Budget-Friendly Home Improvement Projects
Renew your lights
Take down those out dated light fixtures and replace them with some simple, elegent 2020 style fixtures. Make sure you choose lighting that will work for the space that you're using it in. In too large of a space you don't want too dim of a lighting set up, and in a small space or a cozy space like a living room you don't want the light to be overpowering. ( when working with electrical, be sure to turn off the power before starting.)
Walls Can Talk
You can improve your space's ROI significantly with a nice fresh coat of paint. It's recomended that you choose neutral or soft pastel colors that renters can live with so you don't offend with any loud or crazy choices. White walls can be considered to be out of date, and flat gray can be boring if overused.
Rejuvenate Those Baseboards!
Good news, you don't even have to remove your current baseboard! Install complimentary trim a few inches above the existing trim, and pain the trim and wall in between the exact same color. You're left with a whole new look of a wide trim baseboard without any crazy hard labor and significantly less cost. While you’re at it, replace your heat registers and vents with metal or wooden vent covers. Those can often be a real turn off when the originals are left in, especially when they've been painted over a few times.
Curb Appeal, It's A Must.
Freshen up the front of your home with some accent colored flowers and some well kept bushes. If your yard is flat and dull, consider planting some trees. This will have an additional value of adding shade, which has the potential of increasing your property value by 10-%.
Bathrooms, Let's Redo Your Caulk.
Often, whether realized or not bathrooms can have mold and yellowing around caulk lines. Cracked caulk lines can allow water behind walls and floors, which can be a huge(and expensive) headache in the future. Using a putty knife, you can remove the current caulk, and clean the area replacing it with a clean new bead of silicone caulk.
Upgrade Your Hardware
Throw away your outdated doorknobs or pulls with some simplistic choices to quickly update the the entire feel of your kitchen. You can either take off the current hard-wear to compare and get the right size at the store or just measure screw to screw (on center) and have the size you nee. You'll also need to be aware of how long the original screws are so that they can reach threw the drawer/door thickness.
Fans Fans Fans
If you have a bathroom fan that rattles, don't ignore it. It's a quick and easy fix. Most new ones will fit the size of the existing fan, or you can replace the motor in the old one. Again, make sure to turn off the power when working with electric, and before installing the new fan be sure to clean out any excess dust our drywall peaces.
Doorknobs and Deadbolts
Doorknobs and deadbolts may be small, but they are a BIG deal. The style and feel of your space depends on those greatly. And an added bonus is the security of having strong new locks on your doors.
Backsplash, The Secret Sauce Of The Kitchen.
Get rid of that old stained backsplash. If you aren’t ready to star up a big project, paint with washable latex paint and stencil or paint something original to you.
Thermostat Upgrade
Energy Star reports that homeowners can save up to 8% of their heating and cooling bills by switching to a SmartThermostat. Programmable thermostats are available for as cheap as $30, so all around these are great for saving money.
The Bottom Line
Time is money, so use your downtime to your advantage and add some upgrades to your property. The investment is sure to pay off with higher quality tenants who may be willing to pay more for those upgrades.
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