Spring and summer are perfect seasons for outdoor home upgrades. We have great ideas for expanding your living space, enhancing your home’s appearance and value, and having more fun. We have tips for practical maintenance projects too.

Build a Deck or Patio

When the weather gets warm, we’re more likely to spend more time outside and decks and patios are great places to do it. These spaces are perfect for relaxing, spending time with friends, eating a meal, and even working. Prices vary but the average deck might cost around $8,200 and the average patio might cost $3,900 according to Angie’s List.

Install an Inground Pool

Building a pool can be a big project but it can turn your backyard into a summer vacation destination you’ll enjoy every day. Angie’s List estimates an inground pool might cost you between $44,16 and $86,104.

Dig into a Garden, Flower Boxes, or Planters

The world comes back to life after the cold months. Bring your home back to life with it. If you have a yard, consider planting a garden. It can make your home more beautiful, give you flowers and vegetables, and help you get exercise. You can also dig into flower boxes and planters. Learn more about vegetable gardens.

Reimagine Your Landscaping

If planting a garden sounds like too much work, think about reimaging your landscaping. Trees, shrubs, flowering plants, and ground cover can do a lot to make your home more vibrant.

Many homeowners are using native plants to make their yards more sustainable and provide habitats for local birds and pollinators. This is a great DIY project or you can hire a landscaper.

Build a Fence

Fencing can increase your privacy and give kids and pets a safe place to play. A new fence might cost between $4,000 and $12,000 depending on materials, length, and installation according to Home Guide.

Trim Your Trees

Trees are great until they get too big or too old. Then they can provide too much shade or become a concern when they grow close to your home. You can trim small branches near the ground yourself, but you’ll want professionals to handle bigger jobs.

The size of the tree has a big impact on the price for trimming. Trees under 30 feet tall are usually less expensive to trim than trees which are 60 feet tall. You might pay between $200 and $760 per tree according to Home Advisor.

Refresh Your Paint, Brickwork, or Siding

Repainting your house, restoring bricks, or installing new siding are practical ways to maintain your home and improve its curb appeal. The cost varies depending on the size of your house, the materials involved, and more. If the exterior of your home is sound but a little dirty, think about power washing to brighten it up.

Replace Your Pavers, Walkways, Sidewalk, or Driveway

Time and weather can be hard on the paths to, from, and around your home. Upgrading pavers and walkways can be an inexpensive way to refresh your property. Replacing a sidewalk might cost between $720 and $2,470 according to Angie’s List. Replacing a driveway might cost between $1,700 and $6,900 according to Home Guide. Like many ideas on this list, the size of the project, the materials you choose, and labor expenses can have a significant effect on the price you pay.

Upgrade Your Front Door or Garage Door

Replacing or upgrading your front door or garage door can improve your home’s appearance without spending a ton of money. These are also upgrades people frequently make when they are thinking about selling their home. According to Home Depot, replacing your outside front door might cost between $398 and $998. Replacing a garage door might cost between $2,725 and $6,325.

Redo Your Roof

Maintaining your roof is an important part of protecting your home and avoiding expensive repairs. Replacing your roof can also be an opportunity to enhance your home’s appeal. Architectural Digest says the average cost of a new roof is $10,000 but the cost can be higher or lower depending on the size of your home and other factors.

Replace Your Windows

New windows can help you reduce drafts, save money on energy bills, increase your home’s value, and improve its appearance. They can be easier to open and close too.

The cost of replacing a window varies significantly depending on the size of the window, the material you choose, the installation cost, and more. According to USA Today, you might pay between $900 and $2,500 per window.

Enhance Your Exterior Lighting

Outdoor lighting can make you more secure and enhance your home’s beauty. You have plenty of choices beyond lights for your doors, garage, and walkways. You can install lights around porches, patios, and pools. You can hang them from trees and add them to planters. And don’t forget candles are an inexpensive way to light up your outdoor spaces too.

Enclose a Porch or Patio, or Build an Addition

Sometimes you want more outdoor space. Sometimes you need more indoor space. Warmer months are best for major projects like these.

Decks.com estimates it can cost between $10,000 and $40,000 to enclose a porch, patio, or deck. Adding screens to a porch or covered patio is typically less expensive than enclosing it with windows.

The cost of building an addition varies depending on the size and complexity of the project. Angie’s List says home additions can cost between $80 and $210 per square foot. You’ll want to plan your additions carefully, find reliable contractors, and get several bids.

For big projects like home additions, you’ll probably need to get a loan to pay for them. You may be able to use your home’s equity to get the cash you need. Learn more about paying for home improvements.