With your home being the single most expensive thing any of us will probably ever purchase, making changes, improvements or renovations to it can be a scary proposal. What if it goes wrong? What if we make the wrong choices? This article will help you wade through the rights and wrongs with some great tips and ideas for your home improvement projects.

Every piece of real estate is subject to building codes; the savvy land buyer will research these codes well in advance of making a purchase. Without proper research, the requirements imposed by local codes and zoning regulations can present a nasty surprise to land holders who intend to build a new home or improve an existing one.

When remodeling your kitchen, decide whether you really need enclosed cabinetry. Cabinets are often one of the most expensive pieces of kitchen remodeling, and you can save money by choosing open shelving instead. Shelves give you instant access to your cooking utensils, serving dishes, and ingredients. It’s a great idea for casual kitchens that get a lot of use.

Just because a room is lacking in square footage doesn’t mean it has to seem cramped or confined. Look for ways to make the room appear lighter and more airy. For example, losing those curtains and going with blinds will work. Simply cleaning the windows will also work. Natural lighting can add so much to a room; even seeming to increase the size. Paint your walls a color that is pale and do not have a cluttered home. That tiny room will suddenly seem much more spacious and breathable.

You can waste a lot of money and hot water by failing to properly insulate your hot water heater. Stop by a home improvement store and purchase an insulating jacket to enclose your hot water heater. Ideally, the insulation will be about 3 inches thick. This is an affordable and easy way to help your water tank to retain as much as 75 percent more heat that would ordinarily be lost.

Make some simple fixes around your home. Things like squeaky doors, sticky cabinets or worn out address numbers really make an impact on the potential buyer. It makes them wonder on how you actually take care of the home and may make them question whether or not they want to make an offer.

If you are trying to decide what home improvement projects to take on to prepare your home for resale, then remember the old real estate adage, “Kitchens and bathrooms sell homes.” If you only have funds to improve a couple rooms, then start with your kitchens and bathrooms to see the biggest improvement in your asking price.

Hopefully the information that you have just read will help you realize that home improvement isn’t as scary as it can seem. There are wrong choices that can be made, but if you stick to these tips, you will have the information you need to make good choices and have a great and valuable home.