brightly lit room with a tropical decor scheme

5 Spring House Projects to Start Planning NOW

With the leaves still falling and holidays on the way, spring seems a long way off. But if you have major home improvement projects ahead of you next year, fall is a great time to start planning ahead.

If you’re planning to sell your house during the summer rush, spring is the perfect time to up your curb appeal, identify and fix major problems, and upgrade the interior.

For those settling into their forever homes, spring is ideal for landscaping, painting, and remodeling before the summer heat.

Whatever your long-term house plans, these five projects are perfect for boosting your home’s value and preparing for a summer of entertaining.

Landscape the Yard

Curb Appeal is more than just hype. A welcoming front yard can make a strong first impression on visitors and potential buyers. And nothing spruces up a house like a backyard that’s ready for entertaining. Most shrubs and flowers should be transplanted in spring or fall, so getting your new yard planned out early is a good play.

Consider hiring a landscape design company to help you plan out gardens and gathering spaces. Using native plants can minimize yard maintenance and water use. So does opting for turf or living lawn alternatives like thyme.

Remember to plan out space for your deck or patio, hot tub, fireplace, and veggie garden, and build in some entertainment-friendly lighting.

 

Upgrade Your Fence

Good fences make good neighbors, and we all know it. Sagging wood and missing boards will drag down even the best landscaping. And no matter how much you like your neighbors, you probably don’t want them peeking over your fence.

Rebuilding your fences means negotiating with your neighbors, planning design and height, tearing down the old and carefully installing the new. It’s a doable DIY, with friends to help. You can also hire local fencers to manage this project for you.

 

Exterior Paint

A new coat of paint can transform your house from drab to fab at a low price tag. If the current paint is damaged, make sure the siding underneath is in good shape. You’ll want to repair or replace any damaged siding before painting since this can lead to water damage in your walls.

Repainting the house means pressure-washing, scraping off peeling paint, and re-painting top to bottom. With a careful tape job, a good ladder, and a paint gun, you can finish the job yourself in a weekend. Or, hire a pro to finish the job with all the right touchups.

 

Replace Floors

Tearing up old carpet, tuning up or covering wood floors, and replacing old laminate makes your home’s interior bright, clean, and cozy. Plan which rooms you’d like to upgrade, and what type of flooring you’ll use. Will you install it yourself, hire the store to install it, or hire professionals?

Get some flooring samples from the local retailer and write down prices. Once you decide on a flooring style and type, go ahead and start! Floor installation doesn’t have to wait for spring—you can cross this project off while the weather is cold.

 

Bathroom Remodel

If you’re hosting any holiday get-togethers, this project should wait until the new year. But between finding an experienced contractor, searching for the perfect appliances, and prepping a design scheme, it takes a bit of planning.

Make a list of all the bathroom elements you want to upgrade and start budgeting and shopping for each. Grab samples of tile, flooring, wall colors, etc. and start making design decisions. If you’re using a contractor, start your search now.

 

Remember to plan ahead for any home improvement projects to make the process a breeze. Set your budget, and consider using a Home Equity Line of Credit to get a head start on your upgrades.