have your residence looking great, but won’t cost you much. There are many benefits to updating your home. Even a simple kitchen remodel could increase your home’s return on investment of over 90%.
Garage doors
Having a garage attached to your home is a great convenience. Drivers do not have to worry about finding a parking spot and their car is safe from the elements after a storm. Not having to wipe off snow in the morning can save a lot of time on your way to work in the morning. Your car is less susceptible to theft when its inside the garage at night. Another great advantage of garages is the extra storage space. Garages come equipped with a overhead garage door. They are most often mechanical and are operated by a small device that you can keep in your vehicle. Unfortunately, like any mechanized device, your garage door can malfunction. A malfunctioning garage door could put you into a precarious position. It is not only an annoyance, but it can also leave you vulnerable to a break-in or your garage can turn into a new home for the neighborhood critters. If you find yourself in this position, it is important to address it as soon as possible. You do have several cheap home updates that you can do to your garage door.
Garage door installation and repair could be an expensive process for the homeowner. There are some cheap home updates in this area that will help save you money. Hiring professional installers can be pretty costly for a family. One such way that homeowners have saved money is by doing house repair projects themselves. While some projects should only be left to the professionals, others can be accomplished with the right amount of research. You can scour the internet for video tutorials with step-by-step instructions. When viewing these videos, make sure to have a critical eye. Anyone can post videos online, so you might not receive reliable information. Watch several videos so you can compare and contrast the different methods. For repair projects, first identify the problem. If the opener is malfunctioning, it could be as simple as changing the batteries. If the door is struggling to close, make sure to check the sensor. The placement of the sensor might be off or there might be items blocking it. You don’t want to hire a repair person just to have them tell you to move a bucket out of the way.
Roof repairs
”As long as I have a roof over my head,” is an oft-repeated phrase used to express gratitude for the gifts in life. What happens if the roof over your head isn’t so great? Roofs go through years of wear and tear. Rain, snow, sleet, and hail can give the roof a good pounding. While roofs are incredibly strong, they can only hold up for so long. Shingles often need to be replaced. This is a project that cannot be put off. A damaged roof is vulnerable to leaks when it rains. A leaky roof can severely damage your ceiling and walls. With water throughout the house, mold and mildew will develop. Unlike the garage door, doing a roof repair can be a trickier process. Climbing up on the roof can put you in a dangerous situation if you are inexperienced. A professional roofing company has workers that are trained to handle these situations. When it comes to roofing, you do have a number of cheap home updates that you can use.
If you’re looking for some cheap home updates for your roof, there are some options for you to consider. You can work with the roofing company to get the best rates. Since roofing is an outdoor project, roofers are busiest during the spring and summer. Consider scheduling your repairs during the off-time of the winter. Since it is a slow time for the company, they can offer a cheaper rate to you. Another option is an overlay of shingles. Much of the cost derives from labor. If workers lay new shingles on top of existing ones, it will cut into the time it takes for shingle removal. This will cut down on labor costs and save you money.
Plumbing repairs
Indoor plumbing is another essential component of daily living. Plumbing issues can prove to be quite costly for homeowners. Since we use plumbing every day, these repairs likely cannot be put off until a more opportune time. Despite the desperate nature of the situation, repairs do not have to cost you an arm and a leg. There are many cheap home updates you can take advantage of.
A great way to save money on plumbing is the DIY method. There are numerous minor plumbing issues such as, clogged sinks, and toilets that can be fixed rather easily. Major issues like pipe fittings and hot water heater repairs should be left to the professionals, but a leaky faucet can be remedied yourself. Another cost-saving plumbing method is to prevent the issues from even happenings. Many household issues arise because they went ignored for too long. If you research plumbing and do regular checkups, you can snip the problems in the bud. Regular checkups will help identify the problems before they snowball into a major issue.
Sliding glass door repairs
Your doors are the gateway to the outside world and a welcoming sign for visitors. Doors are some of the most important parts of your home. Among the most popular door styles are the sliding glass door systems. They are most often used as a back door, out on to a deck. They provide security while still allowing you to look out at the view and they let the sunlight shine through. Proper maintenance of your sliding glass door is vital for the security of your home. When your door is compromised, you are left vulnerable for break-ins. Any repairs that you might need will have to be addressed immediately. This could be a tricky situation if you are in a precarious financial situation at the moment. The best way to save on repairs is to prevent the need for them in the first place.
Routine maintenance of your sliding glass door system will prevent the need for repairs later on. The door should always be aligned with the track. Make sure that the track is frequently cleaned to prevent jamming. To make sure that the door glides smoothly, add some kind of lubricant such as, WD40 or grease. Most sliding glass doors are manually operated. Businesses, nursing homes, and hospitals feature automatic doors. Automatic doors are operated by sensors. The key to their maintenance is to take care of the sensor. Frequent checkups should highlight any issues and you should make sure that it is free from any obstructions. Routine maintenance is a great preventative measure to keep your sliding glass door system working properly. These measures are cheap home updates that cost little to nothing.
Recycling and repurposing
Recycling is not just limited to cans, bottles, and newspapers. Before tossing something in the trash, ask yourself whether it can be reused in another purpose. While you should not be a hoarder, supplies, and materials from one project can be used in a future project. Leftover pieces of wood, carpeting, wire, metal, and other materials can come in handy. Instead of going out to purchase new materials for every endeavor, you can reuse the leftovers. It’s not just simply saving the extra 2×4’s because you overbought for your last project. You can find that extra wood anywhere if you look hard enough. Old doors, pieces of furniture, and tables can be reused and repurposed into new items. Impress your guests when you point out that the garden box you made was once a closet door. You don’t have to save your own leftovers. Spread the word to friends and family. You can take that “junk,” off their hands. While you may not have a use for every last leftover, you will be amazed by what you can build with them. This is not just a new cheap home update. It gives you a chance to flex your ingenuity and creativity. Reusing and recycling materials is also great for the environment. The material is often one of the most expensive parts of home repair. By using leftover materials, the savings you will incur will be significant.
Recruiting laborers
The DIY method will help you save on the costs of labor. Some projects, however, are difficult to complete alone. If you work full time, you might only have the weekend to work on the repairs. Life happens and sometimes unexpected obstacles can pop up. After a while, that project, that could’ve been completed in a day or two, has now taken up weeks of your time. That is why recruiting a team of helpers is especially important. With enough helpers, you can finish the project in a matter of hours.
Friends and family may be willing to volunteer or work for simply pizza or beer. When using friends and family as helpers, make sure that they are qualified and competent workers. Just because someone is willing to lend a hand does not mean that they should. An incompetent helper can do more harm than good. Once you’ve finalized your team, you can divvy out the tasks by their strengths and weaknesses. Your less experienced helpers can be assigned simpler tasks like carrying and organizing materials. Another cost-effective solution is to recruit a local Scout troop or youth organization that may be willing to help out for community service hours. For families that are struggling financially, consider contacting a charitable organization for help. Recruiting non-professional workers are great cheap home updates that you can take advantage of.
Finding tools
Every good handyman needs a good stockpile of tools. Some tools can be rather costly. There are several options that you can utilize to find tools that won’t set you back too much. Used tools can still be highly effective but come at a much cheaper cost. Tools are major sellers at yard sales and flea markets. Look in your local newspaper and scour social media for yard sale advertisements. Many of them include a list of what types of items are being sold so look out for tools among the lists. You can also look on Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and the newspaper for people listing used tools for sale.
Another simple solution for finding tools is to just borrow them. Ask your neighbors to borrow that specific tool that you need. You can even work out an exchange program. Things should work out well as long as you return them in a convenient timeframe. There are some types of repairs that require a specialized tool, that you might not have readily available. It would be a waste of money to purchase that specialized tool when there’s a good chance you will never have to use it again. In this scenario, visit a tool and equipment rental store or service. Most tools are built to last and can withstand years of wear and tear. Just because something is used does not mean that it has lost its effectiveness. Working with used tools are great cheap home updates that will help you save.
Making your home look nice and keeping your family safe does not have to cost you a pretty penny. There are several key steps that you could take that will help you reform your home at a reasonable rate. Consider some of these cheap home updates for your next home improvement projects and repairs.
