Everything you need to know about home improvement.

 The fixtures and fittings in your home become obsolete as the years go by. With growing family requirements and changes in technology, the existing fixtures and fittings become inadequate to meet your current needs. Besides, continuous use can also result in the fittings wearing off fast. Thus, there is a need to replace the fixtures and fittings in the bathroom as the years go by. This is where the concept of home improvement gains significance.

What is Home Improvement?

Home improvement involves making changes to your home to accommodate the changing requirements. It also involves renovating the house to keep up with the latest trends and fashion.

Home improvement can involve structural changes to the house where a new wall or a room is added to the existing facilities. It can also involve making additional storage space to meet the growing requirements of the family. Thus, home improvement involves a whole lot of activities. The major activities include maintenance, repair, construction, and renovation.

The main purpose of home improvement is to add to the functionality of the home. Thus, if you are planning to sell your house or want to provide a fresh and new look, home improvement is highly essential.   

What Are the Different Types of Home Improvement?

Depending on the purpose of the improvement, home improvement can be of different types.

The main purpose of design improvement is to enhance the overall beauty and ambience of the home and provide a fresh look. Design improvement is normally done with the help of professionals like interior designers. The most common design improvement work includes the following.

- Painting: This involves painting the interior and exterior of the home, including textured painting, wallpapering, and cladding.

- Flooring: This involves changing the room's flooring, like carpet, tiles, wood panels etc.

- Openings: Opening refers to the doors and windows of the house. This type of improvement involves changing the doors and windows of the house, like doors with beautiful carving work or installing the latest model windows. 

- Kitchen remodels: This includes fixing new kitchen backsplash and countertops to beautify the kitchen's look. Besides, going for the latest in kitchen design, like setting up a hob, or an overhead air vent, can also be considered a part of design improvement.

- Bathtub remodels: This includes setting up a new bathtub and shower enclosure or fixing new faucets and sinks in the bathroom.

- Exterior beautification: Landscaping the exterior of the house and installing new outdoor furniture are part of exterior beautification. Besides, the complete replacement of the vinyl siding on the exterior of the home also is a part of exterior beautification.

These are improvements done to enhance the overall comfort level of the house. Besides enhancing comfort, this type of modification can also enhance the overall look of the house. The most commonly undertaken comfort improvement includes

- Setting-up new fittings or replacing existing fittings that can improve the comfort of the home. This includes fittings like ventilation, heating system, and air conditioner.

- Installing fittings in the kitchen that can make your work easy, like installing new cabinets and new fittings like a pantry or corner space. Setting-up new drawers and shelves in the bedroom wardrobe.

- Constructing a sidewalk on the exterior of the house.

- Installing permanent garden furniture in the garden.

Space can be a constraint in most houses. Space improvement includes making necessary changes inside the home to increase the overall space. Space improvement includes. - Going for a new room in the house or an additional floor. - Converting a room into another one. E.g. garage into an out-house.  - Demolishing a wall and combining two rooms.  Space improvement can be an expensive affair as it involves making major changes to the house. Thus, you should consider your budget before going for space improvement.

Maintenance includes maintaining the existing fixtures and fittings in the house, like painting the doors and windows, polishing the kitchen countertop etc. Repair involves restoring the fixtures and fittings that are not functioning, like fixing a broken door hinge, replacing a broken tile etc. Maintenance and repair ensure continuous functioning without any breakdown. The common maintenance and repair work undertaken in a home includes

- Replacing the electrical wire and repairing the socket that is not functioning properly.

- Changing faucets that are leaking and clearing clogged drains.

- Replacing the broken floor tiles and installing a new one.

- Repairing a garbage disposal system.

- Maintenance of all electrical and electronic items in the house.

Safety improvement is meant to improve the overall safety of the house. This includes

- Improving the fire system, including the fire alarm and sprinkler.

- Setting-up home safety gadgets like smart locks and security cameras.

- Constructing a fence around the house as protection.

- Making the house senior citizen friendly by installing necessary rods and gadgets.

There are three ways you can undertake home improvement works.

Hire a professional
If the home improvement involves some major work, it is best to seek the help of a professional. E.g. if you want to construct an additional room, you should seek the help of an architect. If the work involves changing the ambience of the room, you should get the professional help of an interior designer. A lot of money is involved when you seek the help of a professional.

Hire a tradesman
In case of smaller work like maintenance and repair, you can seek the help of a tradesman. Plumbers, electricians and carpenters are examples of tradesmen who are trained to do their particular job. But if the work involves several such small tasks, it is best to hire a general contractor. The main advantage of hiring a general contractor is that they have contact with several tradesmen and coordinate with them to get the job done. There are also online sites and apps that provide the service of handymen.

Do-it-yourself (DIY)

If you like doing work on your own, you can undertake DIY projects. You can hire the necessary equipment for DIY projects or purchase them from retail stores. Youtube videos come in handy in completing DIY home improvement projects.

Home improvement is highly essential to renovate the home and keep it trendy. It can not only enhance the overall look and functionality of the home but also increase its resale value. Thus, if you have plans to sell your home, undertaking home improvement projects is highly essential.