When you have found your forever home, and finally got the keys in your hand, chances are it is not exactly how you want it to be, forever. Often the home that families choose to live in and grow old in, is bought with the longer-term in mind, perhaps because of the ideal location, large plot, or views.
All too often the house will need a little – or a lot of – renovation. But where to start? Rarely the budget will stretch to make all the changes in the first year, so it is good to be strategic about which areas to focus the attention on. The experts at Lifton Home Lifts have compiled the best home improvements to make first.
- Windows
Windows are like the eyes of the home. By installing new windows throughout a property, you can give your new house a facelift, which benefits both the inside and outside of the home. Often older properties have had windows installed that do not suit the original style of the architecture and, are not aesthetically pleasing. Modern window technology has improved dramatically in recent years, meaning that traditional styles can be beautifully replicated whilst using state of the art technology in insulation and sound proofing.
Starting with the window installation, means that not only does your home benefit from an instant makeover, but also any subsequent decorating inside or outside does not then need redoing once the windows are changed.
- Home Lift
A forever home should be just that – the place you want to live in forever and grow old. Because you know you will be there for the rest of your life, future proofing the forever home is common sense. Future proofing is when a home is made ready for all eventualities in future years.
Whereas adding grab rails and other mobility aids that will not be used for many years to come may seem a little drastic, installing a home lift within the property early on is the perfect way to future proof. A domestic lift will earn its keep over many years, no matter the stage of family life of the household.
Baby and toddler years are made easier knowing that the hazardous stairs can be avoided, a home lift provides more options during the busy teenage years, and all through, an elevator takes away the worry should anyone have temporary mobility issues through illness or accident. By installing domestic lifts early on, it ensures a homeowner makes the most of their purchase across many years.
- Insulation
Older houses are often not built with insulation, leading to draughts and chills in the winter, and over-heated homes in summer months. One of the first jobs recommended when buying a forever home is to have an expert assess the insulation needs and consider professionally insulating the loft and cavity walls.
Not only will this make the family home more comfortable for every year to come, but it will help to keep energy and heating bills to a minimum from the outset and be best for the environment too.
- Board the loft
Storage is one of the most valuable things in a modern family home. Even if on moving in there are not many possessions to store, over time there will inevitably be mementoes and family possessions which need to be kept safe. Boarding the loft professionally as one of the first home improvements holds many benefits: it provides storage space for when the rest of the house is being decorated; it often strengthens the frame of the house, helping to prevent movement over time; and, if any of the ceilings should crack during the process of the boarding, by doing this job first, any cracks can be easily repaired during decorating later on.
- Update the bathrooms
Of all the aesthetic renovation jobs around the house, one the first to be tackled should be the bathrooms. Not only will this provide a safer and more hygenic place to wash and clean, but as a heavy-duty project it means that other renovations won’t be damaged by small leaks, or moving hardware around the house, for example. Because bathroom plumbing can be complicated, it is best to start with these rooms, to make sure that any pipework that needs to be moved or changed won’t interfere with other rooms that have already been decorated.
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