With the cost of living continuing to increase, finding the cheapest home improvement ideas is a good way of adding value to your property without breaking the bank.
It is amazing the way even the smallest of tweaks can make a big difference when it comes to the value of our homes. From inspirational lighting ideas to simply giving spaces a dedicated deep clean, no transformation is too small to make a difference.
Because there are costly home improvements that don't add value, we have spoken to home improvement and DIY experts to discover the most inexpensive ways to better our homes for a fraction of the cost.
The 5 budget home improvements that can add value to your property
Whether you want to make your home look expensive from room to room or make your house look expensive from the outside, these are the most cost-effective improvements to inspire your home improvement project.
1. Tidy your garden
Your garden is one of the first things that will be judged when any potential buyers or surveyors visit your home. That’s why keeping on top of your lawn care, planting, and driveways is a great way of increasing the value of your home.
According to data collected by experts at commercial estate agents, Savoy Stewart, tidying your garden is the most valuable home improvement. It can add a possible £57,922 to your home's value with a potential DIY cost of just £68.
A well-designed and well-kept garden can add a significant amount to the value of your property. The space should feel instantly inviting. Clear out any rubbish and ensure the space looks tidy.
Tidiness is certainly the best budget garden idea to get your outdoor space looking its best, not to mention a great way to make your small garden look bigger. If you're looking for more ways to evolve your garden, you could try adding a few affordable plants to add a splash of appealing colour.
Mowing the lawn frequently and keeping all shrubs and trees trimmed and neat is also a good way to keep the space looking well-maintained.
2. Clean your walls
Even when deep cleaning our houses, it’s not very often we think of cleaning walls, but it can actually be a good first step to making your living room look more expensive on a budget. The experts at Savoy Stewart estimate a possible £26,100 increase in your property value with this £5 budget hack.
There’s no denying that thoroughly cleaning our homes often enough can immediately be more appealing and, in turn, more valuable.
Speaking to Lee Trethewey, a Home Improvement expert from Sustainable Furniture, he says, “Just like floors, walls should be cleaned every so often to remove the build-up of dust and dirt that clings to surfaces. Not only does this keep your home clean and dust mite-free, but it is an easy way to instantly freshen up your space.”
This Swiffer duster is really light and ideal for dusting delicate items and large areas quickly. It tackles dust and lightly cleans walls effectively, plus it comes with replacement pads.
3. Add strip lighting to your Kitchen cabinets
Lighting can make all the difference when it comes to the appearance of a space, especially a communal one like the kitchen.
The experts at Savoy Stewart say, “Clever hacks such as adding strip lighting are a quick way to give your home a professional finish without breaking the bank.” So much so, they say it can lead to a potential value increase of £10,000, to enhance any kitchen trend.
It may sound a lot more difficult than it is; however, most strip lighting is super easy to install with simple peel-and-stick functionality.
Thomas recommends buying a light with colour-changing abilities. He says, “If you want to go the extra mile, consider adding strip lighting which can change colour. This will allow you to choose the right colour to set the mood, depending on the look you’re trying to achieve.”
We’ve found some highly recommended and well-reviewed multi-coloured striplights for £15.99 on Amazon.
4. Paint your kitchen cabinets
We all know the power that a lick of paint can have on any room in our homes; it's even possible to make a room look bigger with paint. But it turns out that specifically refreshing our kitchen cabinet paint colours can lead to a £10,000 property value increase, according to Savoy Stewart’s collected data.
“If your kitchen is appearing slightly tired and worn, then simply re-painting your kitchen cabinets is an easy and affordable method to bring a new lease of life to your home,” explains Lee.
He says that if you want to achieve the best results, then make sure to sand your cabinets beforehand and use a professional primer, as this will ensure the paint both adheres well and lasts longer.
If you are looking to spruce up other rooms, we’ve put together the best living room paints to transform your space.
5. Update your kitchen hardware
Another kitchen value-increasing kitchen upgrade is a hardware update. Changing out your old handles and drawer pulls can immediately transform your space and be a good way of making your kitchen look expensive on a budget.
There are a few avenues to go down when swapping out your kitchen’s hardware. We recommend going for hardware that suits the style and design of your kitchen in order to give it a polished look. It's amazing just how much these small changes can make. huge difference – updating the kitchen hardware can completely transform the look of your kitchen, even if it's all you do.
No matter whether you're changing the shape, style or finish of your hardware, there is a potential £10,000 increase to be had just from this simple upgrade. In fact, the property experts at Stewart Savoy have predicted the task could cost as little as £34.
FAQs
What is the cheapest way to add value to your home?
Along with sorting out your garden and updating your kitchen hardware, there are a couple of other cheap tricks to bump up the value of your home.
“Make everything look clean, inviting and ready to move into. Hiring a power washer and blasting the paving outside your house can really add to kerb appeal. And don’t neglect the free things, such as weeding, tidying up your entryway and decluttering," says Matt Gerrish, Head of Investors at Sold.co.uk.
“Re-grouting any discoloured or damaged grout in your bathroom and kitchen is relatively simple, doesn’t cost a lot of money and can instantly make your space look like new," he adds.
Matt also warns against forgetting the little jobs on your list, like fixing broken taps and finally painting over chipped paint. They don't cost much, but they make a huge difference.
“If potential buyers think you’ve taken good care of your home, then it instantly becomes more appealing,” explains Matt.
What devalues a house most?
In the same way, some paint colours will devalue your property; there are some renovations and changes that can lower your home valuation price.
"If you’re living in your ‘forever home’ then one of the great joys is putting your own stamp on things and kitting it out exactly how you like," starts Matt. “But if you’re planning on selling up in the future, then it’s wise to consider whether what you’re spending your money on now will actually increase your home’s value, or could actually knock money off in the long run.”
From removing a bath to converting a small bedroom into a walk-in wardrobe, these somewhat small changes can have a big impact on the way potential buyers view your home.
Matt also warns against removing a lawn, no matter how small it may be. He says, "Most people want a good middle ground between somewhere that’s easy to maintain and somewhere with space to relax and enjoy the outdoors."
“Overly high-maintenance gardens might put people off in the same way that somewhere with no grass, or an artificial lawn, might," he adds.
If you want to increase your home's value, why not try make your garden look expensive with a few simple tips and tricks. It'll improve your home's curb appeal and certainly get buyers more excited when you're looking to sell.
