The Home Features People Regret Not Including During Renovations
Don’t skip these important upgrades.
Most renovations are a byproduct of a few transformative—but also kind of predictable—home improvement projects. Demo a few walls, rejigger your layout, switch up your bathroom tile and voilà! Good as new. But according to home repair experts, following the blueprint so many homeowners do is only scratching the surface. In fact, there are a bunch of upgrades that often go unnoticed and...well, forgotten.
So, we enlisted a few specialists to help ensure your home lives up to its full potential. Below, they share the details homeowners tend to skip during a big project—and wind up regretting the choice later. By adding just a few more tasks to your to-repair list, you can have a space that works overtime.
Baseboards
In the advent of color drenching, your millwork can sometimes go under-appreciated. But homeowners could stand to spend more time focusing on their baseboards, says Elmer Mayorga, a home repair professional in Southern California. “Changing these out is not expensive and makes a huge difference,” says Mayorga.
You’ll want to first consider size. While large baseboards might be suitable for traditional spaces, millwork under two inches have a contemporary appeal, he says. Once you’ve figured out the proportions, zero in on material. Unless you’re renovating a bathroom, plastic baseboard can read cheap, so stick with hardwood or medium-density fiberboard.
Outlets
Nowadays, it’s virtually impossible to go through a day without having to plug something into an outlet. Your phone? Your alarm clock? An air fryer? Translation: It’s important to have a lot of outlets, which is something many people overlook.
“Once a wall is closed up, adding outlets can become more expensive,” says Ben Kolo of Mr. Electric of Central Iowa, a Neighborly company. Updating the lighting, outlets, and switches during the overall renovation can save time and money.”
In addition to having enough outlets—especially, in the right places—Kolo recommends investing in whole-home surge protection as well as USB and USB-C ports.
Smart Storage
Storage is the gift that keeps on giving, but it can be grossly deprioritized. “After focusing on finishes, colors, and fixtures during a renovation, homeowners often forget to consider space, often realizing later that functional storage makes a bigger impact on day-to-day satisfaction,” says Brian Meussner, president of Mr. Handyman, a Neighborly company. The most neglected spaces? The kitchen, bathroom, mudroom, and laundry area.
Focus on the small details, he says. Built-in storage and soft-close cabinet doors can make a big difference.
A Timely Thermostat
A new-and-improved home should never be surface level, which is why it’s important to consider your HVAC system upfront. “If the system isn’t updated along with other renovations, it may require cutting into and removing areas of the home that were just renovated,” says Lane Dixon, president of Aire Serv, a Neighborly company.
Instead, updating your system with the rest of your space can take a lot of stress off your plate in the long run. Make sure your HVAC is up-to-snuff, and consider adding a smart thermostat to the mix.
Hardwood Floors
One of the most forgotten areas is hiding right underneath your nose, says Mayorga. “Some people leave floors until the end and then end up replacing everything anyway when they sell the house,” he explains. “They leave it for last, but floors are the one thing that makes a huge impact.”
You may be tempted to skip the floors because of the expense—recent reports suggest refinishing hardwood floors can cost up to $8 per square foot—but it’s a worthy investment. Whether you’re in your forever home or plan to stay for a while, consider redoing your floors now while you can still enjoy them.
Kelsey Mulvey is a freelance journalist who has over a decade of experience in print and digital media. She covers interior design and lifestyle content for a breadth of publications, including Good Housekeeping, Country Living, House Beautiful, Veranda, and more. Her hobbies include themed spinning classes, Netflix, and nachos.
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