How to Restore Your Home Without Spending a Fortune
Restoring an old house can be a daunting task. But with careful planning and hard work. Raleign NC restoration services possible to restore your property without spending a fortune.
The first step is determining what to keep and what to change. This will depend on your goals, capabilities and the age of the home.
The Garden
Anyone who has ever tried to restore a garden knows it isn’t an easy task. Overgrown plants, trees and a lawn that has more weed than grass can be overwhelming. The good news is, it is possible to revive even the most neglected gardens with careful planning and preparation.
Before you put your spade, or digger, to work it is worth taking the time to walk around the garden and create a vision for what it will look like when it is finished. This could help you to stay focused throughout the restoration process and save you from wasting money on supplies that you may need for the job.
Taking photos of the garden before starting can also prove useful. It can help you to remember where everything was before it got overgrown and to avoid accidentally destroying anything important under the bramble and weeds. It can also be helpful to find out what kind of plants were there originally to avoid introducing any invasive species.
The Interior
Now that all the major structural work is complete, it’s time to make the home feel like your own. This is typically the most fun and rewarding part of restoring an old house, but it also requires the greatest amount of planning and financial investment. Start by walking around the property systematically, assessing each room. Create a plan and budget for your restoration, including an inventory of the items you will need and how much you can spend to ensure that you don’t stretch yourself too thin. Once the plan is in place, you can begin painting walls, tiling bathrooms and kitchens, and laying carpets. Then it’s just a matter of filling the home with furniture and personal belongings to truly turn it into a home.
The Exterior
Maintaining the exterior of your home is important for curb appeal, property value, and safety. It’s important to rake and clean up debris regularly and trim hedges, trees, and bushes as needed.
A fresh coat of paint can make a huge difference in the look and feel of your home. Be sure to choose a color that compliments your shutters and trim and talk to an expert at your local hardware store for help picking out the right paint.
Another way to add to the curb appeal of your home is to clean the windows. Over time, dirt and grime can build up on the glass of your windows, making them look dirty and cloudy. Keeping the windows clean can restore their appearance and allow more light to enter your home, which can be helpful for reducing energy costs. A good tip for cleaning windows is to use a pressure washer with a soft brush attachment.
The Fixtures
Light fixtures, window frames, and door knobs are not major features in their own right, but they can make a big difference in the overall look of your house. If they’re original, they can often be restored by scrubbing away the dirt and grime with a cloth soaked in acetone or ammonia. Fixtures with plated finishes such as nickel or silver can be recoated through a process known as electroplating, but that’s usually only necessary for very badly damaged pieces.