Author: Maria Alfano
Whether you own a house, condo, cottage, or just want to spruce up your apartment. These 41 beginner home improvement projects you need to do that are proven to instantly increase your home value are tried and true! Even if all you want to do is rent your home on Air BnB, these improvements will fetch you more rental income.
Are you tired of looking at the 1980’s decor, or the 1990’s dusty rose walls and carpet? This post will introduce you to a list of inexpensive, easy, and sometimes free upgrades that you can do to improve the value of your property before putting it on the market. You will find suggestions that will beautify any space in your home with beginner home improvement projects.
41 Beginner Home Improvement Projects You Need To Do That Are Proven To Instantly Increase Your Home Value
Kitchen
Cabinets
Cupboard and drawer pulls – vintage is great in some areas of the home but this is not one of them. No one wants to see great grandma’s drawer handles in their new kitchen. Sleek modern designs can quickly update your kitchen for a relatively small investment. All you need is a screwdriver and you can complete this DIY project in under an hour.
Cabinets – while new cabinets are not always affordable, giving your old kitchen a new life with paint is! Those dingy old cabinets will be revived with two-tone paint. It is common to paint the top cabinets a lighter color with the lower cabinets in a complementary darker color. If painting them won’t help, then try purchasing cabinets from second-hand stores like the Habitat for Humanity Restore.
Undermounted cabinet lighting – nothing shows off your kitchen more than lighting under your cabinets. The glow of the lights shows off the cabinetry and the countertops. Plus, it adds a pleasant ambiance to the kitchen at night.
Backsplash – adding or updating your backsplash is a really cheap way to make your kitchen look like a million bucks – well almost 😊. Depending on what you choose you can definitely add value to the price of your home by upgrading the backsplash!
Appliances
Pot filler – I have to admit this is the favorite upgrade we did to our kitchen when we remodeled it. It is not only a timesaver, but I don’t have to lift heavy pots full of water from the counter to the stove anymore. I truly didn’t know I needed this until I had it installed.
Water Filters – installing an under-sink water filter is not only cheap, but it also saves you money and reduces your waste footprint too. Imagine how many plastic water bottles you can eliminate while drinking pure clean water.
Energy-efficient appliances – this is a little more expensive to do but in the long run, they not only save you money but will also fetch you more when selling your home. You also have the option of buying scratch and dent appliances – as long as the scratches and dents can be hidden by walls or cabinets.
New faucets – another simple and inexpensive beginner home improvement project would include changing that leaky faucet out for a sleeker more designer-looking one.
Bathroom
Door pulls and faucet – just like in the kitchen, these probably need more of an upgrade than you think. Imagine all the stinky business that goes on in that bathroom. It’s time to switch these out don’t you agree?
Old dresser – replacing the vanity can bring a whole new look and feel to the bathroom. Consider re-purposing that old dresser you have in storage with a fresh coat of paint and a glass bowl sink to sit in your bathroom. A pop of the old mixed in with the modern pulls and faucet will give a quick and inexpensive boost to your tired bathroom.
Showerhead – replacing the old showerhead is so cheap and yet creates a big splash! in your bathroom.
Energy-efficient toilet – replacing the toilet bowl is a must if you plan on selling. Face it – no one wants a baby blue toilet in their home today. Adding an energy-efficient dual-action flushing toilet is even better.
Venting fan – mold and mildew are the #1 and #2 reasons why bathrooms are harmful to your health. Installing a venting fan will help draw moisture out of the bathroom to the outside so you significantly reduce the risk of mold and mildew.
Caulking – apply fresh caulking around bathtubs, showers, and sinks to give the bathroom an overall appearance of fresh and new. For around $40 you can revive your tub and stop any potential leaks.
Bedroom
New window coverings – believe it or not, a simple beginner home improvement project that can be done within an hour is to replace the old roller blinds with something a little more modern. What, you still have crushed velvet curtains with a valance! No way! Quick get rid of those and don’t tell anyone they belonged to you. You can pick up shutters or vertical wooden slatted blinds for dirt cheap and you can install them yourself easily.
Ceiling fan – this is not only a necessary reno project, it also makes the room look and feel fresh.
Closet organizers – a cluttered closet is not only hard to navigate, but it is also a turn-off to potential buyers. Want to increase the value of your home? This simple trick will do just that!
Carpets – are you feeling adventurous? Replace those orange shag carpets. You will find some beautiful new floor coverings for phenomenal deals when you shop the clearance section of your local home renovation stores.
Livingroom & Hallways
Recessed lighting – gives a fresh new look to the living room & hallways and is a simple project that can be completed in a day. This one will require a licensed electrician and can cost a bit of money to get completed but the end result will be outstanding.
New window coverings – like in the bedroom, spruce up the windows with new dressings. They will help brighten the room and make it appear more open.
Gallery wall – I think we all like to hang pictures and mementos. Let’s face it, if you’re anything like me, they go up on the nearest nail in the wall. A gallery wall is a fun home project that costs very little and adds a focal point to any room or hallway. Plus, it gets rid of all the oddly placed family photos and moves them to a place where you can tell a story.
Throughout the House
A fresh coat of paint – a quick facelift for your walls, painting is one DIY project that is fast, inexpensive, and adds value to your home. Getting rid of the marbling effect or the sponge-painted walls and replacing it with a modern neutral color like grey or a soft taupe, will instantly give your home a new look. The best part is you can do this yourself and paint a room a day. You can be done in less than a week.
Light fixtures – replacing old dated light fixtures is a fast and inexpensive way to breathe new life into your home.
Mirrors – adding mirrors in the hallways and smaller rooms gives the appearance of a larger room
Baseboards and crown molding – the modern look for baseboards is thick. Replace the thin baseboards with new ones or add height to the existing ones by doubling up with an additional layer of baseboards. Paint them white so they stand out. Then add their cousin crown molding to the ceiling. Together the two will increase the value of your home considerably.
Little Things
Switchplate covers and dimmers – replace broken and dingy switch plate covers with new ones for less than 50 cents per piece. Adding dimmers to the lights also adds a touch of contemporary to your home.
Air vent covers – get rid of the years of baked-on dust altogether by replacing the air vent covers all around your home.
Door knobs – are the knobs hard to turn or do the doors not close properly throughout the house? Do they look like they are straight out of “Back to the Future”? It’s time to replace them.
Refinish hardwood floors – sanding and refinishing floors is a simple home DIY project that will instantly add value to your property.
Barn doors – to increase the wall space in small rooms, barn doors are a great alternative. A door that swings into a room needs wall space limiting what you can do with that wall.
Popcorn ceilings – popcorn makes a great, delicious snack but it doesn’t look good on ceilings anymore. This is the 21st century, not 1920. It’s time to get rid of those ceilings.
Smart thermostat – programmable smart thermostats are a great energy saver and help make your home a smart home. Buy this Nest thermostat on Amazon. It was the best investment we made. Love the ability to control it remotely through any smart device like Google Home, Amazon Alexa, or an app on your smartphone. Easily program the heat and a/c to the perfect temperature for day or night comfort. And, remotely access the thermostat when you’re away get both savings and a perfect home to come back to. It records the volume of energy used in a given week and provides reports to help you manage your carbon footprint.
Declutter – if you do nothing else, take the time to get rid of all the extra stuff in your home. I’m sure there are tchotchkes lying around that you have never used. New homeowners need to see themselves in the house and your “stuff” hanging around will not afford them this opportunity.
Outside Beginner Home Improvement Projects
New sod – nothing says welcome home like fresh cut grass and a thick new lawn. Replace the old sod with new. It’s not only a great home improvement project, it’s a good exercise to be outside and working.
Solar lights – you can pick up some awesome and cheap solar lights from your local dollar store. Insert them into your weed-free flower beds. They create a soothing ambiance at night to light up any pathway.
Front and garage doors – spruce them up and make them pop with a new coat of exterior paint. Pick a paint that compliments the outside of your home but also stands out on its.
House numbers – one of the easiest ways to increase the curb appeal of your home is to have some beautiful house numbers. It will likely take you longer to pick ones that you like than it will to install them making this the perfect beginner home improvement project.
Lights – change out or paint fading light fixtures. A bright white or rich black iron fixture will increase the value of your instantly.
Clean Up
Wash it – give your driveway, walkway, windows, walls a good power wash. You can do this in one day. Trust me, clean windows will make the whole house look bright and shiny.
Gutters and roof – clean and repair the gutters. Repair or replace your roof. Real estate agents are on the lookout for the age of the roof and gutters. The newer they are the more you can command for your home when you sell. This is a task that requires some cash and a professional to do the work for you.
Driveway – fill in the cracks and seal the asphalt. Give it a new coat of deep rich tar and it will make your home more desirable.
This post was all about 41 beginner home improvement projects proven to instantly increase your home value. It gave you a room-by-room perspective on quick updates you can do for yourself and by yourself both inside and out.