Sustainable Renovation Tips That Boost Your Home’s Resale Value
Before we start talking about sustainable renovation, we will explain why this is so important to potential buyers. First of all, moving into a green home is a trend that might have a positive impact on the planet, which is why people who are concerned about the environment are interested in green renovations.
Second, eco-friendly neighborhoods are full of like-minded people and as soon as one person installs solar panels, their neighbors are twice as likely to do so.
Finally, eco-friendly homes have substantially lower utility bills which also makes them desirable to potential homeowners.
Here are the top six sustainable renovation tips that can boost your home’s resale value.
1.     Solar power
The first thing you can do to make your home greener is to try and create your own source of energy. There are several ways that you can go on about this and unfortunately a hydroelectric generator is likely out of the question. Therefore, the most obvious choice is for you to install solar panels.
Keep in mind that the installation of solar panels is an investment that may take between 6 and 9 years to pay off (under some rare circumstances it may even take full 20 years). In other words, it’s not a decision that you should make lightly.
If you plan to stay in the home for a long time, then going solar is something to consider. Get price quotes for both a system that you own and one that you rent.
2.     Improvement to your heating/cooling system
Another thing you need to keep in mind is the fact that the single biggest expense on your utility bill, comes from your heating/cooling system. This is why one of the first steps in making your home truly green, as well as making it more appealing to potential buyers is to invest in order to improve your heating and cooling system.
One of the easiest and least expensive things you can do is to install a smart thermostat (even though investments in smart technology are something that we’ll discuss later on).
If you have older heating and cooling systems, you may want to think about replacing them if there is significant cost savings for you. You can figure out how much the new systems will cost and weigh against their annual power usage. Â We recommend doing this after you first install a smart thermostat to see how much that can save you first.
3.     Replace windows and doors
The next thing you might want to focus on is the replacement of your windows and doors. The reason why this is so important is that it improves your energy-efficiency. According to some surveys, about 40 percent of all heat is lost through doors, windows and floor, which is why replacing them might be a major boon to your home’s energy efficiency.
When it comes to the installation of new doors, this is also a security boost, while double-glazing windows serve a similar purpose. Both investments can make the value of your home skyrocket. Moreover, they’re projects that you can do yourself and you won’t have to repeat for decades to some, making them into a smart investment.
4.     Insulation
Previously, we’ve talked about making your home more energy efficient and, while on this topic, it’s incredibly important to mention that as much as 35 percent of heat leaves your home via walls. In order to fix this for good, you need to insulate your home properly. This means insulating all the walls, including the attic.
Most common materials for insulation are fiberglass, mineral wool, cellulose, polyurethane foam, polystyrene (Styrofoam). Provided that you’re doing the type of insulation that requires material to be applied to the exterior of your home, you might find a scaffolding rental and also do a façade. This will drastically improve your home’s visuals, as well as help you get the most out of your home’s retail value.
5.     Rainwater gathering system
Perhaps one of the simplest, yet, the least considered options when it comes to the issue of eco-friendly home improvement is the investment in a rainwater harvesting system. The way this works is fairly simple and while this water may not be good enough for drinking, it’s definitely quite efficient for, washing hands, use in toilet and watering of your garden.
When you consider the fact that your toilet alone is the single biggest culprit when it comes to water use within the household (25 percent of all water use), this could become a major improvement when organized properly.
6.     Smart home
Previously, we’ve mentioned that one of the ways to make the most out of your home’s heating system is to automate it. The smart home system works while you sleep or while you’re away (at work, in a gym, etc.). Another thing that you can automate is the lights within your home, as well as the Wi-Fi sprinkler system that your garden uses. All of these changes combined can drastically cut your utility bill, thus making your home into an incredibly tempting prize for potential buyers.
Conclusion
As you can see, each of these sustainable renovation changes benefit both you and your property in more than several ways. An investment in making your home eco-friendlier always brings a positive return on investment while you are still living in the home and when you eventually sell. We suggest also reading this article on 4 secrets to boost your home’s value.
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