While it is true that home renovation projects can get expensive, there are upgrades you can do yourself on the cheap. Whether you want to improve your home’s style and function or sell your house, the ideas below can get you started.
1- Repaint Kitchen Cabinets
If you are selling your house, cabinets are the first thing a buyer notices in the kitchen. Old and dull cabinets discourage potential buyers, but a fresh coat of paint breathes new life into cabinet exteriors. However, the color choice has an impact on home resale value. Typically, home buyers are more attracted to white and neutral hues than dark tones.
When repainting your kitchen cabinets, use high-quality paint in a gloss or semi-gloss finish. You can also add new hardware to the cabinets as it is inexpensive. It is also an excellent time to organize and deep clean your cabinets and remove accumulated residue.
2- New Faucets
A modern faucet for your bathroom or kitchen only costs a few hundred dollars. In turn, you enhance the visual appeal of your space and replace damaged or rusty faucets that disappoint buyers. What’s more, modern faucets have additional features that improve functionality, including a scratch-resistant finish, water-lighting LEDs, and touchless activation.
3- Smart Technology
Smart home products are among the easy DIY projects that make your home modern and convenient. More and more home buyers seek smart home functionality in potential homes as it simplifies day-to-day activities.
For instance, smart locks let residents open the house with voice commands or mobile apps. Thus, people who often lose their house keys won’t get stranded. If you want to enhance your home’s security, invest in smart security systems include motion detectors, alarm systems, and smart doorbells. Other smart home products include smart thermostats, smart shades, and smart garage door openers.
4- Garden Shed
A well-maintained shed attracts potential homeowners interested in gardening. Even if you don’t want to sell your home, a shed extends your house’s space and reduces clutter in the garage. You don’t have to store lawnmowers and other gardening tools in the shed. Indeed, you can use it as office space or even as a small guest room. Other ideas include a man cave, a living area for aging parents, or a she-shed recreational space.
There are many shed build plans online with step-by-step instructions. The finished shed should complement your property beautifully to increase home value.
5- Fire Pit
A fire pit can make your house stand out in the market and add comfort and ambiance to your outdoor space. Additionally, family and friends can gather around the fire pit, enjoy s’mores, roast hotdogs, and trade nostalgic stories.
Fire pits require basic building materials, such as pavers, concrete, bricks, or repurposed items like flower pots and metal planters. However, check the local government’s and homeowners’ association’s restrictions on fire pits.
6- New Light Fixtures and Switches
Homeowners interested in easy DIY projects can upgrade outdated or damaged light fixtures. Replace old bulbs with LED options and swap out that chandelier that does not complement the overall style of your home. Then, install dimmer switches on your new fixtures to control the light intensity and reduce energy costs. You can even attach small light fixtures to your artwork to draw attention.
7- Heated Floors
Electric floor heating is a popular trend among homeowners who want to increase the value of their properties. These systems are quiet, energy-efficient, and heat rooms uniformly. It is easy to install an electric floor heating system as they are available in rolls with the heating cable attached to a mesh. You will need to cut and roll them out and turn them where needed to fill up the room.
8- Kitchen Backsplash Update
A kitchen backsplash degrades over time due to sustained wear and tear, and it can reduce your home’s value. Replacing the tile is one of the easy DIY projects that can refresh the look of your kitchen. However, remove the existing tile carefully to protect the drywall from damage.
If you want a rustic appeal, install a wooden backsplash with your choice of wood. Also, use liquid nails and ensure the tile and grout lines do not show.
9- Sliding Barn Doors
Sliding barn doors are easy DIY projects popular with farmhouse-style homes. They add character and transform any space, in addition to boosting a house’s value. Barn doors are especially suited for small spaces as swinging doors consume a lot of space. Keep in mind that these doors can be quite heavy, and you should enlist help during installation.
In Conclusion
If you want to invest in your home, focus on renovations that add value and enhance comfort and function. The above DIY projects are easy to do if you want a return on home investments.
About Transition Realty
Transition Realty owner Steve Lehmeyer specializes in helping people manage real estate transactions in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. His experience in the Minnesota real estate market spans 20 years. Steve and his team work with clients to buy & sell single-family homes, townhouses, condos, lake homes, and investment property. Download a free home search app for your smartphone or search the MLS at TransitionRealty.com.
