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ABC At Home

Homeschooling Mommy Entrepreneur

Home Improvements: Keeping it Affordable

April 25, 2018 by Lauren Palmer

Do you desire to improve the look and function of your home but think you do not have enough money? Although it is true that some renovations can be expensive, there are some things that can be done within a reasonable budget.

Before making any changes, it is necessary to check your home for any water damage. Plumbing services like Fix it Right Plumbing company in Dandenong can check for leaks. They can also install a garbage disposal replacement, faucet replacement, and clogged drain repair to ensure that no new leaks will damage your home and new home improvements.

It is also important to conduct an audit of your electrical outlets. Secure any loose wires and insert outlet covers into unused wall and power strip outlets for childproofing purposes. For general safety, look for overloaded power cords and circuits and adjust accordingly. All frayed cords should be replaced as well as any light switch that is too hot.

The Kitchen

A necessary feature in any kitchen is ample storage space. Where there is empty wall space or corner space, open shelves can be put in to keep dishes, spices and cookware within reach. Consider mounting a wine rack next to the cabinets if you entertain frequently. Rollouts are one of the cheapest and easiest upgrades you can make to your kitchen. They turn wasted space deep inside cabinets into accessible storage space. You can either make them yourself or shop for them at Lowes or Home Depot.

New colors of paint can brighten up the kitchen. Sponge painting is an easier and cheaper way to give a wall-papered look. Recycled glass countertops, an easy-to-install stainless-steel backlash, and a stylish light fixture add a contemporary look.

One of the biggest expenses in renovating a kitchen is putting in new cabinets. If they are in good shape, you can keep them and paint them bright white for a more modern look.

Bringing in better lighting brightens up the kitchen, where good light is very important. Hand beautiful pendants for light and for style and make sure the overhead lighting is bright. Adding under-cabinet light brightens things up as well.

The Bathroom

Very often, cheap alternatives look very much like the real thing. Instead of stone or ceramic tile flooring, try luxury vinyl tile flooring. You can save money both on materials and labor as you do it yourself rather than hiring a contractor.

If the bathtub and shower are in good shape, you can refinish them. This is cheaper than installing liners. If you want to get a new toilet, it is easier to install it yourself than you might think.  The hardest part is physically removing the toilet, which a friend can help you with. Painting the bathroom brings color and brightness. Because mirrors, showers, tiles, and bathtubs take up much of the wall space, there is not much painting left to do. If your bathroom cabinets are in good functioning shape but look bad, sanding, priming, and painting will brighten things up. It is best to use foam brushes or rollers to get a smooth finish, topping it off with a coat of polycrylic or polyurethane. Putting on new knobs and pulls makes a nice finishing touch.

The Living Room

Getting rid of clutter and moving the furniture around can bring amazing change to your living room without spending a penny. Paint will transform the living room. Putting lighter colors on the walls make the room look bigger and dark colors bring more warmth into the room. Area rugs bring sophistication to the room. The more simple the rug, the more affordable it is. Throw pillows, fabric lampshades, and curtains bring color and warmth. Paintings and pictures on the walls add a beautiful finishing touch.

More

Some other ideas are:

  • Adding crown molding adds charm and value
  • Install a stair runner
  • Interior shutters add privacy as well as shade
  • Install a water filter
  • Paint over old flooring
  • Lay an extra layer of insulation
  • Power-wash and hand-scrub the wooden deck. Brush on a protective coat of semitransparent stain.
  • Lay low cost flooring in the laundry room
  • Buy building supplies at auctions

Magazines and Pinterest are good places to get ideas during the planning phase for the renovation of your home. One of the best resources for those wanting to do renovations themselves is the instructional videos on Youtube. Renovating your home at an affordable price has never been easier!

Filed Under: DIY/Home Tagged With: DIY, home, home improvements, house

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About Us

Welcome to ABC at Home! The woman/parenting/homeschooling/entrepreneur resource brought to you by a busy, but efficient mother! I write articles about travel, business, finance and many more subjects for stay-at-home parents (yes, that includes men too) so that our kids can thrive as much as we do.