When we told friends and family we were buying a home, the first thing everyone said was, "Get ready for projects." Well, it's been just over a year since we became homeowners, and on average we devote two weekends each month to home improvements. With an ever-growing list of what needs to be done (how does that happen, by the way?), how do you prioritize?
The first projects were easy. Scrape popcorn from the ceiling and paint before moving in furniture; replace the broken sliding door with energy-efficient French doors before we moved in, and clean out the overgrown backyard before bulk pickup day.
But what comes next? Energy-efficient windows, installing a dishwasher, or bidding for solar panels on the roof? We know that there are energy improvements to be made, but we're finding, like most homeowners, that budget often dictates the next move.
With that in mind, we're making improvements as we're able. In lieu of installing new windows, we're turning to better window coverings to keep out the heat and light. And instead of going for solar, we're letting a few trees grow taller, providing shade on the house.
How do you prioritize your home improvements? Do sustainable and energy-efficient projects take precedence, or are they relegated to the back seat?
Most importantly, do you have any advice for homeowners who aren't sure which project to pursue next?
Related posts:
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• Crowdsource Your Home Improvement
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Money is the largest factor for me; if I can't afford the big project I'll do something smaller.
That picture is giving me vertigo.
I created a Do Box. On a single index card I outline one project or repair job, with an estimate of what it will cost to do, and how long it should take. If appropriate, I include precise measurements. I also indicate the priority: top, mid, or low level priority, and I date the card (so we can see how long we have been avoiding it).
Depending on the urgency, money available, time, and attitude (this job sucks), we tackle another project. This method has worked out well, although some weekends it looks like "Deal-A-Meal" as we shuffle the cards. It's a great way to keep small jobs from being overlooked.
Money is THE deciding factor. Always.
We wanted to do additions to our very plain backyard- on hold til next year til we can afford them.
We wanted to paint, which is reasonably affordable, so slowly we have been. We bought quality paint equipment so we wouldn't be inclined to trash it between rooms and buy our gallons of paint as we go.
Window treatments shocked us- EVERY person we see when they move in their home in our neighborhood, if there was zero window treatments but bare glass, the day they move in there's custom fit blinds on all the windows and curtains. Um, are yall oozing money? We've been consistently moving from room to room putting up curtains and blinds as we've had time/can afford.
We've done lots of little things (changed kitchen faucet to a better one, frosted our french doors, little home improvements, etc)
A big deciding factor for us is I'm pregnant so a ton of plans were put on hold, others sped up to account for me being out of commission for a while and both of us down for a bit after the baby is born.
Anything that has a safety implication gets fixed first: like a funky door knob, window that doesn't shut, or a lock that sticks, etc.
SunnyBlue, I think you just saved my sanity. Having completed the big projects, I've been overwhelmed by numerous small projects. This is a great way to manage those.
Thank you!
With my projects, I was told that the cheapest kilowatt is the one you don't have to use. So it makes more sense to make the house more energy efficient before installing solar panels. With that in mind, I work on the windows and doors, insulating the walls, putting up insulating curtains etc.
Once the house is more energy efficient, I'll work on projects like solar panels etc.
I prioritize my projects by cost. I keep a list of projects and what they need on my phone so that if I go somewhere and they have a smoking deal on a project part, I know how much I need, size, shape, color etc. I've picked up some super cheap project parts that way (like my 100 year old claw foot tub for $50).
Oh and for curtains :) I used $11 drop cloths. They look like the Belgian linen ones from restoration hardware but at a fraction of the cost.
http://geekdetails.com/blog/?p=5501
They block out light (and heat) and provide a lot of privacy and seem to go well with lots of different decorating styles (just google drop cloth curtains).