It might not seem like it, but winter will be here and then over before you know it. After winter comes spring and many homeowners will begin their spring renovation and spring cleaning projects. The winter weather months are the perfect time to begin preparing for these spring projects. You are unable to get outdoors and begin work on your house, so preparing for it is the next best thing. These household tips will ensure that you are ready come spring.
Make a list of all planned spring projects
Spring seems to go by very quickly. One minute you are enjoying the warmer weather, planning your spring to do list, and the next, summer has already begun. Making a list now will ensure that you get to all of those intended spring projects. You can also prioritize your list, making sure that you get to the most important projects. Over the winter months, you might even find that your list changes. For example, if you experience a winter with increased snow falls, you might move roofing repairs up your list.
Schedule all contractors well ahead of time
Because so many homeowners wait until the spring to complete housing projects, you will also find that many of the local contractors are busiest during the spring months. If you require roofing contractors, for example, you could be forced to wait until the beginning or even end of summer. If you make your contractor appointments now, you can ensure that you are the first to receive the contracting services and that all of your spring projects get completed.
Put aside money for the home improvements
Home renovations and home remodels can get very pricey. Depending on the type of spring projects you plan to complete, you could spend thousands of dollars out of pocket. Because you are not spending as much on housing renovations during the winter, it can be useful to take that extra money and put it aside. By the time spring comes back around, you will have a good fund started to help you with the roofing or new home windows costs. According to Houzz, four out of five homeowners who renovated in 2014 made upgrades to the main home structure (80%) and three in five made upgrades to their outdoor spaces or structures (62%). These are some of the most extensive of housing projects and are likely to cost the most. Other expensive housing projects include roofing repairs and new window installation.
Pay attention to your housing utility bills
There might not be much you can do to improve your housing utility bills now, but you can hold onto those heating bills. When spring comes, make necessary changes to improve your heating efficiency. For example, windows that are drafty and let air escape can increase your energy bills by 10 to 25%. Holding onto those bills can help you evaluate the changes you made and how they affect your heating costs for the next winter. Most people do not have access to their previous year?s heating bills and are unable to do these comparisons.
Do you research
When spring comes, you will be ready to jump into your spring to do list. Doing extra research seem time consuming and pointless to you. However, doing the proper amount of research before beginning a new project can save you a lot of money. It can also prevent you from having to use highly expensive contractors. On average, homeowners will spend between 1 and 4% of a home?s value annually on maintenance and repairs, which tend to increase as the house ages. For a $200,000 home, that adds up to at least $2,000 in repairs every year. That cost, however, can increase significantly if you are regularly calling out a professional contractor to make repairs or renovations.
There is not much you can do to renovate your house during the winter months. However, you can begin to prepare for spring renovations. Create a list, schedule your contractor’s service appointments, and do your research. Also, putting aside funding now will help you with the high costs of housing repairs.