Tips for Upgrading Your Home’s Lifestyle

For most homeowners, a house is the single largest investment they will ever make. Because of that, it is natural to evaluate every remodeling project by asking, “Will I get my money back when I sell?”

While resale value is certainly important, homeowners should ask a different question before beginning a remodeling project: “Will this improve the way I live and the quality of life while I’m here?”

Your home is much more than an investment. It is where your family gathers for birthdays and holidays, where children grow up, where grandchildren visit, where friends come together, and where you relax after a busy day. It is the place where some of life’s best memories are made.

Here are five improvements that consistently provide exceptional lifestyle value:

Create an Outdoor Living Room with a Covered Porch

A deck is a wonderful place to enjoy the outdoors. A covered porch, however, changes the way you use your home. Without protection overhead, your outdoor enjoyment is dictated by the weather. A beautiful summer afternoon can quickly become uncomfortable under the hot Georgia sun, and an unexpected rain shower often sends everyone running indoors just as the evening is getting started.
A covered porch changes all of that. Instead of simply having a place to step outside, you gain another living room, one that allows you to enjoy the outdoors throughout much of the year while remaining protected from the elements.

Make Your Porch Comfortable in Almost Any Weather

One of today’s greatest luxuries is not choosing between being indoors or outdoors, it is having the freedom to enjoy both whenever you want. Modern retractable screens, motorized screen systems, retractable vinyl window systems, and other flexible enclosure options allow you to adapt your outdoor living space as weather conditions change throughout the day. Open everything on a beautiful spring morning and enjoy fresh air flowing through the room. Lower the screens when mosquitoes arrive in the evening. Close retractable windows during cooler weather while still maintaining your connection to the outdoors. Reduce glare during the hottest part of the afternoon without sacrificing natural light.

Build an Outdoor Kitchen that Brings Everyone Together

Outdoor kitchens rarely produce the highest percentage return when someone calculates resale value. What they do produce is something much harder to measure. They create memories. Think about every gathering you have hosted. No matter how large your home may be, people almost always find themselves standing around the kitchen. An outdoor kitchen simply moves that gathering place outside.
Instead of everyone crowding into the house, conversations continue around the grill, children have room to play, and guests naturally spread out while enjoying the fresh air. Your outdoor kitchen does not need to be elaborate to be effective. A quality built-in grill, refrigerator, sink, generous countertop space, and convenient storage often provide everything needed to prepare meals while remaining part of the conversation.

Preserve the View You Already Have

Every home has something worth looking at. It may be a beautifully landscaped backyard, a swimming pool, mature hardwood trees, golf course, wooded green space, or simply the feeling of openness your backyard provides. Traditional railings serve an important safety purpose, but they also interrupt your view. From a seated position, vertical balusters often become more noticeable than the scenery beyond them. Glass railing systems solve that problem beautifully. Tempered safety glass panels provide the same protection required by today’s building codes while preserving virtually unobstructed sightlines.

Enjoy the Outdoors Year-Round with a Four-Season Room

A four-season room offers something few other home improvements can provide. It allows you to experience the beauty of the outdoors while remaining completely comfortable indoors. Unlike a screened porch or seasonal room, a professionally designed four-season room is insulated, climate-controlled, and comfortable every month of the year. Expansive glass walls fill the room with natural light while maintaining your connection to the outdoors regardless of the weather. These rooms quickly become some of the most versatile spaces in the home.
There is nothing wrong with thinking about resale value. Every remodeling project should be a thoughtful investment. Think about how you want to live while you are fortunate enough to call your current house home. If an improvement encourages you to spend more time outdoors, gather with family more often, entertain friends more comfortably, or simply enjoy your home in ways you could not before, you have already received an outstanding return on your investment.
Someday another family may own your home and appreciate the improvements you have made. Until then, you and your family get to enjoy them every single day.

Stan Garnet is a licensed Georgia General Contractor, IRC Residential Code Inspector, and ACI/ASHI Certified Home Inspector. As owner of Builders America, he has spent decades inspecting, repairing, and renovating homes throughout Georgia. His goal is to help homeowners understand their homes, prevent costly repairs, and build beyond minimum code standards. Stan can be reached at BuildersAmerica.com or 770-512-8228.