Want to transform your home without draining your savings? These budget-friendly home upgrades will refresh your space while keeping costs low.
Transforming your home doesn’t have to cost a fortune. With the right budget-friendly home upgrades, you can refresh your space, add value, and boost curb appeal without breaking the bank. From simple DIY projects to smart design choices, here’s how you can make a big impact with small changes.
8 Budget-Friendly Home Upgrades for a Stunning Makeover
For many people, making a change to their home is high on their to-do list but relatively low on their financial priority list. Unfortunately, oftentimes these two lists need to exist in the same space when a potential problem might occur if repairs are not made or when it is time to make a change without moving to a new home. Luckily, you can transform your home without breaking the bank by following these reasonable tips to create a place you will be happy to come home to every day.
Obtain Multiple Quotes for Every Project
If you are looking for a contractor or specific service provider to repair or renovate a certain part of your home, it is important to obtain at least three quotes for every project you intend to undertake. Do your research online and always get the quotes in writing. Ask how long the quotes are good for so you can reach out to multiple businesses for their quotes.
To illustrate, if your roof has seen better days, you want to take on this big project to protect your home from damage due to disrepair. If the roof needs fixing or replacing sooner rather than later to avoid spending more money than you need on related repairs because you waited too long to take action, you must be proactive now and seek a few roof quotes.
Make it easy on yourself by going to one aggregator to get the quotes instead of calling around or searching online and wasting your precious time. This is an easy, one-stop solution to something you need to do anyway.
Do Your Research on Potential Contractors
It is imperative that you meet with the contractor before signing any contracts or handing over your hard-earned money. Always do your due diligence to make sure the contractor you select to work with is appropriately licensed. Check the reviews online and ask for referrals from the contractor.
Visit their other roofing clients, for example, to see the completed projects for yourself and talk with the homeowners to learn about their experience with the contractor you want to hire. By taking these proactive steps, you will save yourself time and money and avoid working with a bad contractor or having to hire a second one to fix the first one’s mistakes.
Watch this helpful video on tips and questions to ask a contractor before hiring them.
Take a DIY Approach
If you have a long list to tick off for home renovation and upgrade projects but do not have the budget to match, consider the DIY approach to making it happen. The days of having so-called professionals do everything for you are in the rearview mirror. With the advent of online tutorials and local co-op classes available for anyone to learn some new skills, you can try your hand at transforming your home on your own.
First things first, however, you need to make sure you are approaching any project with safety in mind. Avoid cutting corners just to save money. It is always better to do things right the first time instead of having to pay double for a professional to come in later to fix any problems.
To start, determine what you can do on your own. Perhaps you want to tackle a major landscaping project, for example. Call the experts to install an in-ground sprinkler system and help plant larger greenery such as trees. Ask them to create trenches for paver borders since they have the specialized equipment.
From there, you can take charge and lay the pavers yourself in addition to laying weed-inhibiting fabric and putting smaller plants in the ground. Finally, you and your family can haul and spread a mulch cover on your own to save a lot of money.
Paint it Instead
After your roof is taken care of, assess the rest of the home’s exterior. If it has seen better days but is still in good condition, you can tackle this one yourself, as well, or hire someone, if you prefer. Instead of redoing the entire outside of your home, paint it instead. Years down the road, you can always add brick, new siding, or a different facade if you like. But, for now, some sweat equity and paint will go a long way toward giving your home a refresh you will be proud of.
A fresh coat of paint in the current color or a completely new color can be transformative in making your home look like new. Take your time with the project and tape off windows or remove lighting to avoid removing paint from those areas later on. Remember to paint the trim and shutters, too, so everything looks new once again.
Swap Out the Hardware
One of the easiest things any homeowner can do, including you, to make a big change on a budget is to swap out hardware throughout the house. Start with the kitchen since you spend so much time there. Change drawer pulls and knobs, door hinges, and handles, and pay attention to the size of each item before purchasing something new to replace it.
A knob will have one drill hole, whereas a drawer handle will have two drill holes. You can certainly fill in drill holes if you would like to change the style completely, but then you will need to paint over the filled hole, so keep that in mind.
That being said, you can swap brass hardware for brushed nickel or onyx to create a completely new look. Choose the same color throughout your entire home, or change it depending on the room. Once you are done with the kitchen, work your way through the home with stops at every door, cupboard, and nook until you are finished.
Easy Budget-Friendly Home Upgrades to Refresh Your Space
When you are ready to make an improvement to your home, do what is right for you. Work with professional roofers to do the hard stuff that must be done right every time. Take on easier projects on your own to save money. With a mix of different approaches, your home will look like new in no time.
Jessi is the creative mind behind The Coffee Mom, a popular blog that combines parenting advice, travel tips, and a love for all things Disney. As a trusted Disney influencer and passionate storyteller, Jessi’s authentic insights and relatable content resonate with readers worldwide.