When most people think of home improvement projects, they immediately think of expensive projects that take weekends – if not months – to complete. After all, the average bathroom remodel costs $16,000 and takes at least a week to complete. Replacing all the windows in your home runs $8,000 on average and takes an average of 2-3 days to complete. With those costs and time constraints in mind, it’s no wonder that most people put off their home improvement projects for, well, for forever.
However, there are home improvement projects you can do that will take little time, will cost you less than $1,000 and that will add instant curb appeal.
Here are some simple home improvements you can do after work any day of the week:
1. Update Your Lighting
However, there are home improvement projects you can do that will take little time, will cost you less than $1,000 and that will add instant curb appeal.
Here are some simple home improvements you can do after work any day of the week:
1. Update Your Lighting
Good lighting can really make a room look larger and warmer, just like dated and dingy lighting can make a room feel claustrophobic and small. For a quick fix, update your fixtures with modern ones; as a bonus, make them energy efficient. You can find stylish, energy saving fixtures online, including copper and bronze pendants and beautiful chandeliers.
Expected Cost: The price of fixtures varies widely, but you can find great deals if you search high and low enough. Craigslist might surprise you, with designer fixtures starting as low as $50, while you can find one-of-a-kind pieces for as much as $1000 on Etsy. Or, if you like the shape of your current fixtures but hate the color, simply spray paint them. As a matter of fact, we spray painted our brass bathroom fixtures black for $5, took off the sconces and changed out the bulbs to clear, vintage-style ones that we picked up at Salvation Army’s Restore store for $.50/piece. Our bathroom no longer feels like a 70’s reject, but more like a stylish 20’s powder room.
2. Redo Your Entrance
Expected Cost: The price of fixtures varies widely, but you can find great deals if you search high and low enough. Craigslist might surprise you, with designer fixtures starting as low as $50, while you can find one-of-a-kind pieces for as much as $1000 on Etsy. Or, if you like the shape of your current fixtures but hate the color, simply spray paint them. As a matter of fact, we spray painted our brass bathroom fixtures black for $5, took off the sconces and changed out the bulbs to clear, vintage-style ones that we picked up at Salvation Army’s Restore store for $.50/piece. Our bathroom no longer feels like a 70’s reject, but more like a stylish 20’s powder room.
2. Redo Your Entrance
Does your home lack curb appeal? Sometimes, a change or two out front is all you need to give it the attractive appearance that you desire. Paint your front door, replace the door handle and knocker and add some flower boxes. If your porch is looking a little rough, spruce it up with a new railing and a fresh paint job. New house numbers can also give your home a much needed “lift,” and for a low cost at that!
Expected Cost: If you want to replace your front door entirely, it can cost you as much as $1,000, but if you just want to paint a few things and add some window boxes, you can do it all for as little as $200. Replacing the porch railing could cost you as little as $300, but can run upwards of $1,000, depending on the railing you choose and whether or not you do it yourself.
3. Update Your Bathroom
Expected Cost: If you want to replace your front door entirely, it can cost you as much as $1,000, but if you just want to paint a few things and add some window boxes, you can do it all for as little as $200. Replacing the porch railing could cost you as little as $300, but can run upwards of $1,000, depending on the railing you choose and whether or not you do it yourself.
3. Update Your Bathroom
If your goal is to gut your entire existing bathroom and create a luxury en suite, then no, you can’t get the job done for $1,000 or less. However, if you simply want to change the look and feel of your bathroom, but like the existing structure, then $1,000 will go a long way. Whether you want to change out the vanity, paint the cabinets, replace your toilet or all three, if you shop smart, you can get the job done on budget. Another easy upgrade is replacing the bathroom mirror.
Expected Cost: The average toilet costs between $200 and $400, though you can get a much better deal on discontinued models. To replace the entire sink and vanity set, you’re looking at anywhere between $150 and $500. Even if you splurged on both the toilet and the vanity/sink combo, you still have room left in your budget to paint the walls, the cabinets or even both.
We redid our bathroom for less than $100 (seriously!). We spray painted the light fixtures (as mentioned above), spray painted the faceplates to match, and replaced the bulbs with vintage style ones for all less than $10. We replaced the cracked, standard mirror with one picked up at a garage sale for $15, and painted the cabinets and walls for $50. The total cost: roughly $75.
4. Get Your House Professionally Cleaned
If you’re like me, you keep a fairly clean home all of the time, but even I recognize the need for professional cleaners to come in every once in a while. A professional cleaning team can provide the type of thorough cleaning that you just don’t have the time, tools inclination to do. For example, a professional cleaner may have carpet cleaning equipment that can suck out more dirt and water than you could get with a standard version. Professional cleaners are also more inclined to get into the nooks and crannies that you just don’t pay attention to, removing dust and grime that would have otherwise bred more dust and grime. A professional power washer can clean all the moss and mold off of your driveway and walkways, making them cleaner in appearance.
Expected Cost: A professional cleaning team can do a thorough job for around $200-$500, and in about 4 hours, depending on the size of your home. You can rent a power washing machine for less than $200.
5. Decorate!
Expected Cost: The average toilet costs between $200 and $400, though you can get a much better deal on discontinued models. To replace the entire sink and vanity set, you’re looking at anywhere between $150 and $500. Even if you splurged on both the toilet and the vanity/sink combo, you still have room left in your budget to paint the walls, the cabinets or even both.
We redid our bathroom for less than $100 (seriously!). We spray painted the light fixtures (as mentioned above), spray painted the faceplates to match, and replaced the bulbs with vintage style ones for all less than $10. We replaced the cracked, standard mirror with one picked up at a garage sale for $15, and painted the cabinets and walls for $50. The total cost: roughly $75.
4. Get Your House Professionally Cleaned
If you’re like me, you keep a fairly clean home all of the time, but even I recognize the need for professional cleaners to come in every once in a while. A professional cleaning team can provide the type of thorough cleaning that you just don’t have the time, tools inclination to do. For example, a professional cleaner may have carpet cleaning equipment that can suck out more dirt and water than you could get with a standard version. Professional cleaners are also more inclined to get into the nooks and crannies that you just don’t pay attention to, removing dust and grime that would have otherwise bred more dust and grime. A professional power washer can clean all the moss and mold off of your driveway and walkways, making them cleaner in appearance.
Expected Cost: A professional cleaning team can do a thorough job for around $200-$500, and in about 4 hours, depending on the size of your home. You can rent a power washing machine for less than $200.
5. Decorate!
You would be surprised by how much a few wall decorations can enhance a single room. Use pictures, posters and shelving to give the eye a reason to move up and down. This tricks the eye into thinking that a room is larger than it actually is. Add shelving and decorate them with unique and colorful objects, or, if you don’t have a lot of knick-knacks you’d like to show off, hang a piece of fabric or frame your favorite bits of artwork for some added pizazz.
Expected Cost: You can buy shelving materials at Lowes or any other home improvement store for as little as $6 a shelf, though a nicer, thicker shelf will cost you up to $25/shelf. OR, you can make your own shelves with used pallets, which many businesses give away for free, or with old barn siding, which many homeowners also give away for free. If you’re savvy enough, you’ll be able to install shelves for the small cost of brackets. A piece of fabric at Joanne’s can cost as little as $6.
6. Add A New Backsplash
Expected Cost: You can buy shelving materials at Lowes or any other home improvement store for as little as $6 a shelf, though a nicer, thicker shelf will cost you up to $25/shelf. OR, you can make your own shelves with used pallets, which many businesses give away for free, or with old barn siding, which many homeowners also give away for free. If you’re savvy enough, you’ll be able to install shelves for the small cost of brackets. A piece of fabric at Joanne’s can cost as little as $6.
6. Add A New Backsplash
Adding a new backsplash to your kitchen or bathroom doesn’t have to be expensive or hard to do. With a little creativity, you can have a new backsplash in 10 minutes, and for as little $10. Some ideas to quickly and inexpensively update your backsplash include: adhesive vinyl, ceramic plates, removable wall paper, removable tile, tin ceiling tiles, chalkboard paint or even fabric adhered with liquid starch. For more creative backsplash ideas, check out Apartment Therapy’s blog on the topic.
Expected Cost: We added old tin ceiling tiles to our kitchen for $25, but, as I mentioned above, you can get away with completing the project for as little as $10. It all just depends on the material you want to use, and how permanent of a fix you’re going for. Even if you want real tile, you don’t have to spend too much. I’ve heard of people finding designer tile at flea markets and installing it themselves for as little as $55. However, if you don’t shop right, or if you’re set on a brand new tile you found at a tile shop, you can be looking at anywhere from $500-$1,000.
Updating your home doesn’t have to be expensive or time consuming. In fact, I make it my goal to get one whole room updated, cleaned and decorated a week. Sometimes I don’t spend a penny, while others, I splurge on some paint and new hardware. However, I never spend more than $150 per room, if that.
Our paint and construction company is currently running a holiday special: get a single room painted for $200 – a 45% discount of our normal price. We can also install new fixtures, cabinetry, vanities, lighting, etc. for an additional cost. The holidays are already hectic, so treat yourself by letting us update your home for you. Give us a call for a FREE QUOTE, or email us at [email protected].
Expected Cost: We added old tin ceiling tiles to our kitchen for $25, but, as I mentioned above, you can get away with completing the project for as little as $10. It all just depends on the material you want to use, and how permanent of a fix you’re going for. Even if you want real tile, you don’t have to spend too much. I’ve heard of people finding designer tile at flea markets and installing it themselves for as little as $55. However, if you don’t shop right, or if you’re set on a brand new tile you found at a tile shop, you can be looking at anywhere from $500-$1,000.
Updating your home doesn’t have to be expensive or time consuming. In fact, I make it my goal to get one whole room updated, cleaned and decorated a week. Sometimes I don’t spend a penny, while others, I splurge on some paint and new hardware. However, I never spend more than $150 per room, if that.
Our paint and construction company is currently running a holiday special: get a single room painted for $200 – a 45% discount of our normal price. We can also install new fixtures, cabinetry, vanities, lighting, etc. for an additional cost. The holidays are already hectic, so treat yourself by letting us update your home for you. Give us a call for a FREE QUOTE, or email us at [email protected].