7 Budget-Friendly DIYs That Will Add Value To Your Home
It is very easy to just get used to our home surroundings and not see parts of it that could be improved or benefit from a bit of rejuvenation. Working, eating and sleeping in the same space allows us to become accustomed to areas which are a bit tired and make us unable to spot the potential for enhancement.
There are a number of money-saving, quick, simple and easy home improvements that you can do in a weekend that will make a huge change to the look and feel of your home. Whether you are trying to impress a potential buyer, a new guest, or if the improvements are just for you to enjoy; below I’ve listed seven key DIYs that will make all the difference.
Give Your Front Door A Lick Of Paint
First impressions count and you’ll be amazed at how painting your front door smartens up your home. Remove all your door furniture, fill any cracks and sand back the last coat of paint lightly with a fine grade sandpaper. Wash your door thoroughly with sugar soap and give it at least two coats of gloss or water-based eggshell paint. For more detail on how to paint an external door, read my full DIY guide here.
As well as painting your door, keep your exterior tidy by making sure the path or driveway is free from weeds. Add a potted window box on your window sill, or add potted plants or bay trees by your door to show the house is well-cared-for.
Disguise Ugly Or Boring Tiles With Paint or Tile Stickers
Ugly or very boring tiles are really off-putting to potential purchasers as removing and replacing tiles can be a messy and exhaustive job. The good news is that there are a number of DIY products available on the market to hide troublesome tiles. Use tile paint if you just want to give existing tiles a fresh new look. Ronseal sells specific tile paint, or you could use an all-surface paint which would also do the job.
Before and after: Blogger Oh So Mint transformed her kitchen with tile stickers. Image credit: Oh So Mint
If you would rather add some pattern, tile stickers are a fantastic way to transform bland spaces which do not come into regular contact with water. In the pictures above you can see how blogger Oh So Mint added tile stickers to the splashback behind her cooker, giving it much more personality and style.
Fill In The The Cracks
All buildings get cracks as they shift, expand and shrink due to factors like heat and surface movement. Most of these cracks are nothing to worry about, but they are a major factor in putting off potential buyers who are suspicious of wider structural damage. Filling in cracks and damage to existing plaster is easy to do and can be done in a short space of time. Choose the right filler for the job (cracks range from thin hairline cracks to larger plaster repair) then fill, sand back, clean and touch up your paintwork.
Create Extra Storage
Most people are looking for a decent amount of storage from a property, so make sure that you utilise all the space you have. Place shelving high-up in small alcoves to use the full height of the space. Add a small table or desk in awkward spaces (such as under stairs) to create a whole new functional area of your home.
I added two polished marble off-cut shelves in my kitchen alcove above the cabinet in order to make the most of the space.
Blogger Hayley Stuart created a desk area in an awkward nook of her home which might otherwise have gone unused. Image credit: Hayley Stuart
A great way to add in extra storage and add value to your home is to DIY ‘built-in’ furniture. I hacked two cheap IKEA Billy Bookcases to create built-in shelving in my sitting room on a budget. To see more pictures and the DIY in full click here.
Paint Your Woodwork
Most people are happy to give their walls a fresh coat of emulsion, but often leave or forget the woodwork. Your doors and skirting take much more of a beating than your walls, leaving them scuffed, marked and yellowed. A fresh coat of paint on your woodwork will make a room feel fresh and clean - you’ll wonder why you never did it sooner!
Last year I gave my yellowing woodwork a lick of pink paint, in turn it beame the focal point of my stair landing.
You’ll need to use a durable paint such as an eggshell on your woodwork and the prep is important to make sure the paint does not chip! There is a full guide to painting your woodwork in my blog post here.
Re-Grout Your Bathroom And Apply Fresh Sealant
There is nothing more unappealing than a bathroom that looks dirty. While it is normal for bathroom grout and sealant to develop black marks and mould caused by mildew and condensation, these blemishes should be addressed as they will drastically devalue your property. If the problem cannot be resolved with a hard-working mould remover (I usually swear by HG spray), your bathroom will benefit from applying fresh sealant and touching up the grout - both simple DIY tasks.
Use a Stanley blade to carefully cut and peel away old sealant, clean and dry the area, then apply a new strip around your shower basin or behind your sink using a tube of sealant in a caulking gun. Dip your finger in warm soapy water to smooth the sealant down between the two edges.
Grout can be touched up using either a small tube of ready-mixed touch-up grout in the same colourway as your existing tile grout, or with an easy-to-use grout pen. Clean the existing grout as much as possible before leaving it to dry properly. Apply the new grout as a touch-up top layer.
Lay A new Floor
Laminate flooring was always seen as a quick, ‘cheap-fix’ option, but as technology has improved and the demand for more affordable, stylish flooring has grown, you can now buy budget-friendly laminate in a vast range of on-trend designs. The great thing with laminate flooring is that once you get going it is quite easy to install with its simple click and lock installation system - the confident DIYer could successfully lay a laminate floor after watching a few You Tube videos! A fresh new floor is transformative in place of an old carpet, so would significantly increase your property value.
Wembury Honey Oak Laminate Flooring by Woodpecker Flooring.
