When you’re home needs a refresh, you may be tempted to put those projects off due to budget concerns. After all, the costs to hire a professional contractor can be pretty overwhelming, but you may not even need a pro to complete these updates. As long as you have some spare time and a little bit of patience, you can turn many expensive remodeling projects into affordable DIY improvements. Of course, having these home improvement tips and tricks can help as well.
Take Before and After Photos
If you need to be inspired to tackle your own home improvement projects, checking out a few before and after photos online should do the trick. It’s crazy how satisfying it can be to look at these photos of other peoples’ home makeovers, so think about how happy you will be with your own transformation! Speaking of before and after photos, you should take photos of your own projects. Those photos can really come in handy if you are planning home improvement projects that will increase your home’s value because having them (in addition to receipts) can lead to a higher appraisal. Improvements that pay off the most include cosmetic changes, like fresh paint on your walls, and updates that enhance your home’s curb appeal. To boost curb appeal, spring for simple changes like repainting your front door.
Follow Online DIY Tutorials
A lack of home improvement experience doesn’t have to exclude you from taking on DIY home repairs and updates. However, if you have never completed these sorts of projects in the past, you will want to start with small updates and use DIY tutorials to guide your process. Some small home changes that can make a big impact on the look and feel of your home include painting your fireplace, layering your lighting, and reducing clutter. You can find tons of tutorials to help you finish these projects so try an online search or check out Pinterest. Pinterest is a goldmine for both large and small home improvement ideas and many posts include detailed instructions that make these projects totally doable for novice homeowners.
Buy or Rent the Right Tools
If you’re checking out online tutorials and notice folks using specialty tools, you may think that these projects are too expensive for your budget. As long as you feel comfortable taking on more complicated projects, like retiling your bathroom, you don’t have to let the cost of tools scare you off. That’s because most home improvement stores, including Home Depot, will rent out more expensive tools, including tile saws, to their customers. Renting these tools rather than buying them is not only a lot cheaper but it’s also a lot smarter since you may never need them again. What you will want to buy is at least a basic set of tools to help you take care of basic maintenance and improvement around your home. Be sure to stock your toolbox with essentials like a hammer and screwdriver, but also consider adding more advanced tools for DIY projects.
Know When to Hire a Contractor
Certain remodeling projects, like a kitchen overhaul, can come with a fairly hefty price tag. On average, homeowners spend anywhere from $25,000 to $50,000 to update their kitchens. So, it makes total sense that you would want to cut costs with some DIY improvements. Still, if you are thinking of making any major changes to your kitchen, or any other area of your home, you may want to think about hiring an experienced professional instead. For example, if you need to install new wiring in your kitchen, calling a licensed electrician is a much smarter and safer choice. It could end up being the less expensive one as well since faulty electrical work can cause you to have to redo your kitchen anyhow or could even cause a serious house fire.
Simple updates can give your home a new life, but they don’t have to give your budget a workout. There are so many DIY tutorials and guides available online these days and there are also budget-friendly ways to get the tools you need. Even if you have more complicated projects, you may be able to DIY and save yourself some dough!
