4 Quick Fall Home Improvements

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The autumn season is already underway- crisp mornings, cool nights, and leaves slowly beginning to change color. We at JK Construction Group tackle a number of diverse projects throughout the year, regardless of the season. Nevertheless, the are some projects that are best left undone till the Spring, and yet there are others that homeowners need to get done ASAP. Here are a few of our last minute home improvement suggestions.

1| Last minute interior painting

The best time to paint the interior of your home is from the spring to late fall. You can paint the inside of your home anytime, but the temperature of your home should be at least 65 degrees. In the winter, paint may take longer to dry due to poor insulation and/or condensation- so be prepared for that possibility. With cooler months rapidly approaching, maybe now is the best time to do some painting.

2| Repair or Replace the Roof

It is projected to be a rough winter this year. Depending on the current quality of your roofing, now may be the time to consider replacing your shingles. Peeling and warping of roof shingles can lead to permanent damage to your roof and the structure for your home. Autumn is a great time to get that roof re-shingled!

3| Install a New Front Door

If your home feels drafty and improperly sealed, one possible reason may be that you need a new front door. Every winter, hundred of your dollars may be lost do to improperly sealed doors. A new front door can protect your home from draft, rain, moisture, and the other elements of winter.

4| Finish your Basement

I know that project sounds like a handful, but if you have a kids then you know how difficult it is to keep them active and busy when its too cold to go outside. With a newly finished basement, your kids will have a new play-space. And finishing your basement can add significant value to your home.

Autumn Season: Tips for the Outdoors

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The autumn season is just around the corner!  Here are some helpful tips for preparing your lawn, garden and deck for the colder days ahead:

Tip #1 | Don’t Neglect Your Lawn

Mow your lawn through the fall.  During the summer and fall, your lawn should be mowed at the highest setting.  On the last mow of the season, lower your mower’s height one notch.  If your grass is left long during the winter, the top growth of your lawn will trap moisture that can produce fungal diseases throughout your yard.

Thoroughly check your lawn for weeds.  Remove dandelions with a weeder these next few months to prevent them from returning in the spring.  Regularly rake up the leaves on your lawn.  If not removed, leaf piles may suffocate the grass.

Tip #2 | Prep Your Garden for the Spring

To maximize your garden for the spring, plant bulbs now.  Use several inches of mulch to cover newly planted bulbs to protect them during the winter month.  Suggestions: dutch iris bulbs, parrot tulips, darwin hybrid tulips, & apricot daffodils.  Check out sunset.com/garden for more ideas.

Tip #3 | Take Care of Your Deck

Winter is not your deck’s best friend.  Clear your deck from any furniture that may become damaged during the winter months.  Sadly, this may include your grill… When all the leaves have fallen from the trees, thoroughly clear/clean your deck from any remaining debris.

Staining your deck should have already happened this summer.  Ideal deck staining temperature is between 50 and 80 degrees.  Nevertheless, if you have procrastinated in this area, go ahead and stain your deck before winter comes.  If it is below 50 degrees outside, expect your deck to take longer to dry.

Tip #4 | Clean the Gutters

Once your trees are bare (towards the end of autumn), check and clean your gutters.  Remove any remaining leaves and twigs.  If you have a lot of time on your hands, go ahead and flush out your gutters with a hose as well.  This will help you spot any unexpected leaks in your gutters.  If your gutters are pristine before the first snowfall, then they should be in great condition by the time spring rolls around.

 

Increasing the Value of Your Home

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Here are some tips for increasing the value of your home without blowing through all of your savings!

1| Make a First Impression

A good first impression should always happen in the entryway of your home! When guests enter your house, they will subconsciously begin processing the design and form of your space. First impressions matter!

Your entryway should be an accurate representation of who you are as a homeowner. Design your entryway with your personality and preferences in mind. Research different design themes and ideas so that you can give your guests a great first impression of who you are and how you live. Click here for some design ideas!

 

2| Add Backsplash to Your Kitchen

You don’t have to completely gut-out your kitchen to increase its value! Kitchen backsplash can be installed for as little as $200-$600. Backsplash materials may include tile, stainless steel, glass, or granite installed on the wall space between a countertop and cabinet. Consider multiple options when choosing a backsplash. Consider also the color of your flooring and appliances when choosing your material.

3| Creative Storage

We always need storage… ALWAYS! One creative alternative for storing all that extra kitchenware is having a built-in wet bar. Transform that awkward pantry in your house into a wet bar that displays your glassware and wine bottles. Give it some extra value by installing a slab of granite countertop, tile backsplash, and a glass door cabinet that displays your glassware.

4| Upgrade Your Outdoors

Adding a wooden deck to your home will give you the second largest return on your investment (the largest return would be adding a two-part addition to your home). For those of you with a large backyard, consider utilizing your empty lawn by adding a deck. According to Remodeling magazine, homeowners who installed a 16-by-20-foot pressure-treated wooden deck onto their house recouped an average of 85.4% of the cost of the project!

5| Ceiling Fans

Ceiling fans… Really? Yep. No joke. Although they were previously used only as a cheap alternative to A/C, ceiling fans have evolved into an essential element in the modern home. Few things bring down the appearance of an attractive room quicker than an outdated ceiling fan from the 90s. If your ceiling fans are outdated, buying a few modern fans can work wonders for your outdated rooms.

6| Upgrade Your Shower’s Tile-work

Remember when every stand-alone shower used to look like this? The heavy sliding door… the “timeless” white square tiling… the never-ending collection of mildew and calcium deposits. We have come a long way in the category of shower design!

As a homeowner, consider the option of investing in a custom tile design for your stand-alone shower. Custom tiling can increase the value of your home, AND potential homebuyers love having custom tile designs in their master bathroom.