Angie’s List: Home improvements | Community

As many of us resolve to make improvements this year, it’s a good time to think about your home, too. Angie’s List report has some helpful tips to make planning for those home improvements a little less scary.

When assessing what changes to make to your home this year, some improvements will be your choice. However, some are necessary, like repairing big problems you uncover in your new house. Homeowner Conor Lee discovered that when he purchased a home from the 1920’s.

“For the whole house, there were many different things that, when I peeled back the layers, I had to do more.” said Lee.

Knowing which projects to tackle first is a daunting task for any homeowner. To plan for improvements around your home, it helps to have a system to guide your strategy, whether your home is new or just new to you.

“I recommend walking around your house, just like you’re getting ready to buy it, because that’s when you’re going to be most critical”, said Angie Hicks the Co-Founder of Angie’s List. “Write down everything you see and don’t worry about budget just yet.”

Look at the whole house, from the foundation up to the roof and everything in between.

“Next, group your list according to structural, mechanical, maintenance and improvement. Then, lay your budget against it, starting with structural first”.

“No matter what, you’re always going to run into something unexpected,” Lee explained. 

With a system in mind and your priorities set, planning for the unexpected is a little less daunting.

 “This will help you see how far your budget will go and avoid surprises. It’ll tell you whether that dream landscape job will be on your list for 2019, or whether it’s going to be a new roof instead.” Hicks said.