Not every remodel has to start with knocking down basement walls or upgrading ceiling tiles. Some of the smartest upgrades actually happen outside, before any indoor work begins. These kinds of projects tend to boost home value, make day-to-day living easier, and help prevent problems later on. They also give you a head start on making the property feel finished, even if you’re still figuring out what to do inside.
You don’t have to spend a fortune either. A lot of the fixes below are things people overlook or put off because they don’t seem urgent. But once the interior work kicks off, you’ll be glad you handled them. Here are five exterior things worth taking care of before you get too far into an indoor remodel:
1. Fix Your Drainage and Grading
If water doesn’t move away from your house the right way, you could run into basement leaks or musty smells down the line. Even if your basement feels dry now, a poorly sloped yard or short downspouts can cause trouble once you close things up with drywall.
Grading problems show up in different ways. Maybe water pools near the foundation when it rains. Maybe the lawn always stays soggy along one side of the house. If you’re finishing a basement, you’ll want to make sure your foundation isn’t going to trap that water. Otherwise, you might end up tearing out your ceiling or walls to fix what could have been handled with a shovel and a weekend.
Downspouts are another easy one to miss. If they end just a few inches from the foundation, you’re probably soaking the soil right next to your basement walls. Extending those a few feet away from the house can make a big difference.
This kind of fix doesn’t usually cost much. Most of the time it’s labor and planning more than materials. But skipping it can lead to real damage, especially if your area gets heavy spring rains or snow melt.
2. Clean Up the Home’s Exterior View
Before sinking money into flooring or custom lighting inside, it helps to make the outside look clean and cared for. A quick power wash, some fresh paint on the trim, or swapping out rusty light fixtures goes a long way. Makes the whole property feel like it’s heading in the right direction.
Even small changes matter. Painting the front door, changing out house numbers, or trimming shrubs that block the entry can make the place feel brighter and better maintained. If the outside of your home looks ignored, people assume the inside is too, whether that’s true or not.
This step doesn’t need to be about impressing neighbors either. It’s for you. Remodeling is messy. There will be tools, dust, and probably a dumpster out front. A tidy exterior helps balance that out.
3. Install or Replace a Fence
Adding a fence makes a yard more usable right away. For privacy, pets, or just setting boundaries, it helps shape how the space gets used. It’s one of those changes that instantly makes a house feel more like a home.
Some people wait to fence the yard until after other projects are done, but that can backfire. Landscaping gets trampled, materials are harder to move around, and sometimes the layout of the fence ends up clashing with things like patios or sheds that got installed first. Doing the fence earlier often saves money and frustration.
If you're still figuring out what kind of fence fits your home, check out this guide to types of fences, which covers the basics in a way that’s easy to understand. Materials, height rules, and maintenance all vary a lot more than most people expect.
Also worth noting: fencing can impact drainage too. If you’re adding a solid-style fence in a yard that already holds water, you’ll want to plan for how that affects runoff. The more you think about the outside as a system, the fewer surprises you’ll hit later.
4. Repair Cracked Concrete
Walkways, patios, and old steps with cracks don’t just look rough. They can cause water to flow where it shouldn’t or become safety issues. If you're finishing a basement, make sure the concrete outside isn’t going to let water creep in. Fixing it early saves time and money later.
Cracks in concrete often mean movement. That could be settling, roots pushing up, or just wear over time. Either way, those gaps let water in, and in colder areas, that can lead to freeze-thaw cycles that make the cracks worse.
Replacing or leveling a slab might sound like a big job, but there are cost-effective ways to do it. Mudjacking or foam leveling can lift a sunken slab without fully replacing it. Caulking or sealing surface cracks helps keep moisture from getting deeper in. These are worth doing before they turn into bigger problems that mess with your foundation or basement entry.
5. Refresh the Landscaping
Doesn’t have to be fancy. Trim things back, rake out old mulch, clean up the edges. That small effort makes a big difference when remodeling is in progress. It also helps keep things cleaner once work picks up inside.
Landscaping doesn’t just mean planting flowers either. It can be as simple as defining the edge of the lawn, adding a few stepping stones to keep feet out of the mud, or clearing an overgrown fence line. If contractors need to haul tools or materials through the yard, cleaning up paths ahead of time saves headaches for everyone.
Plus, good landscaping can protect the house. Trees that are too close to the foundation, shrubs against siding, or heavy mulch packed around vents—all of that holds moisture and attracts bugs. Cleaning up the yard now gives you better visibility and fewer long-term issues.
Final Tip
It usually works better to start from the outside and move in. That way you avoid redoing stuff and your place already feels taken care of by the time the inside’s finished. These outdoor fixes don’t have to be perfect, but doing them first puts you in a better spot to handle the rest. It’s not about rushing, just sequencing things in a way that makes sense.