While new gutters are probably not as eye-catching as a front yard fountain or vibrant paint job, they are one of the most cost-effective upgrades to maintain your home’s value. Gutters not only offer practicality, but they protect your home from water damage, which can be a huge deterrent to prospective house buyers (not to mention very costly for you as the homeowner!) According to DiGiorgi Roofing in Connecticut, outdoor maintenance (including adding newer, more efficient gutters) is in the top ten home improvement projects that increase your home’s value. In fact, they reveal that outdoor maintenance has an 86% return on investment. It may sound obvious, but the first thing that people see when they pass your house is the exterior. If you’re hoping to sell your house and the passerby is a prospective buyer, he or she may skip over your home altogether, thinking the inside couldn’t be better than the outside.
Unfortunately, many home buyers today do judge a book by its cover, so even if your home’s interior is beautifully decorated, home shoppers may never see it because they couldn’t get past the front door. Fixing up gutters or replacing old gutters with newer, more efficient ones can not only beautify your home, but increase what it’s worth since buyers don’t want to have to make over an entire house after they move-in. When it comes to renovating your home to sell it, you may have to spend a little in order to gain a lot. But even if you’re not actively trying to sell your home, faulty gutters or a complete lack of gutters can leave your home vulnerable to water damage. Leaky or poorly-installed gutters can cause damage to your roof line or flood your yard. The water won’t drain properly and puts excess pressure on your roof, injuring the roof or causing the water to downpour onto your siding and foundation. HomeAdvisor.com reports that the national average cost of water damage is $1500. If you think getting a gutter installation or tune-up is expensive and unnecessary, remember the cost of your alternative. Your gutters will likely end up paying for themselves for what they’ll save you in damage costs! If you truly want to safeguard your home (and your bank account), upgrade or repair any run-down gutters. Functional gutters will not only add value to your home, but they’ll make it a better place to live.
http://www.homeadvisor.com/cost/disaster-recovery/repair-water-damage
