Introduction
I must say after almost 9 years of being a house owner; the owning part is easy, but keeping the appeal up can take a fair amount of work. I knew my limits so I did my best to simplify.
People have their own situations in life. Kids might be young and at the other end, they might have moved out. Expectations we have for our property change with the changes in our lives.
If you’re unfamiliar with the term, what is curb appeal and why is it important you might be asking now. Curb appeal is all the attractive things we see when we first arrive at someone’s home and view it from the street.
I like to think of it as the things people notice when they take the first look at your home. Is the driveway clean, is the walkway clear, what kind of decorations there are and so on.
I’d even dare to say curb appeal can make clear statements about you. What kind of house owner are you, do you like to keep your house in good condition?
If you’re planning on selling your house, you might notice why these things are important.
Curb appeal examples
So we have established curb appeal is something to take notice of right? Depending on the situation, things might look bad, but I assure you that making your house surroundings more appealing isn’t that hard.
In fact, something like improving your home’s curb appeal can be something simple like fixing your concrete driveway and boosting its appearance.
Your concrete driveway is just one of the major pieces of your home’s curb appeal. The path that leads to your front door is another part of your home’s curb appeal.
After guests pull up and park on your driveway, they step out and onto your path or walkway. Whether you have a straight concrete walkway, a curved concrete path, or another style, your pathway deserves attention.
It leads the way to your home, so it deserves to be well-maintained.
How to make sure your concrete path is in top shape
Let’s get down to the promised tips. Some people like to do things with money, I’m more of an effort guy so you will notice these things can be done with a tight budget.
Concrete paths and walkways
Concrete paths and walkways are the first things we notice when we arrive somewhere. We park our car or walk next to the property and there it is right in front of us when we’re looking for our way into the front door.
So how do you make a better impression?
Tip 1: Clean your concrete walkway
That’s correct, the easiest and cheapest way to tune our curb appeal is actually to make it clean.
Use a broom to remove the dirt and debris that litter your path. Then, use a weed eater with a lawn edger to create a clean line against the path. You’ll need to sweep again.
Now, examine the state of your concrete. If there are areas of damaged concrete and cracks in your path, you should not use a power washer before repairing the damage.
Move on to the next step to repair any cracks and uneven concrete. When your path is in good condition, you can use a power washer to give your path a thorough cleaning.
Tip 2: Repair concrete that is damaged or uneven
Nature has its way, and over time, your concrete path will wear down and start to lose its original appearance. You may need to seal cracks and joints to protect them from the elements.
If you have sunken or damaged concrete, you have a trip hazard. Concrete repair can solve this quickly. If you want to do it yourself, I have a guide for concrete driveway repairs and also for grinding unlevel concrete.
If you want a brand-new concrete surface, you can even go for a new concrete overlay.
Tip 3: Add accent lighting
A dark path to the house can feel uninviting when you come in front of someone’s house. An easy way to turn this around is to install some inviting lights.
Now I promised this would be cheap, electrician and outdoor lamps can turn into an expensive uplift. What you can do, if you have some outdoor lights installed, is upgrade them to something that either spots the light or gives out more light.
So make your pathway more inviting by lighting the way. Choose path lighting that compliments your landscaping design.
If you install new lights, space the lights apart evenly along the side of the path. Your lighting system not only sheds light on the path, but it provides safety and security.
Tip 4: Add flair
It’s possible to do small upgrades to add some flair. Doesn’t even have to be too extensive to show someone has thought this out.
Whether a garden sprawls on either side of your path or a minimalistic row of shrubs lines your path, you can ensure your landscaping complements the walkway. Consider adding to your garden or using an archway over your path. A garden gate might be the right touch for your home.
Concrete patios and doorways
We’ve covered some ground for curb appeal, but there is still more. Driveways and paths are good to have in top condition, but we also have other things worth noticing.
Next on the list are the front door and the patio which both are attractive spots for the eyes of our visitors and by-passers.
Here are some more tips to add some life to patios and doorways and complete your curb appeal transformation.
Tip 5: Add a container garden to your patio
Switch up your home’s style when the mood strikes by using different containers and plants. Moving your containers and rearranging your plants for a quick burst of life whenever you want is much easier this way.
If you want to make some decorations yourself, here is a guide for garden spheres and concrete planters. There are also a lot of free guides all over the internet for people interested in crafting decorations by themselves.
Traditional plants also work, but with containers, you can become accustomed to changes in seasons and such. And sometimes you might want more and sometimes less, with removable containers you have a choice.
Tip 6: Turn to the classic window box
A window box full of colorful flowers adds a touch of elegance and sweetness to your home’s front face. Like with containers, you have lots of options here.
Now if you’re like me and don’t want to spend too much time taking care of plants. You can also use other decorations or easy-to-maintain plants.
We can also take note that sometimes less is more. Not every window has to be filled with plants, but 1 or 2 by the door can easily give out an image of caring and upkeep.
Tip 7: Start at the base
Now here it’s just me being an old construction guy, but with a new project, I always like to start with basics. The groundwork that can be built upon done well will always make it easy to continue.
If your driveways, walkways, etc. are in bad condition; no flowers in windows will save it. Having a hierarchy and trying to keep the big picture in mind is important.
If your patio is covered with branching cracks, you’ve got bigger problems to handle. Shifting foundations and other factors can affect your front steps and patio, causing pieces to shift from each other or cracks to form.
Fixing an unsightly concrete patio does leaps and bounds to improving your home’s curb appeal.
Tip 8: Think about architecture
Brackets and corbels add structure and interest to your patio. Using architectural pieces can add depth and richness to an otherwise plain entryway.
Personally, I’m not too much into complex stuff. Trying to keep it simple and not having the elements fight with each other has always seemed the safest option for me.
Regarding architectural pieces, we don’t have to make everything by ourselves. In fact, online stores have a lot of options with a variety of stuff.
There are ready-to-install ones or if you own some tools you might want to try making some yourself. It doesn’t have to be too complicated; even simple architectural elements have their own uses.
Tip 9: Update the classics
Now we might have most of these things under control, no need to do anything right? Well the basics might be good and everything is in control, but development is achieved by progress.
Add some creativity to your home’s curb appeal. Upgrade the classic small house numbers by purchasing large numbers and painting them a contrasting color. Pop them on your door or near the door. A large, overstated doorknocker brings character to your front door.
Conclusion
Curb appeal is all about small things that will make up the big picture. Simply looking “clean” can make a big difference in the eyes of the guests.
To make it easier, yearly maintenance is a good thing, checking cracks on concrete and getting rid of dirt and weeds before they cause stains, etc.
Not only will it help you to look good, but it’s also generally taking care of your property stuff and it will save you money in the long run. Concrete can be expensive to replace and most of the garden stuff can also cost. Usually, the nicer it is, the worse it is for our wallets.
As the last thing, a well-maintained house also reflects on us. People make assumptions about others by how they live and handle their property. To some, it might not matter, but for those whom it does, it’s something easy to do.
You start with the easiest things and move on to the bigger ones. When you get used to working on your property, it doesn’t seem so much like a chore but something that is supposed to be done, like taking out the trash.
