How to Increase Curb Appeal Without Breaking the Bank

Updating your home’s curb appeal doesn’t have to be costly. There are many ways you can make improvements and not have to worry about breaking the bank. Small changes will have large payoffs if you choose wisely. There are a number of reasons you might want to improve curb appeal. Selling your home is a great reason. It will make it more attractive to buyers. But, it might just be time to make a few upgrades so you can fall in love with it all over again. Regardless of why we’ve rounded up some easy and cost-effective ways of adding curb appeal.

UPDATE YOUR HARDWARE

From light fixtures to house numbers, there are various pieces of hardware on the exterior of the home that could benefit from an upgrade. Anything that is dingy, rusted, or out of style consider replacing. You would be surprised how much of an improvement you would see by attaching new house numbers or switching out the lockset. The upgrade will only work if you replace with metals that are the same. Whether it’s bronze, brass, or brushed nickel, now is not the time to mix and match.

PAINT YOUR FRONT DOOR

You wouldn’t believe how much the front door will impact your curb appeal. It doesn’t require much time and effort and can usually be done with just a gallon of paint. When choosing a color go for contrast. Try to steer clear of anything tonal. For example, try not to pick a brown the same shade as your brick. A contrast color would include choosing a neutral opposite your home. If your paneling is beige, go with a dark brown or black. Another option is working with a bright color. It still adds contrast but a little more interest.

ADD OUTDOOR LIGHTING

Outdoor lighting adds curb appeal, and there are a variety of ways to do it. The most common method is by adding them along the walking path if you have one. Buyers will like this because it appears inviting for guests, but also adds a little security. You can take it a step further and accent trees or illuminate the front of your house with spotlights. There is a lot of flexibility regarding design so you can get creative.

GIVE THE HOUSE A WASH

Removing dirt and debris from the siding, walkways, and driveway is a cost-effective option for adding curb appeal. Turning your garden hose to the strongest setting is all you need to get started. There is an option to rent a power washer, which might set you back about $40-$75, but the hose in your garden should be enough. Just be careful around windows and don’t spray up the siding. The pressure from the water can remove caulking or damage the siding if you aren’t careful.

ADD TO YOUR MAILBOX

You can update the mailbox a variety of different ways. If the mailbox itself is dingy or rusted, go ahead and swap it out for something new. If you’ve upgraded your fixtures, you could try to find something that matched the metal you chose for the front of the house. You can also create a little flower bed around the mailbox. It will give you an opportunity to add some personality. Try to pick something that won’t require a lot of maintenance.

LANDSCAPE YOUR FRONT YARD

There isn’t much point of updating curb appeal if your house isn’t visible due to overgrown foliage. Trim back trees and bushes that block windows, walkways, and creep into the driveway. Unless the branches of the trees are large, you can get most of this done with some hedge/pruning shears. Flower beds around the front of the house could also use a little updating or take this time to plant some if there aren’t any.

TIDY YOUR DRIVEWAY

You can start by removing trash and recycling bins. If there is an accumulation of large items that you haven’t taken to the dump, now is the time to do it. Notice the driveways integrity. Are there a lot of cracks or holes forming? Pluck any weeds that might be poking through and look into having your driveway patched and sealed. Patches will prevent cracks from spreading. Taking it a step further with sealcoating will increase traction and protect your driveway from UV rays and water damage with a clean, rich finish.

Visit our website for more information about the benefits of sealcoating your driveway and to get a pricing estimate.

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