Have you been staring at the same four walls for the past year? Has that caused you to regret the paint choice you chose when you first moved in?
After spending an increasing amount of time home during the pandemic, many of us have wanted to give our homes an upgrade. The problem is that we’ve watched far too much HGTV and think that every home renovation project must be a significant financial burden. Well, that’s not the case. There’s so much you can do as a homeowner to give your home a quick, budget-friendly upgrade.
Below are 7 budget-friendly renovation ideas you can make no matter your budget:
1.) Crown molding
Crown molding is one of the simplest, visually appealing upgrades you can make for a low cost. This Realtor.com article notes that most crown molding only costs $3 per foot so you can purchase enough for one room, your entire downstairs, or whole house depending on your renovation budget! There’s a reason why countless remodeling blog posts and HGTV shows always look to crown molding to enhance a room. Not only does it make your ceiling appear higher, but it’s an affordable option that delivers a dramatic, elegant impact in as quick as a single weekend!
2.) Replace your caulking
Caulking doesn’t last forever, no matter what you try to tell yourself. Exterior caulking keeps rain outside, sealing out moisture, so the wood on your windows and door won’t rot. Interior caulking, like in your bathroom, for instance, keeps moisture contained. Visually, when caulking ages, it’s no longer aesthetically appealing to your home. It turns brown, cracks, and doesn’t stay in place anymore. According to This Old House, caulking is one of the most cost-effective upgrades you can make. It can cost as little as $10 and all you need is an hour to finish the job.
3.) Upgrade your lighting
If you are looking for budget-friendly renovation ideas, you likely don’t want to make any structural changes to your home. By upgrading your light fixtures, you can brighten up your space while you alter the room’s aesthetic, all at an inexpensive cost. Another Realtor.com article states that if you add a new light fixture in an area of high visibility, you’ll be making a large impact on your home’s value. You can upgrade your lighting beyond just the fixtures though. Bob Villa suggests replacing your lightbulbs with LED bulbs or replacing old switches with dimmers to change the ambiance and lower your electric bill.
4.) Repaint your walls (and more!)
Painting is no one’s favorite job. You need to move out your furniture, tape off windows, doors, and fixtures, and cover the floor. But painting is one of the quickest, affordable, and easiest ways to change up your interior. Paint peels, the color gets dull, or maybe you’re just sick of the color. You can paint anything – the walls, floors, furniture – your home is your canvas. You don’t need a professional to do it either. Painting an entire room can be as little as $150 and you can finish a paint project in a single weekend!
5.) Cabinet refresh
If you want to start simple, consider swapping out the outdated hardware on your cabinets. If you have more time and are feeling more ambitious, fix the cabinets entirely. It’s a quick and easy job to clean, sand, and paint them. More and more homeowners are looking to their cabinets to provide a pop of color. Dark cabinets can be dreary, while brighter ones are more inviting. If there’s water damage, consider replacing them entirely – it could be just as cost-effective to replace them instead of fixing and refinishing them. Look at what your kitchen needs the most to decide. But know that most cabinet upgrades will only cost about $200!
6.) Add (or replace) your bathroom fan
When your bathroom is one of the most visited rooms in your home, you want it to be well maintained. Moisture is inevitable in a bathroom. And without proper moisture maintenance, you’ll find yourself regularly cleaning up mold or mildew. If left untreated, this can cause damage within your walls and ceiling which will require a larger renovation (and cost) down the road. Install a bathroom fan with ventilation so that when you shower, you can run the exhaust to eliminate excess moisture. If you have a bathroom exhaust already, consider updating it to an energy-efficient model. This upgrade can be as cheap as $120, depending on the model you choose.
7.) Refresh your staircase
You can make this as large or as small of a project as you choose. A quick upgrade is putting a stair runner on the stairs. Avoid the professional quote and instead, consider creating one yourself by getting store-bought runners and supplies from Home Depot or Lowe’s. By doing this, you can upgrade your stairs for as cheap as $300. For a smaller update, you can add decorative stair brackets or fix your wobbly railing by tightening screws or replacing broken rails. If you don’t preserve the railing, it could grow into a larger problem which would be a larger cost.
We hope you can put these budget-friendly renovation ideas to work in your own home!
If you’re making home upgrades to your property in hopes of selling your home in the future, Lantern Real Estate Group will be ready to help when the time is right. We’ll make sure you feel supported and that you have a trusted resource as you navigate your real estate journey.
Visit Lantern Real Estate Group to chat with us today!
