So, you’re ready to do some home improvement but don’t know where to start? Well, rest easy because we’ve got some great tips and tricks for you. Whether you’re selling your house in Santa Cruz or want to spruce it up and make a warm environment for you and your family, home remodeling in santa cruz doesn’t always have to cost you an arm and a leg. Best of all, you can do most of it yourself. From weekend home improvement projects to best home improvements to increase value, there are plenty of things to improve your home. But, before you hop in, you’ll want to keep some things in mind. So, get out your toolbox ready.

Here are 20 Smart Home Improvement Tips You Need to Know.

20. Being zealous to take on any project, it can be easy to forget basic safety. Sometimes you might try to cut corners to save some money to the detriment of your safety. But, no matter what, always wear the appropriate equipment whether it be eyewear, gloves, foot protection, or something else.

19. over 300 people die from falling off ladders each year and 164,000 people end up in the emergency room. On top of that, the United States is the world leader in ladder deaths. So, buy a strong, sturdy ladder, and follow appropriate safety guidelines.

18. If you’re a homeowner, no one has to tell you energy is expensive. It can suck the money right out of your wallet. A top priority should be finding the energy holes in your house and fixing them. It could be as easy as replacing your light bulbs to LEDs, upgrading your appliances, getting a smart thermostat, or installing better insulation. Speaking of saving on energy, you should shut your closet doors regularly. Yes, it might sound ridiculous, but it’s true. Making sure your closet doors are shut insulates your house and saves on energy.

17. Ditch the cheap tools you got for Christmas or those old tools you’ve been using since college and go invest in some quality tools that you can use for years. It shouldn’t have to be said, but having good tools will make your job much easier.

16. Usually, a hot water heater is set at 140 degrees Fahrenheit, but it doesn’t need to be that scalding hot. The U.S. Department of Energy recommends putting it down to 120 degrees, instead.

15. If you’re looking to sell your house, it goes without saying you’ll want to spruce up the property. However, it doesn’t make sense to put money into projects that won’t give you much of a return. Once you’ve figured out what those are for you, prioritize them by value and start checking them off the list once completed.

14. Maybe you want to upgrade your kitchen but don’t have the money. An easy and quick way to give your kitchen a tiny spruce is to update the cabinet pulls in your kitchen. You can do it yourself, and it won’t break the bank.

13. Depending on the age of your faucets, you might need to replace them. Whether hard water has damaged them, or they’re not cosmetically appealing anymore, replacing a faucet is easy and fairly inexpensive.

12. If you have kids, or if you’re honest with yourself and know you stay in the shower too long, installing a shower timer might be just what you need. It’s easy and will help you reduce the amount of water you use.

11. It might sound strange, but replacing your garage door can give you one of the highest returns on investment, approximately 82.5 percent. If you get a little better-looking door than you already have, it’ll greatly improve your house, make it sell faster, and for more.

10. While you’re replacing doors, you’ll want to turn to your front door next. Upgrade to a steel entry door, and you’ll likely see101.8 percent return on investment.

9. Outside lighting fixtures near your entryways and garage can look pretty worn and rusty over time. If yours look like they need to be replaced, there’s no easier way to give your house good curb appeal than replacing them.

8. Everyone loves popcorn, but today, unfortunately, no one loves popcorn ceilings. They scream outdated. The bad news is this isn’t an easy process and requires many steps and patience to see it through, including asbestos testing if your house was built before the 80’s.

7. Painting the interior trim is no small feat, but if your house has an outdated trim, giving it a modern and updated look will certainly improve the quality of the home. Unfortunately, this will require patience and plenty of research. Use the wrong brushes or rush the project and you might do more harm than good.

6. Some home improvement projects can easily be done by a novice repairman. Do a little research, maybe ask a friend to give you a hand, and get the task done. Others, however, are much more difficult and should not be done by an unskilled professional. Know when to call a contractor or professional when a job seems like too much. It’ll give you peace of mind knowing it was done right.

5. If you want to sell your house, putting up a neutral coat of paint will help make your house look new, clean, and fresh. Or, if you’re sticking around, putting up some color will certainly make you feel more at home. You’ll be simply amazed at what a change it will make!

4. Who said you needed a large home office? If you’re looking for a home office, but you’re tight on space, you can convert your closet into one.

3. Solar energy has become the new thing to do. Installing solar panels will save you money in the long run on energy costs, and if you do it before 12/31/2019, the U.S. government will give you a 30% tax credit.

2. Whether you want to add a stone path, do a little gardening, or just improve the look of your lawn, a little bit of work on the outside of your house can go a long way.

1. If you haven’t’ replaced your shower head in a while, it might be time to replace it, especially if you have hard water. Hard residue and scum can build up over time, reducing the water pressure. Fortunately, replacing a shower head is cheap, easy, and will greatly improve your showers.