5 Sustainable Home Improvement Ideas To Improve Your Home’s Value

Homeowners should always be thinking about ways to maintain the value of their property. Whether this involves renovations, routine maintenance or refreshing the decor, it’s important for every decision to bring the maximum ROI.

Often, the best way to ensure that you’re getting the most out of an investment into your home is to make sustainable decisions. Choosing eco-friendly options is not only better for adding to the value of your house, but it also helps to reduce your environmental footprint over time.

Below are five sustainable home improvements that you can make that will add value without breaking the bank.

1. Take care of your landscaping.

A considerable amount of your home’s property value is tied to the condition of the land it’s on. Keeping up a well-manicured lawn not only helps to improve the appearance of your home, but adding certain plants, flowers and landscaping features can make your yard look healthier and keep pests away as well.

If you have the budget for it, consider hiring professionals to get your lawn looking green and beautiful. You can also opt for the more budget-friendly option of fertilizing the yard and cultivating a garden by yourself.

When you’re adding greenery around the perimeter of your house, consider plants such as lavender, marigolds, mint and chrysanthemums. All of these options are beautiful, and they serve as natural pest repellents, which can add considerable value over the long term.

2. Update your bathrooms

Bathroom renovations are often put off in favor of updating other rooms, but refreshing your bathroom will do more than just improve the aesthetics.

For example, replacing the fixtures with low-flow and energy efficient alternatives can save huge amounts of money and help reduce your environmental footprint. You can also install dimmer switches to help lower electricity use and make nighttime bathroom trips more pleasant.

3. Add extra square footage to your home.

Whether you’re planning to sell your home or simply want to keep its value high, adding extra space is one easy way to do this.

The most cost-effective way to add space is with a prefabricated metal building. Metal buildings advantages are numerous, and can be bought from $19,314.

First, this option gives you plenty of flexibility in terms of how to use the extra space. You can choose the dimensions as well as features like architectural style, window placement and color combination.

Second, prefab buildings can be used for standalone space or as an addition to your existing home. They’re able to be installed by professionals in as few as eight weeks, and they are built to be as energy efficient as the rest of your home. This means that there will be minimal changes to your heating and cooling costs.

All of the metal buildings advantages make this an easy way for homeowners to update their houses while staying within their budgets and keeping their houses environmentally friendly.

4. Upgrade to energy efficient appliances.

Energy efficient appliances are a long-term investment that can go a long way toward improving the sustainability of your home. High-efficiency washers can prevent hundreds of gallons of water waste every year, and upgrading to better refrigerators, light fixtures and dryers can cut your energy usage in half.

Many homeowners like to get an energy audit before they make any major changes to their appliances or home wiring. Audits like these are done by professionals who can go through your home and point out places where changes should be made.

This can include replacing old wiring, improving insulation, replacing window seals or updating old lighting fixtures and appliances. Going this route makes the upgrading process simpler and more streamlined.

5. Add non-toxic carpeting to your floors.

Flooring is often overlooked as a way to improve your home and make it more eco-friendly. However, adding the right kind of carpet can be a huge help.

If you have hardwood floors or old carpeting, you’re likely missing some important insulation. Not only can carpeting act as a sound dampener, but it also helps to regulate the temperature of your home. The extra layer of insulation helps to keep a more consistent temperature in both the summer and winter, which can reduce your energy usage and lower your utility bills.

When you’re choosing a carpet, be sure that it’s labeled as all-natural, eco-friendly or non-toxic. Traditionally manufactured carpeting is often created with harmful chemicals and secured with fume-laden glue, but carpets made with natural fibers do not emit the same chemical fumes and are much safer for the environment.

Sustainable Home Improvement is Possible

On the surface, it might not seem like making “green” renovation choices is worthwhile, but this isn’t the case. The truth is that you can easily make slow and steady upgrades to your home that can keep you within your remodeling budget while still increasing your property’s value.