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In this day and age, it’s hard enough to be able to afford a house, period. So once you’ve purchased one, you probably don’t have thousands of dollars laying around for renovations. Even if you're itching to rip out the carpet in your bedroom and replace it with sleek, wood floors, that change may have to wait.
There are, however, some more affordable projects that you may be able to accomplish in the meantime. Homeowners on Reddit have recently been discussing cheap home improvement projects that are worth every penny, so we’ve gathered some of their suggestions below. Keep reading to also find a conversation with Krayton M. Davis, Executive Principle at Let’s Renovate, and be sure to upvote the projects that you’d like to get started on this weekend!
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Insulation and air sealing. There was a cold window and a tiny draft I had just stuck putty into keep the cold out. Finally pulled off the trim and I could see outside! Ended up sealing wood, painting window sill, and spraying foam around window. Room is significantly warmer all winter, and I'm working through all the other windows doing the same thing for $30 each window in materials.
Justin Tyme 1 year ago (edited)
Insulation does not keep cold outside. It actually slows the transfer of heat energy from inside the house to outside the house when the outside temperature is colder than inside. There is no form of energy called "cold". "Cold" is actually a relative term referring to a lower temperature compared to a different location. And heat energy always transfers to an object or area that has a lower temperature (that has less heat energy). So basically, cold does not come into a house during winter, heat goes out of the house.
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Tabitha 1 year ago
It’s absolutely scandalous how homes are built so slapdash, with corners cut everywhere, yet the buyers are paying prime prices for new construction, as if it’s solidly made and going to last. Then they have to not only pay for the repairs and replacements to bring it up to some semblance of quality, they have to actually FIND the f*****g SOURCE of the issues left behind by the s****y materials and construction. In the next decade or so, I would not be surprised to see all those craptastic McMansions falling down over people’s heads because they’re so badly constructed.
Traveling Lady Railfan 1 year ago
It's not an impressive looking upgrade, but yeah, getting better windows or better insulation is often a great investment, winter or summer!!
Robert T 1 year ago
+1 for insulation. I discovered that my bay window had now insulation in it whatsoever when we had the wood cladding replaced with cement fibreboard. There was no plywood backing and no insulation. When the took the wood off, I could see the bolts holding my radiator to the plasterboard! It not has insulation, plywood and cladding, plus a lot better uPVC window.
Kira Okah 1 year ago
Make sure that, when getting insulation (primarily talking cavity wall insulation here), you carefully research the company doing it. So many shîtty fly-by-night companies doing botch job insulation that ends up letting in moisture and as a result people are getting mould and mushrooms and frozen.
RELATED:
#2
Under cabinet lighting. Cost me $150 and was 1000% worth it.
DIY fire pit was about $50 worth of retaining wall blocks, also completely worth it.
Upgraded the dishwasher to a Bosch 800 series with crystaldry. It gets your dishes dry like a dishwasher from the 80s but without the heating coil that melts your plastic stuff. That thing is some sort of German black magic.
Mike Loux 1 year ago
The house we bought has under cabinet lighting, and for some reason it's not hard-wired, yet plugged into a socket under the sink. Because reasons. Anyway, got a Hue smart switch and now I can control that along with the rest of the kitchen lights (which are Hue bulbs) in the same app. Totally worth the $30 or so I spent on the switch.
T'Mar of Vulcan 1 year ago
Bosch is a great brand! We (bro, SIL and I, who live in the house my parents left to me and bro) went through four washing machines of different brands - and not bad ones, ones like LG and Defy - before we got gatvol and took SIL's mom's advice and just shelled out the extra money for a Bosch.
Pittsburgh rare 1 year ago
I'm notoriously cheap but my washing machine is and will always be a Bosch
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H.J. King 1 year ago
I just built my fire pit. It was straightforward. The materials are not light. Lol. Took about 2 hrs of stop and go, but I did it and it looks good.
Shaggy 1 year ago
We got one of those Solo stoves this summer. OMG, get one for inside your pit. One stick o wood lasts, and heats, like a damn cord... For just sitting around with a glass o wine, if ya want a quick fire, with your spouse, Ya only need a frigging piece of kindling and it lasts for like an hour.... Good stuff...
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#3
Adding outlets to closets and cabinets so we could charge our tootbrushes, waterpiks, and vacuums in the place where we store them normally.
Brian Droste 1 year ago
Did you do it yourself or hire a electrician? If you hire a electrician. That would not be cheap. Unless you really know what you are doing and having a lot of knowledge with electrical things, if something happened like a fire, that could nullify your home insurance.
Bob Brooce 1 year ago
Running wires can be a real pain in the a*s, but installing switches and outlets is something a 12yo could learn to do competently. Also, I've seen plenty of stuff that was done by a licensed electrician (or the workers they sent over) but done incorrectly or poorly. Typically that happens when they know better but the faster they get it done the more they can make.
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MarshmallowTheCat 1 year ago
Check with the electrical code. In Canada, installing a power outlet inside a cabinet is forbidden. It is possible to do so if the outlet is powered ONLY when the door is open.
Lew k 1 year ago
Funny story on new outlet. Moved into current home about 4 years ago and have thought an outlet in the hallway would be nice every time I vacuum and then forget all about it. My 7 year old was goofing around and knocked a big ol hole in the drywall right about where I wanted the outlet. Cut out drywall between studs and find it backs right up to an outlet in the room on the other side of the wall. Probably would have gone another 5-10 years pushing that minor inconvenience down the road if my kid didn't break something.
Bob Brooce 1 year ago
When I renovated my dining room one of the things that got done was a pipe chase around some heating pipes. As part of that I put in a small set of shelves about 10 x 12 inches. Three of the shelves have outlets that we refer to as the charging station. It's a very convenient place for charging the cell phones, an iPad, various rechargeable batteries, and a few other odds and ends with built-in rechargeable batteries.
Colleen Glim 1 year ago
My house has aluminum wiring. An electrician is more than worth the cost of accidentally burning my house down
Bob Brooce 1 year ago
Aluminum wiring itself isn't inherently unsafe. The problems are with the various connections (which is a potential source of problems with copper, too). Replacing the wiring would be very expensive, and because of code requirements for fastening the wiring it would require a lot of holes and patches in the walls (or running a lot of surface wiring). For far less money the connections and/or switches and outlets can be redone.
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To learn more about home improvement projects that won't break the bank, we got in touch with Krayton M. Davis, Executive Principle at Let’s Renovate. Krayton was kind enough to have a chat with Bored Panda and recommend some budget-friendly projects that can make a huge difference in your home.
"Some affordable or easy home improvement projects that are definitely worth the money and effort include repainting rooms to give them a fresh, new look, installing energy-efficient lighting fixtures to save on electricity bills, and updating cabinet hardware to enhance the kitchen and bathroom look," he shared.
#4
Bidet. Its worth the hype for less wipe.
Texmaam 1 year ago
Question from US that has ever been aboard. So you spray your a**e with water, then how do you dry? Seriously, tell me please.
Joshua David 1 year ago
In US you can get a toilet attachment. Once done doing ya bidnit all you have to do is turn the k**b on the side and your àss is getting blasted with a stream of water. All that gunk and sticky goop is essentially ghosted off your àsshole. Then you take a few squares of TP and dab your àsshole dry. Great for homes that use septic tanks and great for toilet paper panic buyers. I got 2 for my 2 bathrooms in 2020 and i will never go back.
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Jeri Cron 1 year ago
I installed a bidet attachment to my toilet and wish I had done it sooner. I will be honest - it took a bit of getting used to. I still use a bit of tt paper, but I mostly use small towels to dry after urine discharge and wash cloths for a**l discharge. These washcloths and small towels are used only for this purpose and sanitized when washed. The only problem is adjusting the water pressure. If too much pressure you can give yourself a mini enema. I really appreciate having a bidet when I must use a public toilet. Never really feel clean. Hope this helps.
Weasel Wise 1 year ago
It makes me laugh, people claiming how hygienic it is and the user is cleaner afterwards... There's no waaaay that shooting water at poo can make poo particles spread in all directions. Physics doesn't work like that, right? Ignore the basic physics that happens when you're spray dirty dishes and little bits of food fly off in all directions. The physics of spraying a poopy bùtthole are completely different?
Bob Jones 1 year ago
If you got poop on your hand would you be happy just to wipe it off with paper, or would you use water as well? After visiting Asia for a while I installed the ones that sit inside the toilet on all my toilets. Once you have used one of these you will feel unclean anytime you use a toilet that doesn't have one. Yes, you still need a bit of paper as well.
Crissy Newbury 1 year ago
I love my ceramic bidet. Got one after childbirth stitches and now I wouldn’t be without one.
Immortal Emperor Paradox 1 year ago
Instead of a bidet add a water spray and a jet spray to your commode. A jet spray is a hand-held extension. A water spray is a nozzle fit under the lid.
Aileen Grist 1 year ago
my bidet blow dries too - though I often just use a flannel - after all by then it's only water, no mess
Steve Robert 1 year ago
My question is how do you sit on one? There doesn't seem to be a seat, like the toilet next to it. And why two toilets if the bidet works as advertised?
#5
Dehumidifiers … I had a damp basement, but not any more.
Bob Brooce 1 year ago (edited)
My dehumidifier drains to a condensate pump (standard equipment for HVAC units) that sends the water outside where it waters a viburnum that is doing very well. In the summer I have to check the filter every few weeks and that's it. Untitled-6...2e2ccd.jpg 
keyboardtek 1 year ago
Installing a dehumidifier completely removed the musty odor in our basement.
Bean Driller 1 year ago
Colorado is a dehumidified state. The whole state. No humidity. I want humidity a little!
Rachel Pelz 1 year ago
Dehumidifiers may help, but if you need to run them permanently I suspect you will need to have an expert check for the cause.
#6
I don’t remember the exact material cost but enclosing my screen porch myself was weeeeeeell worth it.
"Investing in organizational systems to declutter your home is worthwhile, especially when it comes to the convenience of quickly locating items," Krayton continued. "Another impactful yet simple project is improving curb appeal through landscaping— planting flowers, trimming hedges, or painting the front door can significantly enhance a home's exterior charm."
#7
I installed a laundry sink with two sets of taps and have one permanently attached to the Python water changer hose for my aquarium. It takes minutes to do water changes and there isn’t a drop spilled. Wife approval factor 9/10.
#8
Completely redid an upstairs bathroom, all by myself. Used the same tub, but ripped the rest to the walls. Watched the return area at IKEA for weeks until I'd found two matching sinks and a floating vanity and faucets, all 50% off. Large format tiles on the floor, up the back wall and around the tub. Used cheap molding to frame the existing large over sink mirror. Half price backsplash tile. New toilet, on sale. Paint. It looked like a spa when I was done.
TribbleThinking 1 year ago
I did the entire back third of my house with large tiles, which was the small living room (think double bedroom), kitchen, bathroom and two corridors. It was my first time. A neighbour tutored me, did the tricky bits like angle grinding for difficult curves, taught me to lay them and do straight and corner cuts. Two decades later, they're all absolutely fine.
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#9
Soft close toilet seats
Tortitude 1 year ago
We have these and they are great, but I always forget when I use a toilet that isn't soft close...
Sven Grammersdorf 1 year ago
My house came with soft close seats but they wore out and don't close soft anymore and my wife doesn't remember that ever and constantly loudly slams them shut
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Mary Kelly 1 year ago
YES...changed all my cabinets, drawers and toilets to soft-close...not having to hear everything opening and closing all day long is an unexpected gamechanger
Justin Tyme 1 year ago
What about it? I just bought one for $15 at Walmart. The previous one lasted about five years.
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On the other hand, we asked the home improvement expert if there were any popular projects that he would not recommend. "While home theaters can be an exciting project, they might not necessarily be worth the hefty investment - unless you are a dedicated movie-watcher," he noted. "The cost of high-end audio-visual equipment, specialized seating, and soundproofing can quickly add up without a corresponding increase in property value."
"Similarly, extensive luxury bathroom remodels with high-end materials and features such as saunas or whirlpool tubs may not yield a significant return on investment, especially if these additions do not appeal to the broader pool of potential home buyers," Krayton added.
#10
$300 of blown in insulation and radiant barrier for the attic.
keyboardtek 1 year ago
We owned one house that had really hot second floor rooms because the afternoon sun heated up the siding. We installed the radiant barrier and no more heat passed through that wall.
#11
Blackout curtains in all the bedrooms.
ILoveMySon 1 year ago
I noticed a reduction in my heating and a/c bill when I bought them as well.
#12
Paying extra for Leaf screens on my new gutters. I researched several types and brands and found one that appears to work for us.
The Darkest Timeline 1 year ago
I need to get those; pine needles are constantly clogging my gutters
keyboardtek 1 year ago (edited)
I do not think you will find one that effectively blocks pine needles. Our gutter salesman said every brand he sold you have to eventually take off to clean the gutters. They just extend the gutter cleaning to every two or three years.
Load More Replies... Beth Wheeler 1 year ago
I had all of my gutters and downspouts replaced with those because there is no way I m ever getting on a ladder that high to do it. Not really a fan of heights, I do have 4 and 6 foot stepladders. I'm OK on them inside as long as I can touch the wall.
Traveling Lady Railfan 1 year ago
We had gutter guards installed on the house as the house is surrounded by oak trees and maple trees (relatively large leaves) so the gutter guards work very well for keeping those out of the eaves troughs so we don't have to go up with a ladder several times in the fall and several times in the spring to clean them out. We chose not to put the gutter guards on the garage as it is surrounded by locust trees with teeny tiny little leaves, and they would have gotten under the lip of the gutter guard anyway. So I clean them out three times in the fall and three times in the spring (relatively easy, I can get the ladder out of the garage, set up, and cleaned both sides of the garage gutters, put the ladder away and done in about 10 minutes) but I'm so glad I don't have to do the house gutters, as just guessing, that would probably take 90 minutes each time
Meagan Glaser 1 year ago
as a victim of oak tree gutter clogging, this is helpful.
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So what advice would the renovation expert give to new homeowners who want to start sprucing up their houses? "Begin with straightforward tasks that provide maximum impact with minimal complexity. Painting walls, replacing light fixtures, or adding new cabinet hardware are excellent do-it-yourself projects that can significantly refresh your space," Krayton told Bored Panda.
#13
Added a laundry chute. No more carrying baskets of dirty laundry down the stairs.
Sensitive Issues 1 year ago
That's what i do also...it's very satisfying.
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Jeff White 1 year ago
When we built our house, we chose a 2nd floor laundry room. There are inexpensive "tubs" for under the washing machine to contain any overflow. This has been, by a Billion miles, the best decision we made. Never carry clothes up or down.
Bob Brooce 1 year ago
One of the very first things I did in my house was put a laundry room on the 2nd floor. It's about 30 feet from the dryer to my wife's dresser at the far side of the bedroom. My dresser is about 10' closer. A lot of my stuff gets into the hamper with a 12' side trip when I'm headed to the shower.
Marilyn Holt 1 year ago
Except that my kids started just throwing all their clothes down there instead of putting away or hanging in closet.
BeesEelsAndPups 1 year ago
I've heard these can lower your property value, as they are considered a risk. Somebody could fall in. Anyways, I don't mind carrying my clothes downstairs
#14
Insulation 100%
Debby Keir 1 year ago
That spray foam stuff makes a house unmortgagable in the UK. * https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/spray-foam-insulation-and-mortgages/ *
#15
Painting the walls. When we moved in everything was an agreeable neutral and we had too much other stuff going on to think about it. But we didn't survive a pandemic to live in a boring house. Now it's colorful and looks like us and all the photos we take in the house have beautiful backgrounds.
Beth Wheeler 1 year ago
When we bought my house the bedrooms and 1 bathroom all white and the other bathroom was florescent yellow including the countertop, which has all been gone for years.
Jac Carr 1 year ago
Ideally people should live in a house for at least 6 months before repainting so you know where the light enters the rooms because it changes the tones of paint. Paint is now too expensive to be making big mistakes with. Also, always paint sample colours on large pieces of carboard that can be moved around a room at different times of the day - especially if you're using grey paint - it's notorious for having undertones you won't see until you realise the light affects the tone
Meagan Glaser 1 year ago
On the other hand, it's so so so much easier to paint before you move in with all your stuff.
Load More Replies..."Additionally, taking on simple landscaping jobs, like planting flowers or creating garden beds, can elevate the appeal of your home's exterior," Krayton says.
"However, for more complicated tasks, it's advisable to seek professional assistance to ensure safety and quality outcomes by adhering to building codes," he noted. "Electrical work, major plumbing renovations, and large-scale structural changes are best left to experts with the requisite skills and experience."
#16
The fence I wanted would have been about 8000$. I did something nice for $800 with reclaimed wood and hard work.
Geoffrey Scott 1 year ago
Daughter had a friend who used slabwood, the wood left from sawing boards that most folks use for wood furnaces for a fence, wasn't unsightly. Have also seen shipping pallets used for fencing as well.
#17
Had kitchen cabinets professionally repainted. Kitchen feels so much brighter and fresher, and the quality of the job using a sprayer was so much better than what I would have achieved doing it myself.
keyboardtek 1 year ago
We hired a pro to paint our cabinets. They used a special two part epoxy paint that dries extremely hard and resistant to scratches.
#18
$150
Bought a used projector on ebay, a screen at my local Amazon return warehouse, and a home theater sound system assembled from goodwill purchases and I have an outdoor movie theater setup in my garage
Krayton also noted that it's crucial for homeowners to prioritize projects based on their lifestyle needs and future plans. "Consider how long you plan to stay in the home and tailor improvements accordingly; short-term residents might focus more on aesthetic updates or essential repairs, while those settling in for the long haul may choose to invest in comprehensive upgrades," he shared.
"Additionally, keeping an eye on current design trends and the local real estate market can help guide decisions on which improvements will add the most value to your home."
#19
Added shelving in the hall closet a year ago for ~$300 and got 32 sqft more shelf space.
$10 red motion activated night lights for the bathrooms. Nice for midnight infant diaper changes and brushing teeth before the sun is up in the morning when the overhead light is just too much.
Shelving and hang drying racks in the laundry room. ~$100.
#20
Materials cost only, replacing the outlets and switches from 80s/90s almond to modern white; probably about $500 total, but we had a lot to replace.
Replacing the knobs and hinges on our doors from the original (80s) brass, peeling knobs to more modern black matte. Probably another $400. Definitely a good band-aid until we get around to refinishing the doors themselves!
Paid a handyman to replace a faucet, probably $300, and it solved the leak and aesthetic problem immediately (obviously). Found the guy from an ad on the side of his van at his full time job at an Ace Hardware.
Replace ALL of your bulbs. It is INSANE how much of a difference brighter bulbs made in our house. Pro tip, LED lights run at lower wattages, so you can go up to a higher wattage equivalent/higher lumen safely.
Beth Wheeler 1 year ago
It can be a pain to do it but when my kitchen faucet started leaking a few years ago I bought a couple of different repair kits for it that didn't work. I took a chance on calling Price-Pfister and they sent me what I needed for free on a faucet that was about 20 years old at the time. I took that darn thing apart 3 times before I got it fixed. We couldn't even use the dishwasher and had to wash dishes in the bathroom for 2 or 3 weeks.
Geoffrey Scott 1 year ago
Not home repair related. Called Extang (tonneau cover for truck) because the latches used to hold down the rear of the cover needed replacement. They sent an entire kit, gratis.
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Janissary35680 1 year ago
LEDs are definitely worth it. In ten years I think I've had to replace maybe one LED bulb.
Robert T 1 year ago
Massively lower power consumption - went from 300W in the lounge to 35W. Can't remember when I last changed a bulb.
Load More Replies... #21
That translucent film to cover the smaller windows that you want lots of light from
Sun Shine 1 year ago
Did this in one of our restrooms, the others were sprayed with a frosted paint to give privacy while still allowing natural light.
Helena 1 year ago
My bathroom actually has frosted windows, but I don't know how much privacy that actually affords. A lot I hope because there's a resthome directly behind my house that looks directly at my bathroom. I just don't need to do peep shows for the elderly.
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Traveling Lady Railfan 1 year ago
I did this years ago with bedroom windows that were facing neighbors, so you get all of the light but also you get privacy as well. So now you can get naked and not have to wonder if the neighbor is outside your window trimming his tree
#22
Replaced old blinds and curtains with top down / bottom up cellular shades. Bought custom size from Blinds.com and installed myself.
New smart ceiling fan / light that looks modern (replaced 20 year old one that looked very dated).
Updated bathroom fans - Panasonic Whisper truly are whisper quiet! And new timer switch :)
New patio furniture set
#23
Touchless kitchen faucet (it has a sensor you wave your hand in front of)
3-in-1 fan/light/heater in the bathroom. Being able to take a shower with the heater on makes me feel old but my god is it amazing in winter.
BrunoVI 1 year ago
I HATE TOUCHLESS FAUCETS. They make me feel more invisible than the 8th grade.
Beth Wheeler 1 year ago
I need to have my old one replaced. I think the bearing is going out on it when using the heater, it's making noise and smells.
Janissary35680 1 year ago
Noise is bad enough but the combination of electricity and smells needs immediate attention.
Load More Replies... #24
Stupid easy and stupid cheap. Covered my kitchen backsplash with fake tile sheets. It’s a temporary bandage until I get my kitchen fully redone, but it looks so much better and I’ve gotten so many compliments.
Robert T 1 year ago
Did this for my MIL. You can buy sticky-backed plastic (Fablon) in all kinds of shades and patterns. She has fake marble. I cut up some old spare floor tiles and covered them to make some lightwight marble "tiles". Bit of silicone and you can hardly tell they aren't real tiles.
Mary Kelly 1 year ago
when you do get your kitchen redone, do the real tile yourself...i took a 2-day class through a local school for $100...bought a wet saw for $120....now, i do my own tiling...it's super easy to do and the tile itself is usually pretty cheap...it's a skill that will save you money!
#25
New front door with a large window to let in more natural light, with a keypad deadbolt. Never have to worry about being locked out or fumbling for my key in the dark.
Smart garage door opener. I can operate it remotely and make sure that it's closed by 8 PM. After having kids we kept accidentally leaving it open a lot.
Bidet toilet seats. Clean bums are just light years better.
Charlotte Sandoval 1 year ago
I worked for a lock company for a while, I would really recommend against having a large window in your front door. Saw too many shattered ones where people just reached in and unlocked the door through the broken window.
Huddo's sister 1 year ago
Also, depending on where you live, it just creates another place that lets in heat in summer.
Load More Replies... Beth Wheeler 1 year ago
Yeah now you just have to worry about somebody breaking the glass to break in. My front and basement doors are actually metal fire doors that look like wood panel doors. Somebody kicked in the front door 1 time years ago. The way my husband fixed it if anybody ever tries again I hope they break their damn leg. There is iron bars bolted into the house frame instead of the door frame.
Heras buddy 1 year ago
Careful with the keypad deadbolt. Make sure to change the batteries when they start to slow down. Otherwise you'll lock yourself out.
Steve Robert 1 year ago
A keypad lock can be hacked a lot easier than a mechanical lock. Imagine you being locked in because the power went off or your house trying to kill you by locking all the doors and windows, and turning off the gas pilot, and die from carbon monoxide poisoning. It can happen when AI takes over the world 😁
Sven Grammersdorf 1 year ago
The keypad locks use batteries. They aren't wired into the grid.
Load More Replies... #26
$25 on Amazon to buy those garage door magnets that make it look fancier.
$10 on Amazon to buy timer switches for all of our lamps
Much smaller than the cap you suggested, but those things have really changed the aesthetic of our home relative to the cost.
digitalin 1 year ago
There are these flat magnetic panels that look like garage door windows from the street, also little handles and big fake hinges like the ones in the picture. It sounds dumb, but everything is fake in the US anyway, so it gives the plain garage door a more up-market look.
Load More Replies... Mike F 1 year ago
Geeni smart "stuff". I have outlets, strips, etc. and they all work through one app. Changing times for individual outlets in the strip is a piece of cake even for me. You don't need a hub, and new components are recognized in seconds when setting up. They can be a couple of $ more expensive, but I caught all of mine on specials. They handle higher wattage appliances (I have a bedroom ac unit on one outlet in a strip) and, especially for someone who is getting older, you can set up your individual lamps to off at a certain time so you're not fumbling in the dark.
#27
Changing ugly light fixtures
#28
Like $15-30 per closet to get the hardware to make bifold doors into French doors (take hinges off, hang the second half from a new set of hangers). They open so much wider and quieter. Put new hardware on and you got fancy closets.
We also redid our walk-in closet on possession - paint and IKEA organizer for pretty cheap but it's so much nicer.
Also change ceiling lights. Easy and makes things better.
#29
Literally, the easiest thing was replacing all hinges, doorknobs, and faucets. To change away from the old brass stuff was instantly better
whineygingercat 1 year ago
What people don't realize is brass doorknobs are naturally antimicrobial.
Lew k 1 year ago
Most old 80s 90s brass doorknobs people are replacing are A, not really made of brass but just brass colored. B: have a coating over them anyhow and C ugly and worn out. Sorry I do a few remodels a year and door paint and hardware is one of my magic cheap fixes. New doors are expensive but a quick sand, new doorknobs and paint to replace that hideous white oak and brass look and you would really have to do a close inspection to tell it isn't brand new doors.
Load More Replies... Geoffrey Scott 1 year ago
New drawer/door pulls will update a kitchen for very little cost. The choices are vast.
michael reid 1 year ago
It can corrode though and get chlorine poisoned by sweat from hands
Load More Replies... #30
Added a 4x5 pass through between the kitchen and living room - made our 1902 house feel so much more modern and open.
Mike F 1 year ago
The whole "open concept" is a thing here and I don't know why. I'm guessing that it gives the illusion that there's more space, but personally, I hate it. With the trend towards ductless kitchen fans you can smell everything that happens in the kitchen all over the house. It looks like the OP installed a 4' x 5' window between their kitchen and living room.
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Verbalocity 1 year ago
Adding a small hallway that connects the two rooms directly rather than having to go out of one room and back into the other.
#31
Poured a 20x20 concrete slab in my backyard behind my back porch. That was a game changer as it gave me somewhere to put plants, grills, an outdoor table, etc.
Then, a few years later I covered it with one of those hanging shade cloths and that was another game changer as it meant I could actually use the patio for more than a few months a year (central FL).
As to OP's example, those recessed lights are super simple to install and well worth every penny. The only lighting my house had was from ceiling fans so most of the rooms were way too dark. Adding 4 recessed lights on a dimmer switch is under $200/room and is such a quality of life improvement, it's a no brainer.
An honorable mention - sheds can be nice as they free up a ton of space in your garage. I built an 8x12 shed during covid, and while it was a little more expensive than OP mentioned they wanted to spend, you can get prefab sheds for well under $2k.
Huddo's sister 1 year ago
I presume they knew how to pour a concrete slab themselves, because otherwise I don't think it would be that cheap. I wanted to redo a short driveway and add an additional slab, big enough for one car, and was quoted $14000!
Geoffrey Scott 1 year ago
Slabs aren't too bad to pour. just need a line level and framing supplies/ tools. Owe a friend a favor, and usually the cement company has the bull float to use. A trowel kit from Harbor Freight(US) is <$20.
Load More Replies... Sven Grammersdorf 1 year ago
"Adding 4 recessed lights on a dimmer switch is under $200/room" No, it absolutely is not
#32
We built a wood fired pizza oven in the back yard! Great for family/friends get-togethers. Looks interesting and is a great conversation starter.
Less than 500$ in materials and a summer's worth of weekend labor to assemble.
Donkey boi 1 year ago
I'm guessing OP isn't a DIY kind of person. I did mine in 2 weekends. So if you are DIY minded, it really doesn't take too long (the clay work took a while because it was too hot that day). Obviously, size is gonna make a difference, I made mine to fit 2 large or 4 small pizzas at once.
#33
We took the former "parlor" and ripped out the rippling carpet, fresh paint on everything with the trim a different color than the walls (they were the same before), refurbished the ceiling fan, put in wifi bulbs, new, cheap pull down blinds for the 10 single pane windows to replace the falling apart roman shades, and I added premade beadboard panels to the bottom two feet of the wall with a board around the top to match the height and style of the windowsills. New carpet came later (whole house, definitely not under 2k) and now it's a perfect playroom (read: contained area to throw all the toys at the end of the night) for the 3 year old.
#34
Changing my light switches from ‘flip’ to ‘paddle’. Having all of them brand new & the same color/type has made a huge difference & probably cost around $50 (or less). And wasn’t as hard as I was anticipating.
Robert T 1 year ago
This makes me laugh. This would be standard for any European house. UK tends to use rocker switches, but you can buy paddle type. You can get multi-way housings and fit as many switches as needed, including double width ones. Did this for my MIL and the double width ones are so much easier for her to operate. Went from two silly dimmers and a toggle switch to two large paddles (dimmers were overkill in a kitched and stupidly one light operated on its own with the other three on the other dimmer).
Mike F 1 year ago
Exactly. I have a house full of these and I loathe them. You need to be intentional or your finger will brush the damned thing and turn it off/on escalating your frustration. And, they're all ivory, outlets and switches and I'm sick of that too.
Load More Replies... TMTMTMTM 1 year ago
I changed some switches to paddle/decorator/Decora switches (I've seen each term used.) because it's much easier for me to turn them on with an elbow, my nose, whatever. I did it near the start of the COVID-19 pandemic so that, if my hands might have been carrying germs, I could wash my hands before touching much. I find them useful anyway for greasy or dirty hands. Specifically, I switched to paddles in the bathrooms, and on paths to the bathroom, but didn't bother to replace others. So I can first walk to the bathroom to wash off dirt or germs. For the same reason, I'd already replaced all doorknobs with lever types. Note: newer switches in the US have a grounding connection, but older ones often didn't. So new switches might take much more space in the box, and pigtailing grounding wires take space too. In some boxes, I had a hard time jamming everything in. I had to put in 2 larger boxes first.
#35
$1500 for granite countertops, installed.
followed up with -
$750 for laminate flooring - DIY.
Each completely changed the character of the house.
Sven Grammersdorf 1 year ago
Do you own a home? I just spent $4,500 on an air conditioner and $16,000 on a new roof and gutters. $2000 isn't a lot to spend on home improvement.
Load More Replies... Mike F 1 year ago
Stone tops are a total waste of $ imo because when you get tired of it (and you will) you have to think about how much you paid for it. Laminate is lots cheaper and there's zillions of options in color and pattern.
Jac Carr 1 year ago
People rarely get tired of stone tops but I personally wouldn't have granite because I don't like the way it looks. A neutral marble effect (in porcelain though for toughness) never goes out of style
Load More Replies... #36
Nest Smart Smoke/Carbon Monoxide Detectors (about $100 each, so $600 total). Feel great that I can monitor while I'm on a trip. I can set automations (e.g. if it detects an alarm at night, turns on all the lights). Even better, it warns me if it's going to go off while I'm searing steak and I can turn it off via the app.
Upgraded to a DC motor fan in the bedroom (300). No more noisy fans.
Mike Loux 1 year ago
Wait...it warns you? Son of a...gotta go replace every detector in the house with these bad boys (or at least the ones closest to the kitchen anyway)..
Meagan Glaser 1 year ago
the fact that it has a "no, it's cool bro but thanks for checking" option for when you know YOU are making the smoke sounds awsome
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Marilyn Holt 1 year ago
That sounds wonderful. I do hate it when my smoke detector acts as an oven timer.
#37
Added a light in my mud room area. Old house, plaster walls. The $250 to have our electrician pull those lines was well worth it.
Replacing the wooden threshold at our front door. Again, old house, wonky walls. Paying a carpenter $400 for a brand new oak threshold and pvc facing board was absolutely worth it.
Pest control. I could do it myself, but honestly hate the idea. Fieldstone foundation requires extra effort to exclude mice. Worth $400/year.
Donkey boi 1 year ago
...and PVC facing board (Probably only about 20 US dollars). To be fair, the threshold could cost a pretty penny if it's aged oak, and sourced to be in keeping with the old property. Ours was quoted at £850 (about US$1,000-1,100) for replacing just the oak threshold, with some minor injection underpinning to the York Stone slab underneath. To be fair, (most of) my house was built in the 1500's and needs some specialist care.
Load More Replies... #38
Put in dimmable 6" flat LED ceiling lights. Got rid of three table lamps and a chandelier in the process.
Absolutely transformative. The living and dining room look a lot more spacious now as well.
#39
We had a small 2-3 ft block retaining wall in our back yard, super steep between it and the patio and you’d have to go around to get out the back gate to the walking trail. We also had to fence off the top as our dog hurt her back launching herself off to bark at anyone using the trail.
D codes to fix both problems by cutting a set of stairs into the middle of the wall. Only had to cut 2 of the old big blocks in half as the pavers fit perfectly with the spacing of the blocks. Put in 4 sets up to the patio and used the old blocks we removed to raise the height up and soften the slope from 30%grade to 6-10% much more manageable and easier to mow. Only cost about $300 and two days nursing my back but worth it.
Super functional and looks great. We’re planning to add some pavers alongside the drive way this summer so we don’t have to stand in the mud getting the car seat in and out and I might get a few extra to connect the top stair to the patio and eventually get a paver path down to the gate from the bottom of the stairs
#40
Replaced my 60+ year old solid wooden front door that liked to swell during the summer (to the point where I didn't even need to lock it and it'd still be secured) to a fiberglass door with a small window in it. Much nicer, much easier to lock and unlock, and so much more modern
April Pickett 1 year ago
I hope you sold it to one of those stores/warehouses that have "old" furniture, doors, moldings, trim, etc.
#41
I rehabbed my fireplace. First, I just painted the old brick and that made it look instantly more modern. After a year, we just decided to remove the old hearth (turned out it was solid cement with a brick exterior) and put in a mantle (FB market), paint, tile, and the whole aesthetic is changed
Beth Wheeler 1 year ago
Unless it's a really ugly weird color, don't paint brick. There is a lot of upkeep to painted brick.
whineygingercat 1 year ago
I have a wood-burning fireplace. We NEVER use it. The cats sleep in it. I figure, one day, I can get one of those electric fireplaces and just put it in there. No ventalization needed as the chimney is like, right there. And, there's an outlet right next to the fireplace for power.
#42
Installed wifi switches in every room of the house. I live in two story townhouse and there is nothing worse than getting comfortable in bed only to realize you didn't turn a light off downstairs. 🙃 Now , I say " goodnight" and everything is off . Plus I can make sure the doors are locked 🔒 and the a/c is set to the right temp. Those lights were the catalyst for so many other things. Atp I dnt even turn my shower on .
Heras buddy 1 year ago
And when someone hacks your house you loose control over your house. Majority of wifi house apps are garbage and can easily be hacked.
Robert T 1 year ago
I think somebody hacked his WiFi and stole all his vowels. ;-)
Load More Replies... #43
Removing an ugly cornice.
Removing the furr down from above the tub/shower.
Replacing window blinds with top down/ bottom up shades.
Installing a can light above the tub/shower and adding a flushmount light fixture in the center of the room.
Replacing the bathroom exhaust fan.
#44
Water softener.
Surly Scot 1 year ago
Can't wait to get back to Glasgow for a glass of the good stuff, it's like Evian coming out of the taps.
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#45
I added recessed lights to my otherwise dark Living Room and it has been a game changer
Jac Carr 1 year ago
Dark spaces can actually worsen depression so it's possible to be a game changer for some people
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#46
Spent a day framing (goodwill buys if poor quality i'd paint/sand/etc), and put photos up around house, while simultaneously filling any divits/cracks/etc. in old plaster and touching up paint.
Tiny thing, but something I didn't realize I'd be stoked about everyday and costs me maybe $100 and a chill day.
On the sub but near 2k front - finishing my basement. As it is now my office / band practice zone. It was around 1.6k all in materials, but counting all the days of free labor and buying the mates beers, za's and uppers - maybe near the line..
#47
The biggest life changing thing we ever installed was our touch faucet in the kitchen. It’s such a life changer.
Georgy 1 year ago
I can not begin to conceive how changing a tap can be considered a life changer.
Mike F 1 year ago
Perhaps they had to carry it in from the well prior? 😂😂
Load More Replies... whineygingercat 1 year ago
Yeah, they're great, if you don't have spoiled rotten cats. If I had this type of faucet, my water bill would be UNBELIEVABLE.
Seán Baron 1 year ago
I would love to have one of those Qooker taps, but they cost over a grand!
#48
I redid a bathroom in the cabin for less than 2k.
It was a half bath and now is a full bath with curb-less shower
Didn’t do a glass door yet though, because that put me over my budget of $1500
#49
Look at what non-windowed rooms you walk into the most and buy motion sensing light switches. I added one to a bathroom as well as another to my master bedroom closet. These rooms are always dark so I ALWAYS turn the lights on when I enter or use these rooms. Auto-switches have been a blessing.
The downside is that my bathroom doesn't have a fan, even though it doesn't have a window. So I think the humidity got to my switch as it turns on and off randomly. But it's like $20 for a new one.
I do want to install a fan in there to help out. I currently just run the furnace fan when I shower.
whineygingercat 1 year ago
I put up those battery operated, touch lights in my linen closet. Now I can SEE inside it while putting away the towels.
Robert T 1 year ago (edited)
Motion sensing switches are a bit naff as they only work where the switch is. Sensors in the ceiling or in the lights themselves are better. I managed to find some GU10 LED bulbs with a built-in PIR sensor (so no wiring changes) for my parents hall. There are 4 lights, but the switches are at either end of the hall. If you come out of the middle bedroom, you'd have to grope your way down the hall to the switch. Now the nearest bulb lights immediately and the others light as you move down the hall. Also brilliant for when you come in with arms full of shopping.
#50
Wi-Fi dimmable and color changing lightbulbs for the outside of the house. I got a 2 pack for $20. I have a schedule so they turn on and off automatically every day. Set colors and strobe effects for all the holidays. Love them.
Leviton Wi-Fi plug and anywhere companion. You can turn a regular outlet into a switched outlet. The decora rocker switch is thin and can be double stuck anywhere or put next to another switch to look like it is wired. Like $50 for both.
What do you think ?
Tyranamar Seuss 1 year ago
Well, all this post taught me was that I'm not very handy. I can't imagine doing most of these myself.
Mark Alexander 1 year ago
Check out the University of YouTube. It's a DIYer's gold mine.
Load More Replies... whineygingercat 1 year ago
I turned a, totally unnecessary, broom closet into a, much needed, pantry using adjustable wire shelving. The reason the broom closet was not needed is because there is a perfectly usable hall closet that we don't use for coats - the access for the bathroom plumbing is in there. We have a MASSIVE storage closet in our sunroom. So, I moved the broom hanger strip to the hall closet, where I already keep the vacuume. Then I put the bars on the wall of the pantry, adjustable wire shelves w/metal brackets and VOILÀ! Pantry.
Traveling Lady Railfan 1 year ago
Some of my favorite house upgrades were: adding a few cameras around the house (I can check anywhere that there's wi-fi, has amazing night vision, you can control it from your phone, take photos, take video), swapping the solid doors in a couple of rooms with a door that has a large frosted glass panel in the middle, lets so much light in to the hallways, but still privacy for the bedroom. Swapped out some incandescent lighting for led super bright lighting in my work rooms. Replaced tired old curtains with more modern shutters, gosh do they look great! Added one way silver reflective film to my windows, now I get privacy all the time, I can have solicitors right outside my door and they can't see me inside.
Arlene Cornwall 1 year ago
#31. Nope. I hate rocker switches. I did just the opposite-changed mine to all toggle.
Tyranamar Seuss 1 year ago
Well, all this post taught me was that I'm not very handy. I can't imagine doing most of these myself.
Mark Alexander 1 year ago
Check out the University of YouTube. It's a DIYer's gold mine.
Load More Replies... whineygingercat 1 year ago
I turned a, totally unnecessary, broom closet into a, much needed, pantry using adjustable wire shelving. The reason the broom closet was not needed is because there is a perfectly usable hall closet that we don't use for coats - the access for the bathroom plumbing is in there. We have a MASSIVE storage closet in our sunroom. So, I moved the broom hanger strip to the hall closet, where I already keep the vacuume. Then I put the bars on the wall of the pantry, adjustable wire shelves w/metal brackets and VOILÀ! Pantry.
Traveling Lady Railfan 1 year ago
Some of my favorite house upgrades were: adding a few cameras around the house (I can check anywhere that there's wi-fi, has amazing night vision, you can control it from your phone, take photos, take video), swapping the solid doors in a couple of rooms with a door that has a large frosted glass panel in the middle, lets so much light in to the hallways, but still privacy for the bedroom. Swapped out some incandescent lighting for led super bright lighting in my work rooms. Replaced tired old curtains with more modern shutters, gosh do they look great! Added one way silver reflective film to my windows, now I get privacy all the time, I can have solicitors right outside my door and they can't see me inside.
Arlene Cornwall 1 year ago
#31. Nope. I hate rocker switches. I did just the opposite-changed mine to all toggle.
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