4 Home Upgrades Newlyweds Should Spring For as Soon As Possible
You recently married the guy or gal of your dreams, and you are happily settling into your first home. While you have certainly spent a significant amount of money already on your down payment, closing costs and fees and first mortgage payment, you are probably not done with home-related expenses. There are a variety of upgrades and improvement projects that will reduce how much you have to spend on your home years down the road. Consider the following four ideas:
Update flooring
Depending on the age of your home and how well the former owners treated it, chances are good the carpet, tile and/or vinyl have seen better days. If the previous tenants had pets, the carpet might even have a colony of fleas or ticks living in it. To protect the subflooring and prevent an infestation of vermin in your home, consider upgrading all of the flooring as soon as possible. As McGeough Lamacchi Realty notes, the average cost of new carpet is around $3.30-$4.50 per square foot, which means a living room that measures 12 feet by 15 feet can get new carpet for around $600 to $800. If you prefer the look of wood without all of the maintenance, many tile stores now stock tile that resembles wood of all colors and widths.
New roof
Investing in a new roof is a home upgrade that may seem spendy, but when you think about how many incredibly expensive issues it prevents, it’s actually a pretty good bargain. Over time, roofs tend to develop leaks that can allow water to start seeping into the home; in turn, this can cause mold and mildew growth that can be challenging and costly to get rid of. If your home’s roof has not been replaced in many years and an inspection turns up some issues, it’s time to get a new one. For example, Champion Home Exteriors offers a variety of shingle styles, and their top-quality roofs are engineered, produced and installed in a way that integrates very well with the roofline. As a major bonus, the company offers a lifetime protection plan that means you will never have to worry again about replacing your roof, or about any issues that can arise from leaks or storm damage. As the company website notes, a roof from Champion Home Exteriors will truly be “your last roof.”
Add some insulation to the attic
As DIY Network notes, if the insulation in your home’s attic is really old—or if it’s not there at all—you are paying good money to heat and cool the outside air. In order to lower your heating bills, consider laying some new insulation in the attic; you can either hire a professional to do this or make it a weekend warrior project for the two of you to tackle together.
Replace the HVAC unit
This is one of those classic projects that will pay for itself over time. If the HVAC unit is old and your energy bills seem exceptionally high, it’s a good idea to start saving for a new one. To help offset the cost, many local power companies offer rebates on HVAC units. Most homeowners see a dramatic drop in their power use in the first bill, and you can use the savings to pay for some of your other home upgrades.
