How to Choose the Perfect Summer Home Improvement Project

At Mr. Handyman of Memphis, we’re not in the business of telling you what to do with your home. We are, however, in the business of helping you improve your property’s efficiency and function. Do you feel you could do so many things to enhance your home, but you’re unsure how to choose the right home improvement project? That’s where we come in!

First, we recommend asking yourself what you’re trying to accomplish or the specific problems you want to solve. Is energy efficiency an issue? Are there summer project ideas you want to accomplish outside? Perhaps you’re more concerned with aesthetics? Regardless of the end game, we can help you decide which home improvement project would be best for your needs.

Do You Want to Increase Energy Efficiency (& Save Money)?

Think about your home and its functionality. Have you noticed an uptick in your energy costs? Or are vital systems working overtime just to keep up with normal operations? This is probably due to a lack of energy efficiency in your home. To combat that, try to complete some of the projects below.

Install Insulation

Your HVAC can only do so much to regulate internal temperatures when you don’t have sufficient insulation behind walls. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, you can reduce heat loss by up to 67% with insulation, saving you around 40% to operate your heating and cooling system annually with just attic insulation alone. So, while considering some summer project ideas, think about insulating your home for long-term benefits.

Schedule HVAC Maintenance

You probably don’t think about your HVAC often unless you’re trying to make your home feel more comfortable or the system malfunctions. HVAC repairs can be costly, but regular annual maintenance is one way to stave off issues. The Indoor Air Quality Association recommends annual maintenance to reduce energy bills, maintain your HVAC’s warranty, and extend your system’s operation lifespan.

This summer home improvement project is better left to a heating and cooling system professional to avoid mistakes that could cost you more on the back-end or severe injury.

Recaulk Window Sills

Does your home often feel drafty? Suppose you’re adjusting your thermostat to accommodate an unidentified chill in the air. In that case, you either have paranormal activity (which we doubt), or your window sills must be fortified to maintain comfortable temperatures. Assessing and recaulking window panes and sills helps reduce heat loss and save around 25-35% of energy usage.

One of our professional handymen can assist you in recaulking sills and help you avoid places you’re not supposed to add caulking. We can help you complete this easy and effective summer project idea quickly and easily.

Do You Want to Enhance Your Curb Appeal (& Add Property Value)?

Mulling over how to choose the right home improvement project may take you outside to examine your home’s exterior, considering what could use your undivided attention. After all, a first impression is everything, so you always want to keep the outside of your home looking its best.

Restain a Deck

Is your back deck, front porch, or patio looking the worse for wear? With the official start of summer right around the corner, you can’t entertain guests at your potential backyard barbeque with a water-damaged and weathered addition to your home. Our solution is to restain the deck or patio and give it a new lease on life.

Pressure Wash the Driveway

Concrete stains can be challenging to remove, especially when you don’t have the heavy-duty equipment to do the job expediently and correctly. Power washing your driveway isn’t a task we recommend you do yourself because the water pressure can damage your concrete if it’s too high, cost around $100 per day to rent, and could cause serious bodily injury if used incorrectly.

Your power washer should have a pressure rating of at least 3,000 PSI and a 4 GPM flow rate to sufficiently clean driveway concrete. Our Memphis team is happy to help you remove unsightly stains from your driveway or walkway for good.

Do You Want to Expand Your Living Space (& Improve ROI)?

Sometimes, the space you have just isn’t sufficient for your needs. Maybe your family is expanding, or you want more room to entertain guests. Either way, an addition to your home can be a great summer project idea you undertake and finish before the weather turns cold again.

Build an Outdoor Kitchen

Do you spend more time outside enjoying the fresh air than you do inside? Building an outdoor kitchen is the perfect excuse to cook, eat, and make memories with the ones you love in the great outdoors. While the median investment in an outdoor kitchen is $40,000, you may get 30% more ROI than expected at resale.

Construct a Deck

We mentioned earlier that restaining a deck or patio is an easy summer project idea that can significantly impact exterior aesthetics. However, if you don’t currently have a deck, Mr. Handyman of Memphis can support you! Our deck and patio construction services can help you recoup up to 75% of your initial investment, whether you want a composite or wood deck.

Do You Want to Improve Your Interior (& Impact Style)?

Summer is the ideal time to make some changes inside your home to spruce things up. Maybe you want to go from bright and airy to dark and moody in your bedroom. Painting interior doors and switching light fixtures can give you a look that matches your style.

Paint Interior Doors

Painting can be a hassle when you have to do it yourself because it involves more than just buying some paint and brushes from your local hardware store. You have to consider the color, finish, texture, and more. Dark earthy tones or bright pops of color on your doors can enhance your home’s aesthetic and make it look like it should be on the cover of a magazine.

Add Eye-Catching Light Fixtures

Have you always wanted a modern chandelier in your dining room or recessed lighting in the living room? Then this summer home improvement project is for you! Installing (or having a professional handyman install) new light fixtures is an easy yet impactful project you can complete in just a few minutes. If you’re doing this yourself, you’ll need to follow the installation instructions carefully to avoid serious injury.

To make the process even easier, hire a Memphis technician to assist you whether you have the existing wiring available or not.

Maybe You Want to Complete All of These Projects. Mr. Handyman Can Help!

Choosing a home improvement project isn’t that difficult when you know how it can benefit you financially and aesthetically. Our technicians at Mr. Handyman of Memphis have an average of 10 years of experience, and we’re ready to help you complete one or all of the above summer projects so that you can fall in love with your home all over again.