How to Make a House Worth More

Refurbish your bathroom with a new bathtub, toilet and vanity with double sinks. Install a ceramic floor and hang vinyl wallpaper. A major bathroom remodel could include installing a radiant floor, a soaking tub and a walk-in shower.

Update an older kitchen. Install new appliances and reface the cabinets. Put in new flooring and redo the wall treatments. Major renovations include a new floor plan, marble countertops and top-of-the-line appliances.

Create more storage in the garage by installing a wall storage system. Build your own or buy one of the systems available at home improvement stores.

Repave the driveway, or replace it with natural stone. A cracked driveway is one of the first things people notice when they arrive at your house.

Spruce up the yard. Clear away bushes and tree limbs that obscure the house. Add a water element or a patio. Build a deck. Repaint the house or install vinyl siding. Replace damaged trim.

Bring electrical and plumbing systems up to code in older homes.

Make green improvements. Replace floors with sustainable woods. Replace water heaters with on-demand hot water systems. Install energy efficient windows and insulate attics and basements.

Adding a second bathroom, completely renovating the kitchen, remodeling the attic or basement or building a two-story addition are large projects that add considerable value to your home. But don't consider large home improvements if they make the house much more valuable than other houses in the neighborhood.