Are you scratching your head to come up with ways to transform your home into a more livable, comfortable space? It's the perennial question that keeps owners awake at night. How can you choose improvement projects that really make a difference? In addition to planning and deciding how to pay for the work, it's important to survey your entire home, spending ten to fifteen minutes in each room to consider the possibilities.

If you've already taken on the usual projects, like painting, adding a new roof, and renovating bathrooms and kitchen, what's left? Current trends in home improvement are centered around three types of projects and range in price from low to high. Fortunately, there's something for every taste and budget on the list. Homeowners are discovering the value-enhancing practicality of ADUs (accessory dwelling units), adding dedicated home office space, and installing extra-large video screens into walls. The starting point for each project is the written plan.

Planning the Job and Paying for it All

Spend several hours writing down all the details about the proposed project. Include lists of supplies you'll need, tools, instructional resources, and whether you need to consult with a contractor before beginning. Estimate costs and decide how to cover the expenses. Fortunately, you can look to personal loans from a private lender to finance the entire job. Home improvement is one of the most common reasons people borrow from private sources, which offer flexible terms and the chance to borrow an amount large enough to take care of the whole cost of an improvement project.

Accessory Dwelling Units

The official term for what many people call casitas, out-buildings, and mini-houses, is ADU, which stands for accessory dwelling unit. These small-scale houses are routinely located in backyards and feature their own electrical system, plumbing, a bathroom, a kitchenette, sleeping space, and a small living room area. This is an example of a space where ceiling fans are a good investment because your HVAC system might not accommodate this space. ADUs are ideal for adult children who are in graduate school or need a short-term place to stay. Or, consider using your ADU for a grandparent, visitor, or renter who is happy to live in an efficiency apartment on your property.

Outfitted Offices

It's one thing to work out of a converted second bedroom or partitioned space in the garage. However, if you work from home full-time, establishing your home workspace means considering adding an actual office to your home. That means installing things like standing desks, skylights, separate security systems, extra entry points for clients who visit you, ergonomic chairs, soundproofing, and more. A fully functional, dedicated home office can make your work life much more comfortable and private. The beauty of these add-ons is that most of the work is DIY, and prices are considerably lower than other improvements. Visit  Up Down Desk for Standing desk that improves productivity and efficiency

Giant Video Screens

If you're handy with power tools, installing a huge video screen into a wall can be a DIY project. Be sure to review the guidebook that comes with embedded screens to see if you're up to the task. If so, the primary component of the total cost will be the price of the screen. If you hire a contractor, expect to pay about twice the cost of the screen for them to do the installation.