If you’ve decided to move out of your home in the near future, there are things you can do now – before you move out – that can serve two purposes. While packing your belongings is going to be essential, there are also some home remodeling tasks you should do now. These tasks can help you to organize your belongings safely and efficiently for the move; plus, they are likely to increase your asking price for your home. Here are some of the tasks you should undertake now to best prepare yourself for your upcoming move.
1. Remodel Your Home
When you decide to sell your current home, it’s the ideal opportunity to maximize your home’s purchase price. While the amount of time you have before moving out of a house will influence how many changes you can make, some remodeling projects will bring a higher ROI (return on investment) than others. To make decisions on which structures to replace, talk with some home renovation companies to see which projects they recommend. For example, according to Redfin, adding a fresh coat of paint to your walls can easily refresh the appearance of your home without incurring a major expense.
According to OpenDoor, homeowners should take an appraising look at the kitchen and living room first, as those rooms have the most foot traffic. If your stove or refrigerator isn’t working, that could prove to be a stumbling block for a potential buyer. Your kitchen cabinets may matter more than you may think since prospective buyers want to imagine their dishes in attractive cabinets.
Running water – and its disposal – will be an essential feature for a buyer. If your water doesn’t run efficiently or your toilet doesn’t flush, fixing them now would be wise. Look at your flooring and see whether a floor repair should be added to the home remodeling list. If you haven’t had an HVAC inspection recently, it would be a good idea to do so, since evidence that it was done can be a good incentive for potential buyers.
2. Repair Garage Doors
According to Overhead Door Kansas, replacing your garage door can have an ROI of up to 103%. It may surprise you to learn your garage door has a significant impact on curb appeal. In addition to an improved appearance, replacing your garage door may decrease your home’s energy usage, thus reducing the energy bill.
One seemingly small yet vital repair to make before moving out of a house may be a garage door spring repair. According to A1 Garage Door, the average cost of replacing a garage door spring is $400 a piece – although most find both sides’ springs must be replaced at the same time. The same website discourages homeowners from trying to fix these springs themselves, as these parts are best adjusted or replaced by experts.
If you decide to get a new garage door, you might consider upgrading to include a security feature (such as CCTV) or a “smart” garage door. The latter would allow you to control the garage temperature from within your home. With a smart opener, you can also open the garage door even if the primary power source has shut off.
3. Refinish Roofing Tiles
According to Stronghold Roofing, a new roof will dramatically increase curb appeal and can potentially raise your home’s purchase price. Seeing an intact roof will convey a perception of home security to prospective home buyers. If your current roof is over 20 years old, has visible holes, or missing shingles, a roof replacement would be a good idea before placing your home on the market.
Homeowners who don’t see any visible roof damage will often contact their roof contractor for a roofing inspection before moving out of a house. Having a roof inspection will give homeowners the opportunity to identify any need for roof repair and assure a prospective buyer that a recent inspection was done. If the roof inspection leads to replacing the roof, your contractor’s warranty for the new roof can be an important component of the purchase price.
According to Stronghold Roofing, asphalt shingles are currently the most popular choice for a replacement roof. Asphalt is typically chosen for its durability and inexpensive price. Metal roofs have also been gaining in popularity. Metal roofs can be more expensive, but their strength and durability make them the preferred choice for many homeowners.
4. Restore Your Fence
If you already have a fence, it should make sense that an intact fence would make a better impression on a potential buyer. According to All Around Fence and Decks, an intact, freshly painted fence will bring a significant ROI. Fences are a part of the overall impression of your home; they are part of your efforts to stand out within the homes of your community.
Contact a local fence company to get ideas about improving or replacing your fence before moving out of a house. Some homeowners may decide to stain the fence instead of painting or replacing it. Staining will refresh the fence’s appearance and add years of use to the existing fence.
When choosing materials for a new fence, balance the factors of the fence’s appearance with the cost. Spending money on a wall may seem futile when you plan to move out, but always keep the potential ROI in mind. When choosing, wood and vinyl are popular options for a new fence.
5. Repave Concrete Surfaces
As you look over your home and property to decide on needed repairs, one of the places you should look is your driveway. According to Bayshore Materials, whether you repair or replace your driveway can depend on its condition. If the other homes in your neighborhood have smooth and unbroken driveways while yours has holes or missing pieces, you should add a driveway to your list of repairs.
Repaving your driveway before moving out of a house could help in your quest to attract potential buyers. Talk with your real estate agent to determine which home or property features are in demand. For example, according to Bayshore Materials, a driveway can be one of the items that help a home stand out in a buyer’s market.
One of the most popular materials for driveways is concrete. Contacting a residential concrete company can provide a durable driveway requiring minimum maintenance. Homeowners looking for a driveway that can withstand most weather conditions often make concrete their first driveway material choice.
6. Redesign Landscaping Features
While the home’s interior features are most likely the most important things a potential buyer will consider, a home’s landscaping can also be a determining factor. Some people enjoy spending much of their free time outdoors: grilling, swimming, or gardening. If their lawn, garden, or trees leave something to be desired, many homeowners consider upgrading them before moving out of a house.
Some outdoor improvements are easy to do for yourself. For example, according to Consumer Reports, using dark mulch in flower beds or around your trees will stand out and be noticed more quickly by potential buyers. Although you’ll want to keep your lawn trimmed, don’t cut the grass too close to the ground. If the grass is cut too closely, it can dry out and become unattractive.
If you don’t have time to improve your landscaping by yourself, an investment in outdoor design services can result in a good ROI. According to Consumer Reports, asking them to plant some trees is an easy way to boost the property value of your home. It’s also very popular to add a flower garden to your yard – even if you use a pre-seeded flower bed to speed up the arrival of a flowery array.
7. Remove Trash and Refuse
Many homeowners who take part in home or yard renovations before moving out of a house choose to use roll off dumpster rentals to dispose of home or yard waste. These containers come in various sizes and can remain on your property for an agreed-upon period. During the demolition of old structures, having a dumpster on your property will provide a safe and convenient place to dispose of waste.
In addition to discarded parts of your home, a dumpster is strong enough to hold earth or concrete. When you call the rental company, they will let you know the sizes available for your project. You’ll need to specify the dates when you will need the dumpster. The rental company will bring the dumpster to your home, and you can call them when you have finished filling it.
It’s important to realize there are some restrictions on materials in these dumpsters. For example, you can’t place hazardous waste such as oil, household cleaners, or auto tires. If you place any of these materials in the dumpster, they could cause damage to the dumpster.
8. Remove Toxic Waste
You may wonder what to do if you have toxic waste to dispose of. According to the EPA, hazardous household waste includes paint, batteries, cleaners, and pesticides. Before moving out of a house, it’s customary to safely dispose of those materials. In many cases, the products will have instructions on their labels for how to get rid of them safely.
If you have hazardous materials and don’t know how to dispose of them, contact your municipality’s waste disposal facility. Ask the authorities about safe methods of toxic waste disposal. There are some organizations where waste products can be donated or recycled, and the authorities may be able to direct you to one of those organizations.
There are ways to dispose of some of the most common items considered hazardous waste. For example, according to Angi, some communities make provisions for safe disposal of batteries. If you have old automobile oil, antifreeze, or diesel fuel in your garage, you can bring it to a local garage for recycling. Unused or expired medication can also be considered hazardous, but local pharmacies may accept it.
9. Redirect Stored Items
Moving out of a house traditionally involves placing all your belongings in a moving truck and transporting everything in one trip. However, many movers are now utilizing a portable storage container or renting one (or more) storage pods. These containers can be used to move your belongings in stages. Any belongings not immediately moved to the new location can be stored at a storage facility.
Storage facilities for these containers or pods might be located near your new location (so you can drive there and withdraw the items yourself) or at a centralized storage facility owned by the rental container company. Multiple options can be advantageous to families that are moving but whose ultimate home has yet to be selected or is still being constructed. Many who use storage containers will place one week’s necessities in a container that arrives at the new destination and then slowly moves in at their own pace.
10. Relocate Your Belongings
Whether you move your belongings all at once or use storage containers, you can provide excellent service by enlisting help from a moving company. Full-service moving companies will offer services like packing and unpacking, furniture assembly, truck loading, and driving. Although you may feel capable of driving a rented moving truck and packing your belongings, having someone else do those things for you can make a big difference in how you’ll feel when you arrive in your new home.
Before you assume which services are offered, call some local moving companies to find out what they will do for you. When moving out of a house, the last thing you want to worry about is whether your heirloom chinaware or jeweler will be damaged. Ask potential movers whether they offer or include packaging materials and whether that packaging material is eco-friendly. Get a quote from several moving companies before deciding who will move your precious belongings.
Moving out of a house will be a formidable task, although you’ll be facing even more challenges when you arrive at your new home. Some of those challenges are likely to be financial, so the home improvement projects you undertake may make a big difference in your budget while moving. By strategically choosing which home remodeling projects to invest in, you can pave the way for a smooth and profitable moving experience.