You don’t need to be a millionaire to elevate your home’s appearance and value. Many of us pinch pennies to pay the mortgage every month, and the notion of adding significant renovations to a home is a non-starter. That said, there are plenty of incremental upgrades that you can make to your home that will improve your life in it as well as its value should you eventually decide to sell. These improvements don’t require some home improvement guru’s paid advice or Warren Buffet’s bank account. Despite this, these home facelifts will make a big difference in how you and others see your beloved home.
Begin by Considering Costs
If you do decide that a modest renovation is needed for your home, you should know the price range before calling a contractor. Prospective contractors will give you estimates, but sites such as Remodeling.net can save you time by providing rough estimates for common home-improvement projects. Some examples that are on the cheaper side, and I use that term loosely, include a deck addition ($9,327), door replacement ($1,813), and a bathroom remodel ($10,295). Still, these mid range prices will be over the budget for many who want to make more cost-effective yet modest improvements that don’t carry quite as hefty a price tag.
Fix Any Mix-and-Match Appliances You May Have
Many homeowners find themselves surrounded by appliances that don’t look anything alike. This may be the result of a home that you bought with appliances included or your own history of finding the best deal on any given appliance. Either way, uniformity of appliance appearance is one way to improve the look of your home. You don’t have to order entirely new appliances, either.
As BankRate explains, many appliances have reversible face panels. If your appliances are primarily black and white, you may be able to flip the faceplates to make them match. For most, creating a common theme will mean calling the manufacturer and ordering face plates that match. Of course, not every appliance will be modified easily or at all, but creating as much consistency as possible will make your home look less disjointed.
Labor Intensive Yet Low-Cost Improvements
HGTV, one authority on home improvement, provides some steps homeowners can take to spruce up the look of their house without shelling out much money. Begin with a power washer, removing unsightly stains and grime from any areas that need it. This alone could make your house look brand new again.
There are many other improvements that will brighten the look of your home immensely, but won’t take much out of your bank account. Consider adding wooden moldings to your walls to give off a touch of class. This can also make a space feel larger than it actually is.
Planting trees is not only a great way to provide shade and beauty in your backyard. It also has been shown to improve a home’s value. Improvements in landscaping can create massive return on investment, both financially and in terms of the pleasure you derive from, say, reading a book under a tree in your own yard or hooking up a rope swing for your child to play on. And, most importantly, planting trees is not expensive.
Conclusion
Too often we equate a lack of finances to an inability to improve our circumstances. While it’s true that having no money limits our options to improve our home, most of us have some money, even if it’s not much. Fortunately, there are several improvements that can be made to the house that don’t require much dough. Power cleaning, planting of trees, and installing matching face plates are three of the most cost-effective yet transformative steps that can be taken to increase the look and value of a home.
(Photo via Pixabay)
