Home improvement projects you should tackle before you move in

When buying a home, you’re understandably anxious to move in as soon as possible. But you can save yourself a lot of trouble if you take the time to resolve a couple of home improvement projects before you do. The following projects only get harder once you’ve moved in so it’s better to be patient, and put off moving day to make sure they’re taken care of first.

Change the locks

Before you put your belongings, and even more important, your family, into the new home, you need to ensure that anyone who might have access to keys to the home aren’t able to get in. No matter how much you trust the previous owners and even if you know them personally, this is a good idea because you never know who they may have given keys to.

Replace or clean the floors

It’s easier to install new flooring or to have the carpets cleaned when you haven’t yet moved all your furniture in. If you’ve ever had to do this, you know how big a pain it is to move all of your furniture out of a room and have the floors replaced one room at a time.

Repair or replace the roof

If the home inspection turned up any issues with the roof, then you need to take care of it before move in day. Roofing issues can turn into roof leaks and you don’t want your furniture or other belongings being damaged by water. You may be able to get the home seller to pay for the work or at least lower the sale price for the home a bit.

Remove popcorn ceilings

Despite the fact that popcorn ceilings look hideous and are hated by all of America, they’re still surprisingly common, especially in older homes. Though they’re not too difficult to remove--all you have to do is moisten the area then scrape it off--it is difficult to clean up if the shavings fall all over and around your furnishings. If you tackle this project before moving in, simply lay down some plastic sheeting and when you’re done removing the popcorn ceiling, roll it up and throw it away.

Fix any leaks

The roof isn’t the only way water can get into your home. If the home inspection reveals any problems with the siding, foundation, or any other parts of the home where water can get it, don’t want till you move in to take care of it.

Child-proof it

You don’t want to spend a single day in a home that isn’t child- or pet-proofed because that’s all it takes for something to go wrong. So if you have young children and/or pets, make sure that any stairs in the home are blocked by a safety gate. Also make sure any cupboards or drawers where you plan to store chemicals, knives, or other hazardous things are child-locked as well.

After move-in day

With these projects out of your way you can move in and then continue the work of making it yours. All the other projects you have in mind whether it’s replacing the cabinets, upgrading the lighting, or installing baseboard heater covers.

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