Fortunately there are a handful of ways you can change up the look of your home with many efforts and little cost. Once you do a little digging to find what you can do to update the home, then all of the work comes from finding what you like! This post is more of changes and updates you can add and less renovations of the home.
Keep in mind these are the last years national averages. These numbers may not be exact to what your needs are for your home. This post is for you to see, that maybe all the work you wanted to get done, is actually reachable and not entirely out of your budget. If it still is out of your budget, this can then be the start of your money saving journey.
Power of Paint
Paint can go a long way when it comes to changing the area. You can do an accent wall, add more of a contrast or neutral color. Paint is one of the cheaper ways to update the home. You have a chance to really put your own spin on the home. Even painting the outside of the home is a good way to spruce it up without breaking the budget.
If you are planning on selling, I would stick with neutrals or all white.
Average Cost: Exterior paint ranges from $1,500-$4,500. For your interior walls, it falls around $300 if you are doing it yourself.
Key to Lighting
Lighting is one of those things that can revive an entire room. You have loads of options when it comes to what lighting fits a room. You can add bright LED lights from the everyday rooms or dim it down for the more cozy areas. It is a cheap fix that anyone can do. I would opt for LED if you want more bright lighting, they are cheap and easy to do yourself. Not everyone has amazing natural lighting, so add bright lights where you can. If you want the option to dim a room, adding a dimmer to a switch can also be done with the right lights.
Changing up the lighting fixtures can also be a cheap fix. It's all in the one you pick out but it has such a big impact on the room. Chosen correctly and it can be the star of the room.
Average Cost: This all depends on how much work you would like to do for the lighting, so it will range from $20-$500.
Updating the Kitchen and Bathroom
The kitchen and bathroom are known to be the top selling points of a home and people's favorite rooms. Updating these first will drastically change the feel of your home. I know it can seem like a daunting task but there are little changes that can go a long way. If updating the appliances is not in the budget- I have another blog talking about how you can get appliances for cheap! https://www.alexandranovogradacrealtor.com/2022/08/30/great-way-to-find-appliances-for-cheap/?source=179 . Below is a list for the kitchen and the bathroom of what you can change/ update in the space.
Kitchen
Add tiling for a back splash
Add high or low contrasting colors
Label the shelves
Hang up art
Hang floating shelves
Add a mobile island
Have a small rug
Add curtains or shades
Add bins and containers for the pantry
Add wallpaper
Upgrade hardware
Bathroom
Paint walls and vanity contrasting or neutral colors
Add tiling for back splash
Add contrasting or complimentary tiling for the shower and the floor
Two tone painted walls
Add a show stopping mirror
Update hardware
Hang a new shower curtain
Maximize and re-purpose storage
Average Cost: A smaller revamp without appliances in the kitchen ranges around $10,000-$15,000. Sticking to the low end of the upgrades, your budget can be around $2,500 for your bathroom.
Deep Clean Everything
Sometimes all the home needs is a DEEP cleaning. I am talking about all the junk drawers, hoarded out closets, and under the cabinets. If you want to save some money and change up your home, clean everything first. That way you can make an educated decision on what are the biggest things you would like to improve on. This is also a great way to de-clutter a lot of items you no longer use.
Average Cost: Next to nothing except for the cleaning supplies! I would budget for $100.
Touching Up the Landscape
Vamping up the yard around the home will add a lovely touch to your home. Adding beautiful flowers and foliage, or adding a pathway with pebbles or stepping stones can add so much wonderful change to the outside. It might be easiest to do in the Spring but if we are talking cost I would buy the supplies in the off season.
Things you can do:
- Add stepping stones or rocks for a walk way
- Put in a garden or raised bed
- Pick plants that need minimal effort and water
- Plant a few flowers by the focal points of the yard
- Add signage by the front door
- Add trees and bushes to section areas
- Put up a swing or a hammock
- Build a compost bin for free fertilizer
Average Cost: You can make an attractive yard with minimal work for roughly $1,000-$3,000.
Importance of Updated Hardware
Adding in little additions such as knobs and faucets are cheap fixes to change up a whole area. As mentioned before, the kitchen and bathrooms are known to be the two most loved rooms in the home. Fortunately they can provide for cheap updates that make a world of difference. These two rooms benefit the most from updating the hardware!
Hardware options to consider updating
Cabinet knobs
Door Handles
Faucet sets
Hooks
Towel bars
Average Cost: This is absolutely dependent on what hardware pieces you personally choose, so keeping that in mind the cost will range from $80-$800.
Flooring Alternatives
Flooring can seem like an expensive solution. But if you have old, dirty carpet or scratched up and used hardwood maybe it would be time to redo. Vinyl flooring seems to be one of the biggest trends nowadays. When people redo their floor, they use it. Why? Because it's cheap but doesn't look like it! In comparison to hardwood floors and carpet, vinyl is usually cheaper. There is a wide range of or vinyl options available, you can absolutely find one you like in your price range.
If there is just one spot on the floor that you need replacing, sometimes it's as easy as buying a nice rug to level up the place and cover up an area you don't like as much. You can bring in amazing contrast or a neutral rug to liven up the space.
Average Cost: To do carpet around the home it will cost around $2,000. The average cost of installing laminate flooring is $3,000 including labor.
Used Cites
Bennett, J. (2023, January 25). Here’s how much the top home-improvement upgrades typically cost, according to Houzz. Better Homes & Gardens. https://www.bhg.com/home-improvement/advice/budget-advice/top-home-improvement-upgrades-cost/
Walker, J. S. (2010, December 30). An uncomplicated way to upgrade your kitchen: New hardware. HouseLogic. https://www.houselogic.com/by-room/kitchen/new-kitchen-cabinet-hardwarelow-cost-ways-jazz-your-style/#:~:text=Expect%20to%20pay%20between%20%242,anywhere%20from%20%2480%20to%20%24800.
Ketchum, D. (2023, January 4). 30 ways to upgrade your home without blowing your budget. GOBankingRates. https://www.gobankingrates.com/saving-money/home/how-to-upgrade-home-on-budget/
Expert advice from Bob Vila, the most trusted name in Home Improvement, home remodeling, home repair, and DIY. tried, true, trustworthy home advice. Bob Vila - Home Improvement, Home Repair And Home Renovation. (2021, July 8). https://www.bobvila.com/
