Welcome to the neighborhood. Whether you’ve just moved in or you’re busy renovating in preparation for the move, you have a daunting task. You need to make sure that your home is functional and beautiful and that it fits well into the feel of the neighborhood. How can your home contribute to the appeal of the neighborhood as a whole? 

Upgrade and Update 

As you move into a new home, upgrading and updating it will help you bring your home up to or above the standard in the neighborhood. What should you improve around the house? 

• Fix the roof: look for roof shingles that are missing or damaged. 
• Look for valleys in the roof where water, moss, mud, and other debris accumulate. 
• Repair, clean, and paint your siding. 
• Remove damaged gutters or gutters that are collecting leaves due to improper installation, and replace them with new seamless gutters that have gutter covers. 
• Your windows and doors may need maintenance and caulking, and they probably need to be cleaned as well.
• Examine your decks, porches, and stairs to ensure that they are aesthetically pleasing and are in good repair. 
• Look around the garden for problem areas. Are there patches of weeds or soggy areas that are always muddy? Plan to remodel your garden to remove these problematic spaces, either by regrading, adding garden beds or hardscaping.

Give It Curb Appeal 

After you’ve completed some of the fundamental maintenance tasks that will help your home function well and look good, it’s time to take your home maintenance up a notch and really make an impact in your community. Wouldn’t you like to have the home that people look at and say, “What a gorgeous home?” Here’s how to move toward that goal:

• Make your front door more beautiful. According to This Old House, “your front entry is your home’s ambassador, signaling to guests if you are friend or foe.” Paint it, stain it, remove the damage, but get your front door looking good.
• Set to work on your pathways, patios, and decks. It’s easy to ignore the cracks when you’ve lived there for a while. With your fresh eyes, look at ways to repair damaged areas and refinish places that look dull and exposed to the elements. 
• Paint your house. If you’re moving in during dry weather, now is the time to make a new statement with your home. Even if you choose unique colors, blend them with the garden and the neighborhood feel. 
• Is your fencing sagging? Fix it up, paint it up, or add a new fence. Do the same with hedging: prune it or replace it if it’s dying off. 
• Make a plan to mow the lawn and take care of the gardens, or switch to a smaller-scale garden that’s easier to manage.
• If you find that your landscaping is just too much for you to handle, install hardscaping like garden beds or terraces when you move in. These elements can be striking and beautiful, and they help to minimize outdoor chores. 

Make It Safe 

Neighborhood safety is an issue no matter where you live. Depending on your location, you could be concerned about the local coyotes or about the possibility of theft, but no matter what, you need to make sure that you’re contributing to a safer neighborhood. What can you do to add to neighborhood safety? 

• Keep your hedges trimmed. According to Home Advisor, “the last thing you want is to make it easier for a thief to hide when attempting to break in, so eliminate his options for hiding spots.”
• Prune your trees. Tall trees can allow people to access the upper levels of your home.
• Create storage spaces that allow you to easily store valuables like bikes and lawn mowers out of sight. These spaces will also help you keep your garden tidy.
• Install better lighting around your home, including sensors that go on at night. This helps keep you and your guests safe when navigating steps and pathways and also helps deter thieves.

At Harry Helmet, we’re here to help you solve your home problems. Are you wondering how you can improve your seamless gutters or add gutter covers? Contact us to schedule a free estimate today.

Written by Del Thebaud