You may be considering a home improvement project for various reasons. Some home improvement projects save you money over time. Some home improvement projects increase the value of your home. Some home improvement projects make the experience of living in your home better.

One popular area of improvement is energy conservation. Here are four energy-saving home improvement projects:

1. Properly sealing all windows and ducts and adding insulation. This can lower heating and air costs as well as help prevent outside elements from entering your home.
2. Installing a programmable thermostat. A timer that lowers the temperature at a set time each day will help you regulate your electricity use.
3. Updating windows with dual panels to reduce the amount of sunlight that enters your home. This can help you avoid a temperature increase as well as keep outside air from leaking into your home.
4. Installing dimmer switches to commonly used lights. This allows you the option to reduce the amount of electricity used.

Once you start thinking about your home and everything you’d like to fix, you will likely come up with a long list of home improvement projects. You can work with a general contractor or home improvement contractor. But you can also find contractors with specific expertise for many projects.

Here are a variety of different types of home improvement projects:

• Hire a plumber to install a water filtration system: Home buyers will benefit from a system that purifies the entire home.
• Work with a contractor to remove dead space: For the interior, enclose unused space to make a closet or laundry room. For the exterior, a porch or patio can become an enticing feature.
• People often think about the interior when it comes to home improvement, but the outside is also filled with potential. A landscaper can help you create a path through a well-kept garden to place emphasis on the land as well as the home. Build a patio adjacent to the house or install a fence to make the property pet-friendly.
• Some of the projects that will make the greatest visual impression are painting, roofing, and siding. Another way to completely update the look of your home is by changing the windows.

If your project is particularly extensive, it may be difficult to live in your home for a while. Consider staying in a hotel for the duration of the work. Boarding your pets also makes sense to avoid putting them under stress or in danger.

Protect yourself from scams when planning a home improvement project

Home improvement scams happen in many ways. You can protect yourself and avoid becoming a victim of a scammer by keeping an eye out for red flags that may pop up when you are talking to a contractor. Be wary if a potential contractor:

• Avoids putting anything into writing.
• Avoids pulling permits.
• Demands payment upfront.
• Changes the price of the total that was agreed upon.
• Approaches you. Beware of those who scour neighborhoods after a storm or natural disaster. They may try to scare you into business by falsely stating that your property is unsafe.
• Sells you discounted material from another job. The right home improvement company should know how much material is needed for a job, which would negate any leftovers.

The best way to stay protected is by doing research first. Ask for referrals from previous customers about their home improvement projects or search for reviews online. Check their listed business address to confirm it is an actual business, not a P.O. Box or vacant lot. Ask about their accreditation status or select an accredited business from our list of home improvement companies near you.

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