With summer basically around the corner, homeowners are beginning to think about what they can do around the house. It’s almost as if they are beginning to wake up to the potential opportunities and getting their appetites worked up to bright colorful new goodies around the house. Anything from landscaping, to patio furniture, to interior/exterior decor, or literally anything else.
This week we put together the top 6 home improvement projects that we recommend you look into this summer. All of these can be done in as little as one weekend and will make your home look tons better. The purpose of all of these projects may not be increase home value but rather helping create an atmosphere in your home that is pleasant for both yourself and your loved ones.
By the way, since summer is when most people spend tons of time outdoors these improvement projects will be primarily all outdoor projects.
build a fire pit
A fire pit gives the opportunity for a casual gathering of family or friends on a warm summer night. A fire sets the environment and is the perfect activity for everyone. Precautions however must be taken and we recommend that you check what your local building codes are and if there are certain rules or regulations you must follow as you don’t want to have an open fire where it’s illegal. Make sure you choose a location for the fire pit that is far enough away from houses, fences, and other structures (as well as trees and overhanging branches).
Wether you plan on building the fire pit yourself or would like to purchase one instead, both work, it’s really up to your preference. If you plan on building one we recommend that you take a look at this post by HGTV on how to make a round stone fire pit.
However if you plan on purchasing a fire pit there are a lot of various options available, here are just a few of our favorite that you can purchase at your local home depot.
We also recommend with a fire pit you spend some time decorating the area around the pit to make it more welcoming. Check out the next summer improvement project were we talk about redecorating your patio as well as adding some lighting to your yard… this is the ultimate trio of improvements and will make for the most pleasurable summer backyard experience.
redecorate your patio
The back patio or the front porch is where you will find yourself most warm summer nights (however we have very few of those truly warm nights in the pacific northwest). Nonetheless the backyard is where most family memories are created and spending those (sometimes not so warm) evenings outside with family or friends, around a bonfire, or playing a board game. We suggest that homeowners invest in these memories and encourage you to spend a weekend redecorating your patio so you can truly enjoy it this summer.
We recommend looking into some new patio furniture that is both comfortable, practical, and won’t break the bank.
repainting the siding and trim
Repainting the exterior of your home isn’t just to make it look pretty, however it definitely does that as well. The main purpose of repairing the siding on your home is to help protect it from the elements that it is exposed to on a daily basis 365 days a year. The type of paint you use and how often you pay attention to the damage will determine how long the siding on your home lasts.
Most painting professionals recommend that homeowners repaint the exterior of their home at least once every 10 years. This will help prevent mold from appearing, as well as water damage as a result of gapping in the siding. All of this can be prevented with periodic maintenance and repainting the siding every 5-10 years.
Typically it is recommended that you don’t do it on a day that is over 90 degrees f, but also not lower than 40 or 50 degress. Also make sure that it isn’t on a rainy day either which in Oregon and Washington means summer time.
Here is a comprehensive guide on how to repaint wood siding that we recommend you look over…
plant plant plant
Summer is the perfect time to work on the landscape in your front yard, backyard, and anywhere else you can plant something. Even if you’re not the biggest fan of landscaping planting new tress, or a new hedge, or some flowers will help lighten up the atmosphere in your yard. Not to mention landscape design is a great way to help the environment as well. A few additional trees, shrubs, or flowers will not only make your yard more pleasant to spend time in but will actually help preserve valuable natural resources. The air will be fresher, the soil will continually revitalize the elements surrounding, and it will serve as an atmosphere boost for your backyard barbecues.
Although many homeowners really don’t care about landscape design it’s crucial to any home, proper landscape design can help homeowners save hundreds or even thousands of dollars a year in energy bills, help maintain proper water drainage, prevent illnesses/allergies, and boost home resale value.
For inspirations and ideas on landscape design take a look at this Portland Landscape Designer blog.
pressure washing
This is a project that you can easily complete in one weekend, a day or two maximum. Pressure washing either your home, driveway, or sidewalk is a great idea to help improve curb appeal.
Word of caution however pressure washing the siding on your home is a delicate process and must be approached with caution. An inexperienced homeowner can damage siding by pressure washing from an incorrect angle and accidentally ripping up boards or causing water to leak into the back of the siding causing harmful water damage that may not even be visible right away.
If you plan on pressure washing the siding we recommend you spend some time researching how to properly do it to ensure you don’t end up causing damage.
Take a look at this post for a how to guide for pressure washing siding
redecorate your entrance
Just like the backyard patio needs redecorating to spice things up a little bit the front of your house or the front porch can also be redecorated to look better. The front of the home boosts the curb appeal significantly. This in turn increases the value of your home in a potential buyers eyes as well as makes the atmosphere of your home more pleasant for both yourself, your family, and your friends.
Redecorating your entrance doesn’t mean doing something very extravagant, it just means to utilize the space that you do have to its best potential. Such as simply adding a new door mat and changing some decorations. Repainting the door to accent a specific color. Adding a bench or patio furniture to a front deck or porch. Adding flowers or any other plants. These small but significant updates are the perfect weekend home improvement projects.
There are hundreds more potential projects that you can do in a weekend during the summer. These are just the 6 that we like the most and think might be a good idea for homeowners to focus on. Most can be done on a strict budget and done completely on your own without much professional experience.
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