It’s natural to want to change and upgrade your home over time, but what puts a lot of people off is the cost of it. If you’re a busy individual and don’t have much free time to do your own home improvements, you will need to hire someone to come in and do them for you. A Cincinnati Handyman is the perfect choice, since they will work closely with you and will be able to give you the best advice. Alternatively, you can take time off work to do the improvements yourself, but you will still need to spend money on the actual materials.
For those in the market to undertake home improvements but who don’t want to re-mortgage just to do so, here are some top tips you can use to save money.
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Make noticeable changes
There are some changes that can completely change the look of your house, but they are quite minimal in their nature. If you’re looking to make a big impact on a budget, noticeable changes are the way forward. This means changing things like your wallpaper or paint color. This can instantly make a huge difference to the look and feel of a room, and it doesn’t require much effort, either. In the case of a feature wall, you could manage it in as little as a few hours, and all you’ll need to pay for is the cost of the paint/wallpaper.
Another noticeable change you can make is to change the floor. It might seem like a big job, but you can easily lay a new carpet yourself in less than an hour. If you have wooden floors, you can restore the original floorboards by hiring a polishing machine. This will uplift a room massively, and it doesn’t need to take more than a day and material costs to achieve.
For garden changes, consider replacing your lawn with artificial turf. This might seem expensive, but it doesn’t have to be. The bulk of the cost will be buying the lawn, with the cheapest way to lay artificial grass being to do it yourself. It’s only one change to your garden, but it will make a huge difference and negate the need to make further changes.
Switch your layout
A lot of the time, you can make a room look better and drastically different just by altering the layout. Think about how, when you were a child and you would rearrange your room. It would feel like a brand new room, and this applies to any other room, too. If your room is feeling tired, switch the layout.
Change Color Schemes
A common way to save money on home improvements is to change your color scheme. Many people pick an accent color and inject it all over the room in things like wall art, furniture, rugs and soft furnishings. It makes sense to change the color once every now and again before committing to major renovations because it might transpire a change of scenery is all you needed!
Source Items Second Hand
Lots of people choose to do home improvements by upgrading their furniture. This is a great way to spruce things up, but it’s also quite expensive. Rather than heading straight to a department store to buy things brand new, choose something secondhand. You can pick up great bargains and find unique pieces that will give your home an edge it didn’t previously have. For inspiration, search local markets and online marketplaces.
Summary
Everyone has their own way of doing home improvements, but almost everyone can agree that any way to save money is the best. Do you have any money-saving home renovation tips? If so, share them below.
What home improvements increase its value?
If you’re planning to sell and want to get a better price for your home, you should decide what home improvements to make. Even if you think they can all add value to your property, some will not mean a lot to the possible buyers. Keep reading for the details.
Remodel the kitchen
Updating the kitchen will always increase the selling price of a house. Many homebuyers look for updated and modern kitchens. The experts say that you may expect to get back 62.7 to 81.6% of your investment on a kitchen renovation. It doesn’t mean that you should overdo it. Needless to say, you shouldn’t spend $75,000 on the kitchen when your home is a little over $100,000.
Start small with the kitchen remodeling. You can begin with replacing the kitchen faucet and adding new cabinet hardware. Replacing the light fixtures with modern and energy-efficient options is also an effective way to update the kitchen.
As for cabinets, you don’t necessarily need to replace them. If they’re in good condition, you can paint them in a new and modern color. Hire a refacing company for the best results with your cabinets. It’s worth installing new cabinet doors, drawers, and hardware. Even if minor, these improvements will make your kitchen catch buyers’ attention.
Upgrade the appliances
The unsightly appearance of mismatched appliances can stop potential buyers from buying. Ordering new doors and face panels for your devices in the kitchen will give it a cohesive look. Plus, you won’t have to spend thousands on new and matching appliances.
People today are interested in energy-efficient models, so replace older appliances with such models. They are beneficial for the environment and reduce the energy bill.
Remodel the bathrooms
Bathroom remodeling will give back 87.7 to 93.5% of your investment. It’s a profitable investment to make if planning to sell, but don’t go over the top. Brighten the room with paint, install new light fixtures, and re-grout the bathtub. Sometimes, it only takes a mirror and new light fixtures to completely change the appearance of a bathroom.
Take care of the attic/basement
One of the plans that can quickly go out of your hands is adding square footage to your property. It’s often that people spend more than planned. Instead of planning to add on space, you should remodel the current one in your home. You can turn the attic into a workout area or a lovely bedroom. Similarly, you can make the basement work as an entertainment room. Remember that the more versatile space is, the more appealing it will be for a potential buyer.
Improve energy efficiency
Hire a home inspector to see if your house needs insulation or if it has drafty windows and doors. If so, they’re reasons for the high energy use and bills. You can begin with minor updates, such as adding insulation to the attic. You need to seal all cracks around windows, doors, light switches, and electrical sockets. Try to reduce the energy losses as much as possible.
Some people may not consider buying your home due to single-pane windows. We recommend you install Energy-Star windows to save money on cooling and heating bills. It’s an appealing detail for buyers interested in having lower utility bills without sacrificing comfort.
With windows, it’s tricky because replacing them won’t be the selling point for buyers. On the other hand, if they’re not replaced, they can throw off interested buyers.
Get decks
One of the best investments to make before selling is to add a deck. Decks expand the living area and cost you less than adding square footage inside the house.
Expect to pay around $13,000 for a wooden deck. You will gain back 106.7% of its value when selling the house. If a wooden deck doesn’t work for you, maybe a composite one will do. It’s around $19,000 and recoups about 122% of its value when selling.
Improve the curb appeal
People only need several seconds to make a first impression. As a result, you want your house to look fantastic both on the outside and the inside. You don’t need to spend thousands of dollars on the exterior appearance of your house. Sometimes, scrubbing the home’s siding will do the trick. It would be best if you aimed for efficiency and visual impact and not on expensive remodeling.
For example, you might install a new and beautiful front door—it’s both easy to do and less expensive than other home improvements. A lovely front door invites people in and makes them have a positive impression of your home.
Make sure you take care of your garden. Prune shrubs and put mulch around the trees and bushes for a finished appearance. Some pots of geranium or a flowerbed will be the touch of color that complete your outdoor space.
You should make your house look as appealing as possible. Therefore, scrub the siding to get rid of the dirt buildup. Don’t forget to replace the worn areas.
With home renovation, it’s easy to go over the top. Pick a budget and stick to it; even if you want to have a lovely exterior for your home, it’s not worth overdoing it. A well-kept lawn and well-placed shrubbery and vegetation are enough to make possible buyers thinking that your home is beautiful inside as it is on the outside.
What home improvements are less profitable?
Some home improvements will not mean a lot for potential buyers. On the contrary, some of them will actually decrease the resale value of your home. Nine times out of ten, the more customized the renovation is to your preferences, personality, and needs, the lower the chance to increase the resale value. You might be very proud of having a home recording studio, but a family of senior citizens might not be interested in it at all. If anything, it can become a concern to redesign the room to make it functional for them. Some people might look elsewhere for this very reason alone.
The following home improvements can bring value to your house. However, you shouldn’t expect a buyer to pay extra for the $10,000 marble floors in the bathroom or the smart range. When planning home improvements, give it a second thought when considering the following:
Swimming pools
Families with small children may avoid properties with in-ground swimming pools for safety concerns. Not everyone is keen on spending more money on energy and insurance that come with pools.
Garage conversions
You might add square footage to your house by converting the garage. What if the new owner really wants and needs a garage?
High-end upgrade
Marble flooring is impressive– there’s no doubt about it. However, not all people are interested in having high-end flooring in their homes. Go for the mid-range upgrades so that you get your money back. It’s wiser to get new appliances and flooring and make the improvements that most buyers appreciate.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do home improvements increase home value?
Should you have a generous budget and think about home improvements before selling, it’s better that you give it a second thought. The average payback in a home’s selling value is 56% of the cost of the remodel.
Should you renovate the house before selling?
It’s not an easy answer because nobody can say for sure if your home’s renovation gives you a higher selling price. Regardless of the decision you make, always plan the home renovations to the most minute detail. You should control everything from deciding on a budget to choosing the materials and paints.
How do you calculate renovation costs?
To get an approximate cost of the home improvements, you might consider the overall price for your home. You shouldn’t spend more than 10 to 15% of your home’s value on just one room. If you go higher, the value of home improvement will no longer add the expected value to your home.
Should you buy or renovate?
Since it’s a room-by-room project, the home renovation will cost you less than buying a house. Nobody forces you into remodeling all rooms at once. You have the freedom to spend as much as you want and as often as you like to bring improvements to your home.
What should you remodel first?
Experts agree that you should always begin with improving your kitchen or bathroom. Even if a bathroom renovation might cost you more than kitchen remodeling, it will give a better return on investment. In the long run, spending the extra buck to remodel the bathroom is a smart move.
