If you’ve lived in your home for a while, several things have likely gone unnoticed. Things like faded paint and chipped tile have started to crop up. You’ve started to notice areas where your home could be improved, and you want to know how to increase your home’s value. Here are several ideas for simple projects that can add real value to your home.

1. Build a Wooden Deck

Homes are made to be lived in, but there’s no denying the value of outdoor living. A patio remodel, or deck could be just what you need to spruce up your house to create a relaxing space. Decks also allow people to enjoy the nature around them – perfect for people with a big yard.

So, how much extra value can a deck add? Adding a deck to your home can have a significant return on investment (ROI) of up to 102%. How much the wooden deck costs depends on the material you use and whether you do the job yourself or not. Either way, you’ll have extra living space for your home and more value when selling time comes.

2. Refresh Your Landscaping

First impressions matter when selling your home. You want your buyers to have the best experience when they see your house, meaning you want to have good landscaping. Landscaping is one of the best home improvements you can make, potentially adding thousands of dollars to your property value.

How much value landscaping adds ranges between 5.5% to 12.7% depending on how much your home was originally worth and the work you do. This could mean that a home worth $300,000 gains an extra $16,500 to $38,100 in added value. Landscaping is also a safe investment. Interior decoration trends change all the time, but everyone will always love beautiful curb appeal.

3. Set up a Firepit

A firepit offers a stylish twist to the campfire. Create an outdoor oasis in your backyard with this attractive feature. Making a firepit a part of your outdoor kitchen installation or patio remodel can also add a lot of value to your property. A gas firepit around 10-foot in diameter and made from natural stone will collect an average ROI of 67%.

Adding a fire pit to your property also makes it more likely to sell. Firepits are among the most valued and sought-after features right now. Firepits improve the marketability of your home – even if you live in a hot climate. There’s just something about them that’s really appealing.

4. Install a Pool

Having a pool in your yard is something every homeowner dreams of, especially those in hot climates. Your pool can offer hours of entertainment once it is up and running. The problem is that installing a pool is expensive. Even pool refinishing or a pool remodel can cost thousands of dollars. That’s to say nothing of the continued costs of pool maintenance. Before starting, you want to know that the investment will be worth it.

The good news is that having a pool will definitely increase your home resale value. The problem is that it’s hard to quantify how much value it will add. Several factors go into determining that number, such as the location of the property and whether people around you have pools or not. It’s worth talking to an expert to see if it would be worth your time to invest in a pool.

5. Upgrade the Facade of Your Home

We’ve all been told never to judge a book by its cover, but we know that everyone does it – especially when it comes to buying homes. How a property looks on the outside is a critical determining factor to whether people want to see the inside or not. That’s why you want to improve the facade of your home and make it look more appealing.

One way to do that would be to use natural stone or stone veneer accents. Manufactured stone veneer works well with just about any home style. The great thing about using veneers is that it is less expensive and offers a great return on investment. You could cover up to 300-square feet of the bottom third of your home for less than $10k and pull in up to 96% of that back when you sell. Using a veneer and improving the look of your home also helps draw attention to your house, so it competes better with other homes for sale near you.

6. Design an Outdoor Kitchen

An outdoor kitchen installation makes entertaining guests easier and more fun. Outdoor kitchens look great, and guests are sure to love them. Not to mention the potential increase to the property value they offer as well. If you’re looking for a great custom outdoor kitchen, then an outdoor kitchen set can give you and your family something you can enjoy that continues to add value to your property as time goes by.

It can be challenging to put an exact dollar value on how much an outdoor kitchen installation can increase the value of your home. There are several different configurations available. What appliances are you going to have? Do you want a bar station? What storage do you want? There are also plenty of ways to build your kitchen, and they all appeal in different ways. These options also change how much the kitchen would cost in the first place, which impacts total ROI.

Some estimates say you’ll see an ROI of around 55% from an outdoor kitchen. Other experts suggest it may be possible to get up to 200% ROI depending on what a buyer is willing to pay for. Think about the project carefully and, if you aren’t planning on moving just yet, focus on what you want out of an outdoor kitchen.

7. Install Patio Pavers

The only thing better than improving your property value is also enhancing your enjoyment of your house along the way. Patio pavers can help you do just that. These pavers make a dull backyard space and create the ultimate spot for relaxing, cooking, and entertaining.

Not only will having a patio, whether it be made from brick, concrete, clay, natural stone, stone veneer, travertine, or marble, look good, but it adds value to your home as well. Patios are among the top ten features people look for in a home. Over half of home-buyers say they are willing to pay a premium to get a house with a patio.

8. Fix Up Your Driveway

Last but not least, we’re back at curb appeal. If your driveway has seen better days, then driveway pavers could be the answer. These are similar to patio pavers but are designed for your driveway. Having a place to park your car is not only good for you but also makes your home more appealing to potential buyers. We recommend creating a sense of uniformity by using the same material for both your patio pavers and driveway pavers.

Increase Your Home’s Value

These ideas are all great ways to give your house a new look and feel – and make some extra money at sale time. Why not increase your home’s value? Some of these projects make for an excellent DIY project, or you can call in the experts to handle things for you.

Looking for a certified licensed general contractor in south Florida? Check out US Brick and Block!