If you’re getting ready to list your home, chances are you’re considering at least some home improvement projects—maybe you’re even planning to complete the remodeling project you always wanted to do, but never got around to.
But as we all know, once you start adding up all the little things that need fixing around your home, your budget can get out of control. In addition, there are lots of remodeling projects that actually don’t increase your home’s resale value—or at least, not by enough to make them worthwhile.
Here are a few tips for renovating projects that will also maximize your home’s value.
Kitchen upgrades
While a full kitchen remodel can cost you in the tens of thousands, smaller kitchen upgrades—refacing cabinets, updating hardware, installing new appliances—are much more budget-friendly and will still give you a high return on investment, or ROI.
Projects like these can have an up to 83 percent ROI, meaning that for every $100 spent, you’ll recoup $83 in resale value. That’s much higher than the ROI you’d get for a full kitchen remodel, which costs much, much more and will put you at an ROI of just around 50 percent.
Bathroom renovations
After the kitchen, bathrooms are the second-most likely renovations that increase home value, according to HomeLight.
And just like the kitchen, bathrooms can be given a high-value, low-budget makeover by doing things like:
- Replacing outdated hardware with contemporary or timeless styles
- Painting the vanity cabinets
- Adding or replacing the medicine cabinet
- Replacing a clunky mirror with a sleek and timeless one
- Repairing or replacing any cracked tiles
- Installing a new showerhead
Updating light fixtures
Light fixtures are one of those things that can instantly make a room look shabby and outdated, or stylish and modern.
The great part is that if you allow yourself some time, you can replace your old fixtures one by one for a reasonable cost—you won’t have to run out and spend $1,000 in one go.
When you’re getting ready to sell, you’ll want to purchase light fixtures that are classic yet modern, rather than highly stylized ones that appeal to your particular tastes. The goal is to help your buyer see themselves in your home—and that can be challenging when they’re looking at an industrial-inspired set of Edison bulbs or an ornate fixture that could be in an art gallery.
Beadboard ceilings
Popcorn ceilings are still found houses of all shapes and sizes, but that doesn’t mean anyone likes them.
One budget-friendly way to get rid of those popcorn ceilings is to install a beadboard ceiling over it. Because the measuring must be done precisely, it’s a good idea to work with a contractor to do this—unless you’re a highly experienced DIYer.
Beadboard ceilings are a great investment because they can make a space look and feel bigger, brighter, and cleaner, not to mention more modern.
Bathtub refinishing
If you’re focusing on your bathrooms when it comes to your renovations, one larger project that could be worth your while is refinishing your bathtub.
If your tub is looking dingy, you may be considering replacing it altogether. However, when you replace something like a bathtub, you can end up creating a bunch of other projects for yourself. When you consider how pulling out a bathtub will affect the flooring, the plumbing, the walls, etc., you can see that this kind of renovation can quickly snowball.
A less expensive and easier solution is to refinish the bathtub (assuming your tub doesn’t need to be replaced due to water damage or other structural damage).
Refinishing requires the services of a contractor, but it generally takes just a few hours and bathtub should be ready to use within 24-48 hours.
Backsplash installation
A pretty tile backsplash can add some character to your kitchen, with the added value of being an easy DIY project.
Choose a color that matches your appliances and contrasts nicely with your cabinets—in general, a white backsplash with white cabinets won’t be a great choice. One reason backsplashes are so visually appealing is because they create crisp, clean lines, and you can only get that full effect when there’s some kind of color or texture contrast.
When you’re selling your home, you don’t need to invest time and money in massive renovations to up your resale value. Instead, consider these smaller, more budget-friendly projects that will still appeal to buyers, without putting you in a financial hole.
– This is a guest post not written by this website’s owner.