The home is typically one of largest investments for average income families across the United States. Basic home improvements can not only make your home more attractive but they can help assure that it maintains a high value. Whether you making improvement in order to sell your home or just improving the appearance of the home, you will need to make wise spending decisions. 

Some home improvements that increase the value of the home are lighting, plumbing, flooring, landscaping, and paint. If you want to give your home an inexpensive 'lift' then a new coat of paint and some can lights may do the trick. New flooring or carpet is another option that will transform the look of a room. Extravagant material like granite, slate, and Knotty Alder cabinets look nice, but typically will not increase the value of the home.

Simple tips for maintaining the home’s value are to keep up on basic maintenance. For instance, if you have holes in the wall or chipping paint then repair it and give it a fresh coat of paint. Have a professional perform the repairs or if you DIY make sure it is done correctly. Landscaping the yard is another thing that may increase the value of your home somewhat. A basic landscape design with trees, shrubs, and grass can add value to your property.

When you are doing home improvements seeking the assistance of a licensed professional is recommended. You can find contractors, electricians, plumbers, and other home improvement professionals by asking friends and relatives for referrals or searching the yellow pages for contractors in your area.

Some suggestions and information about specific home improvement topics can be found on the Internet by following the links.

Plumbing
http://www.friendlyplumber.com/plumbing101.html
http://www.doityourself.com/
http://www.dmoz.org/Home/Home_Improvement/Plumbing/
http://www.rotorooter.com/plumbing-basics/

Electrical

http://www.resourcehelp.com/home_ele.htm
http://www.electrical-online.com/electrical/wiring/
http://www.hammerzone.com/
http://www.make-my-own-house.com/home-improvement-electrical.html

Carpentry
http://www.homeadditionplus.com/Framing.htm
http://alsnetbiz.com/homeimprovement/carpentry.html
http://experts.merchantcircle.com/articles/What-Are-The-Top-Ten-Beginning-Carpentry-Tips/1017899 

Decks
http://www.homeimprovementweb.com/directory/Information/Decks/
http://www.home-improvement-home-improvement.com/
http://www.fairharbor.com/home_deck_faq.htm

Masonry
http://www.handymanusa.com/articles/masonrytips.html
http://instonemasonarytips.blogspot.com/
http://www.acehardware.com/info/index.jsp?categoryId=1283458

Concrete
http://www.askthebuilder.com/
http://myhomeimprovementtips.com/

Homeowners can find reliable, professional contractors, electricians, plumbers, etc by consulting a service directory service or asking friends and relative for referrals. There are other resources such as your city’s licensing office and/or the state licensing division. Here are some links to provide you with more information about choosing someone to perform home improvements on your house.

http://www.zillow.com/directory/home-improvement-carpentry/
http://www.homeimprovementweb.com/information/hiring-contractor.htm
http://home-remodeling.orbl.org/
http://www.reliableremodeler.com/