Summer brings more daylight, increasing the time we can spend outside — playing, relaxing or working on home improvement projects.

Whether you’re considering selling your house or simply want to ensure that your money is invested well, we put together a complete guide to home improvement projects that can improve the value you of your home this summer.

From simple afternoon projects to weekender renovations, we take you through indoor and outdoor projects that we believe are worth the investment in Morgantown and Bridgeport WV. 


PAINT

Updating your paint colors can go a long way in refreshing your home. Even if your wall color is neutral, you can make the home look really clean and fresh by carefully repainting baseboards and doors with gloss paint.

If you have bright colors or heavily patterned wallpaper, consider replacing it with a neutral paint. Neutrals appeal to a broad audience and help people envision themselves living comfortably in a home. Remember, when selling you home, you want to replace or update anything that may scare a potential buyer off.

LANDSCAPING

Even if landscaping the entire outdoor space is out of your budget, there are some small things you can do that will have a big impact.

Start with your lawn — if it’s patchy, dead or uneven, potential buyers will notice. Hire a professional or invest in some quality products and seed to even it out.

And if you have any bare spots that are beyond fixing, consider planting a tree. Just make sure it’s not too close to your home or any other concrete.

Adding color with some bright flowers in attractive planters can help your porch look more welcoming and fresh. The great part with using planters is that you can use them to add appeal to your home, but still take them with you when you move.

Book now to talk about your summer project

REPLACE LIGHTING

Dated light fixtures are easy to replace — and if you’re a savvy sale shopper, you can get some great deals on more modern and attractive fixtures. Focus on updating in the areas with the most traffic — kitchen, living room, etc.

home remodeling and home renovations

If you have a basement with harsh fluorescent lighting, considering getting some warm floor lamps to make the space feel cozy and inviting. The lights can be left on during a showing to make the space feel welcoming and less sterile.

And if replacing the fixtures isn’t in the budget, look at the light bulbs. Light bulbs come in a variety of shades, from warm yellow light, to neutral white light and cool blue light. Think about what may help your space: warmer light in cozy spaces like the living room and more cool light in areas that you want to feel clean (kitchen and bathroom).

UPDATE THE BATHROOM

You don’t have to completely renovate your bathroom to make it feel more modern. If there’s any outdated wallpaper or a really intense paint color, start by refreshing it with a modern neutral. If the cabinets look dated, a fresh coat of white or light grey paint will lighten any space.

Give the bathroom a thorough clean from top to bottom and consider replacing the shower curtain, towels and bath mats. Decluttering the countertop can go along way in making the bathroom feel fresh.

Adding a larger mirror, updating the faucet fixture and switching the hardware (like towel rails) can help modernize the space.

UPDATE THE KITCHEN

Like the bathroom, the kitchen doesn’t need to be completely gutted and renovated to refresh the space. Start by assessing the walls and cabinets: can they be painted in light neutral colors to elevate the space? Consider the appliances too — did you know you can buy paint for dingy old refrigerators?

From there, think about the hardware on the cabinets. Refresh them with a coat of durable spray paint in silver or black, depending on what will work with your appliances.

The flooring can also have a big impact — while it’s expensive to replace, you may consider strategically placing some area rugs to draw attention away from a dated floor.

Finally, updating the faucet and/or replacing the sink can make a dramatic difference. If your sink is stainless steel, there are products to help get it clean and shiny again.

THINK FLOORING

If the flooring throughout your house is dirty and dated, an update will dramatically elevate the aesthetic of your home. If you have an older home with stained or worn carpet, check to see if there’s original hardwood underneath. While restoring and old floor is a lot of work, it’s relatively inexpensive compared to replacing flooring.

Should you already have wood flooring that simply looks worn and tired, there are some great products on the market to easily restore their shine and character in one application.

For any areas that are unsightly and cannot be repaired, put an area rug down that works with the space. Rugs help create cozy spaces in a home and are great to have on wood or tile flooring in winter time.

CLOSET ORGANIZATION

Have a lot of clothes? Messy closet? Making the effort to streamline and organize the space will make the closet look bigger. Perhaps your organizational system isn’t working for you — check out shelving and drawer options that can keep your closet orderly and clean.

And if your closet is particularly small, consider the fact that a larger closet will be a bigger selling point for a master suite than a larger bedroom space. Keep in mind that unlike the other small project on this list, changing the size of a closet will require a professional contractor as walls will need to be demolished and rebuilt.

STORAGE SPACE

If your home lacks storage space, consider places that a large shelving system could be installed to add value (and sanity!). Basements are often a good option, along with laundry rooms and garages.

Quality shelving can be a bit of an investment, especially if you opt to have custom shelving an cabinetry built into the space. However, like we mentioned in the previous section, storage and closet space has a major impact on the value and sale potential of a home.

Start by assessing how much storage you actually need and how much storage you would like have. From there, you can get an idea of cost, making a decision about what your investment — can you do the project exactly how you want to? Cheaper shelving, but more storage? Or less storage, but custom built shelves?

Consider the durability of any shelving, the depth of shelving and the height. Height is often overlooked — but you don’t want to have to use a ladder each time you need to get something.

FIX CONCRETE

In our last blog, we discussed common issues with concrete and how you can fix them. Some issues are cosmetic and you can fix them yourself, while some more structural issues need a professional opinion.

Make sure any unsightly concrete cracks are taken care of. If the concrete is heavily stained, rent a pressure washer to brighten it up — you’ll be amazed at the difference it makes.


Elite Custom Builders | Home Remodeling | Home Renovations | Bridgeport, WV | Surrounding Areas

ECB works throughout North Central West Virginia, have a combined 70+ years of experience and serve the North Central West Virginia area including:

  • Morgantown
  • Fairmont
  • Cheat Lake
  • Clarksburg
  • Bridgeport
  • Weston
  • Elkins
  • Davis
  • Preston County
  • Wheeling
  • We also work in the Pittsburgh, Pa., area.

These projects are a great start to add value to your home this summer. However, the home renovation projects that have the highest return on investment are kitchen and bathroom remodels.

If a remodeling project is something you’re considering, get in touch. We’re still taking summer projects in the Bridgeport, Fairmont, Clarksburg and Morgantown area.