Whether you’ve settled into your dream home or you’re looking to refresh one of your rental properties, home improvements are an essential part of the homeowner experience that can boost your home’s equity, as well as your quality of life.
As crucial as these renovation projects are; however, many come at a steep price, and expenses are even further compounded for those attempting to work on multiple projects simultaneously.
That’s why we’ve created a list of 10 of the most affordable changes you can make to your home that are sure to drive value into your property and help your house feel like home.
1- Window Treatment
As an essential part of keeping out the draft during chilly Chicago winters, treating your windows helps lower your heating bill during colder months, while also creating a more comfortable atmosphere. Window treatment is a simple, do-it-yourself type of project that requires only a few supplies, depending on the source of heat loss.
If your windows are riddled with cracks, purchasing some rope caulk—which can fill large gaps or irregularities in your windows—is worth the cheap price tag. Alternatively, magnetic window insulators are ideal for areas that experience the full spectrum of the seasons and can be easily removed in preparation for warmer days.
2- Heating And Cooling
This might sound counterintuitive at first, but investing in a new heating and cooling system, or HVAC, is one of the best changes you can make to a home in the long-term. Replacing your current HVAC set up with a more efficient one often lowers utility costs, with the most efficient systems saving upward of 20% on your monthly energy bill.
Fortunately, enlisting the help of HVAC professionals to quote, install, and replace your HVAC system is a simple and affordable option, as these handypersons come equipped with all the right tools and expertise to get the job done correctly. And to further lower your heating and cooling expenses, weighing your home warranty options is an important step to ensure that your brand-new HVAC system stays around for the long haul.
3- Deck Space
One of the best ways to show off the character of your home to the rest of the neighborhood is with a well-constructed deck or patio area. Outdoor spaces provide the perfect setting for relaxing on the weekend, connecting with friends, or cooking out on the grill. At the same time, a poorly arranged or under-furnished deck is as useful as no deck at all.
If you’re looking to make better use of your outdoor areas—either for you or for a tenant—there are plenty of places to begin without too many added costs. A quick paint job for wooden fixtures will help with both appearance and resistance to the elements, while a shopping excursion for some weather-proofed chairs, throw pillows, and lounges will make for an even more enticing outside experience.
4- Eco-Friendly Alternatives
Every household needs to remember that you can live an affordable, eco-friendly lifestyle as long as you have the right creativity, willpower, and mindset. Often when people think about environmentally sustainable homes, they picture significant changes in their house’s appliances and construction—everything from solar panels to dual-flush toilets.
But eco-friendly homes can also start on a much smaller, more affordable scale. As our article on eco-friendly products highlights, environmental conservation can begin by swapping out paper products with sustainable alternatives, such as cloth napkins, bamboo toilet paper, and reusable paper towels. You can also consider replacing cleaning products with solutions that aren’t harmful to the earth, switching out older lighting with energy-efficient bulbs, and making a conscious effort to reduce water usage while at home.
5- DIY Decor
Decorations provide the finishing touch on any living space and have the power to turn an unwelcoming house into a vibrant, cozy home. For homeowners, Decor is an opportunity to represent your personality in the spaces you occupy. For landlords, savvy decorations can help prospective tenants envision your listing as their new home.
Although there are plenty of creative ways to bring your DIY expertise into your decor projects, the key to making decorations affordable is by getting creative with the materials you already have. An empty mason jar can quickly become a candle holder with the proper attention, and that final splotch of unused paint in your garage might be just enough for an original work of art.
6- Landscaping
Think of your lawn as your home’s “first impression” for any new visitors, tenants, or future homeowners. Regardless of how nice the interior of your home appears, a poorly tended lawn can leave a bad taste in the viewer’s mouth long after they’ve pulled out of your driveway.
If you want to take better care of your outdoor appearance but don’t have the time, equipment, or vision, contacting a local landscaper in Chicago is a great place to begin. Whether you need assistance mulching or want to put up a garden wall, these professionals are ready to meet your needs without having to break open the piggy bank.
7- Kitchen Backsplash
Ideal for homes with smaller or darker cooking areas, a kitchen backsplash is a simple, inexpensive design feature that can make your kitchen area feel more spacious, open, and welcoming.
Backsplashes come in a variety of styles and materials, meaning that your choice will largely depend on the amount of time and resources you can invest in this project. For example, ceramic backsplashes tend to last several years and can be relatively inexpensive, but installing them properly requires previous experience with tile work. A plastic backsplash, on the other hand, is simple to apply and shape to the dimensions of your kitchen, but its material makes it much less functional and stylish.
8- Plumbing
Though plumbing is often seen as one of the more unglamorous parts of home renovation, a leaky faucet or faulty pipe can destroy a positive home-life experience.
Because plumbing is so critical to a well-constructed home or apartment, it’s a good idea to seek out help from a professional plumber if you don’t personally have the necessary background in this type of work. Plumbers can help you eradicate that strange puddle in your basement, while also preventing any further damage to your pipes and other water-susceptible areas of your home.
9- Lighting Fixtures
A great interior designer knows that lights do much more than illuminate a dark corner. Well-intentioned lighting fixtures can draw your attention to other parts of a room, create a more comfortable environment, or become the focal point of your entire home’s style.
If you want to redesign a room but aren’t sure where to start, settling on a single style of lighting can provide a keystone for the rest of the room’s layout. Not only does this help ensure that your overall design doesn’t include clashing features, but it can also give each room in your home, it’s own distinct flair.
10- Paint Refresh
It’s far too often the case that painting becomes a secondary thought when homeowners or landlords reflect on how they want each room in a house to look. Of course, every room in a home needs a few coats of paint at the very least, but how often do you consider how your approach to painting can impact an overall look?
From accent walls in a bedroom to a dark color on your kitchen cabinets, a great eye for painting can tie together an entire area of your home, all while cultivating a unique mood or feeling with its hue. Paint supplies are, fortunately, a relatively inexpensive venture, giving you room in your budget to hire out the help of a handyman to get the job done right.
With these affordable changes in mind, you’ll be well on your way to creating the home of your dreams!
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