5 Things to Do After Completing a Home Improvement Project
After weeks and months of work, stress, dust, and more, your home improvement project is complete. While it may be time to thank the contractor and wait for the invoice, there is still some work left to do. Here are some of the things you should do after a home improvement project.
Do a Final Walkthrough
Many contractors will usually do the final walkthrough for you, try to find any issues with the completed work, and rectify anything they find. However, it is also a good idea for you to do a final walkthrough of your own. Most contractors do not mind taking care of any imperfections or areas you are not 100% satisfied with.
Talk To Your Accountant About Tax Benefits
It might not be the first thing you think about after a home improvement project is complete, but it is always a good idea to find out if any of the improvements made can provide any tax benefits. Depending on where you live and the types of improvements made, there are several ways that these improvements can be claimed or written off as business expenses. It is also advisable to find out whether there are tax incentives that come with making these improvements. To further learn how home improvement projects benefit your taxes, talk to an accountant who specializes in taxes.
Fill Out and File Warranties
You likely added some new appliances during the home improvement. Go through all the products added and ensure that their warranties are filled out correctly. Get the necessary cards sent out or submitted online as required. Doing this will save you a lot of headaches if any of your new appliances break down soon after installation.
Update Your Insurance
Your home insurance provider will likely want to adjust the limits of your insurance policy. It is always better to call the insurance company and let them know about the changes to your home rather than have them call you to find out what is going on. In some cases, you might need to have a city assessor come down to your home to appraise it anew, as many jurisdictions consider a radically changed home to be a different home from the one they initially assessed.
Create a Maintenance Checklist
If you want the home to look nice for a long time, you need to learn how to maintain any new materials added to the home. For example, your bathroom may have received new tiles, or your kitchen may have received a new marble top. Creating a maintenance checklist is a great way to learn how to take care of the new materials in your home. It is also a great way to learn how not to damage these new materials and keep your home well-maintained for years or even decades.
Apart from the usual cleaning, dusting, and furniture rearrangement, there are a few things you need to do after you complete a home improvement project. Many of the things you need to do will be beneficial to both you and your home, while others will give you peace of mind such as ensuring your improved home has adequate insurance.