It is time to get the house ready to be put on the market. You want top dollar for the property and a great way to get it is to have your home looking it’s best. Parents with kids at home have to get creative during home repairs. We created a list of 6 kid friendly home repairs you can do as a family.
1) Painting
When mom and dad bring out the brushes and rollers kids are eager to jump in and help. Older kids can handle rolling paint while steady hands perfect the detailed work. Be ready for some spills and accidental misses by putting down a drop cloth and taping off edges. If you are not ready to let them help you with a big job, touch up painting is a great beginning step.
Supplies Needed:
- Paint with primer and sticks
- Old clothes
- Brushes and rollers
- Painters Tape
- Clean up and paint storage tools
2) Patching Drywall Dings
Hanging artwork and rambunctious kids can really take a toll on your drywall. Patching drywall is a job your kids can help complete.
Clean up any debris around the ding and using your putty knife spread the spackle over the hole. Dry according to package instructions. Your child can help sand the area smooth with sandpaper and then paint the repair with a soft rag.
Supplies Needed:
- Fast-drying spackle with primer
- Putty knife
- 120 grit sandpaper
- Paint to match the surrounding area
- Rag
3) Fixing Squeaky Doors and Cabinets
Opening and closing doors should be a smooth and quiet experience. If your home has a squeaky door or cabinet here is the easy kid-friendly fix.
First, help your child spray WD40 on the hinges of any squeaky doors. Show them how the canister works and where to spray. Swing the door back and forth to lubricate the entire hinge. Wipe off any excess and enjoy the silence.
If the hinges need tightening or the handles are loose, any kid that can handle a screwdriver can jump in and fix these issues.
Supplies Needed:
- WD40
- Philips and flathead screwdrivers
- Rag
4) Fixing a Running Toilet
When a prospective buyer walks into a bathroom that has a running toilet they will get a negative impression of the house. This is usually an easy fix. Most often a leaky flapper is the culprit.
The test: Take off the lid of your toilet’s tank and using a paint stick or other long hard object, have your child push down on the flapper. If the water running sound stops, you have found your problem.
The fix: Buy a new flapper. Shut off the water by turning the valve on the hose running from your toilet to the wall. Have your child flush the toilet and you or they can replace the flapper. When you hook the flapper on, make sure the chain has a little slack. Check out this article for visuals.
Supplies Needed:
- Painters Stick
- New Flapper
5) Sprucing up the Yard
Curb appeal is just as important as the look of your house. The first impression of your house may make or break a sale. Keep yards green and trimmed. Your kids can help pull weeds, mow, sweep, and rake.
Yard work is very kid friendly and there is a job for all ages, check out this article for a master list by age. Toddlers will do best pulling weeds and filling bags with leaves and other debris. Older children can handle any chore you know they are ready to tackle.
Supplies Needed:
- Garbage bags for leaves and debris
- Rake and broom
- Yard machines (weed eater, mower)
- Hose, sprinkler, and sprinkler wand
6) Tidy the Trim
Kids are drawn to writing on your walls and it seems window trim is a guaranteed art space. Kids of almost every age can use a magic eraser sponge to clean up the trim (they can reach). Once it is clean, check for missing nails, cracks, and if you need to replace any trim.
Finish nails matching your trim color are carefully tapped in to add stability. Fill any cracks with a small bead of acrylic latex caulk with silicone. Have your child wipe away any excess caulk or misses while you use a wet rag and your finger to smooth out the repair. Apply matching paint after the caulk dries or simply choose a caulk color based on the wood grain and apply neatly.
Supplies Needed:
- Magic eraser sponge
- Acrylic latex caulk with silicone
- Paint to match trim
- Wet rag
- Finish nails
- Hammer or nail gun
A house that is taken care of will be a hit at showings. When your kids help out and see their help rewarded they feel especially respected and valued as a part of the family.
If you’re fixing up your home to get it ready to sell, we can help you make sure you get top dollar.
Trelora real estate serves the Colorado Front Range and Seattle Metro Area and our mission is simple: full service real estate for a fraction of the cost. When you hire a traditional agent to help you buy or sell your home, you pay that agent 3-6% of the home’s value.
When you hire Trelora, you pay just 1% to sell your home. You’ll also get best-in-class customer service, and a team of expert agents who close hundreds of deals per year. And keep in mind, especially if you’re moving or you have friends in other states, that Trelora can help you in Atlanta, Charleston, Charlotte, Denver, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Raleigh, Sacramento, Seattle and Tucson. In the meantime, please stay healthy and safe.
Christopher has been been in the Real Estate industry for 8 years and has had the opportunity to close over 1,000 deals while acting as the Managing Broker for thousands more. Christopher is passionate about continuing to find ways to simplify, maximize, and serve Trelora’s clients exceptionally well and spends his time building teams to deliver high levels of service. When not doing real estate Christopher can be seen training for marathons and ultra relays with his 2 year old daughter, eating pizza, and drinking a steady stream of Diet Coke.