Whether you’re looking to sell soon, or just want to work toward improving the value of your home gradually, summer is a great time to take on new DIY projects. The weather is generally more pleasant, particularly at the beginning of summer, and you won’t run into as many logistical hurdles as you might when you take on a winter home improvement project.
The question becomes, how do you choose the right do-it-yourself projects that truly will improve the value of your home, rather than being a waste of time?
Below are great projects that you can undertake yourself, even if you don’t have a lot of experience, and they’re also excellent for improving the value of your property.
Update Light Fixtures
Old light fixtures can instantly date a home. Imagine walking into an otherwise appealing house and finding clunky, brass light fixtures, or lights that cast a horrible glow over an entire room. It can be a deal killer if you want to sell your home. Use the summer to shop for new fixtures and replace them yourself. You can find pretty inexpensive options online, and they can go far in making your home more valuable.
Claim up to $26,000 per W2 Employee
- Billions of dollars in funding available
- Funds are available to U.S. Businesses NOW
- This is not a loan. These tax credits do not need to be repaid
Paint Your Cabinets
Most of us know, based on the advice of top real estate agents, that the kitchen is the number one place buyers look when they’re viewing homes. The kitchen is really where buyers are going to decide the value of a home, but it can also be an expensive and difficult place to remodel. If you want a DIY project that won’t cost a lot of money this summer, think about painting your cabinets to brighten them up and renew the whole room. You can even find a DIY tutorial to add your own trim or seemingly custom woodwork to basic builder grade cabinets.
Add a Backsplash
If you follow decorating shows or blogs, you’ve probably seen that buyers, real estate agents, and designers love a backsplash. It can transform the look of a kitchen or a bathroom, and with a little patience, it’s a simple DIY project. Subway tile is a good option here because it’s inexpensive, stylish, and it fits with a lot of design aesthetics. If you’re a little nervous about your tiling skills, think about choosing peel and stick mosaic tiles that don’t require any grout work.
Power Wash Your Exterior
Unless you’ve seen a before-and-after view of what power washing can achieve you’re likely going to be astounded by the results. You can rent a power washer and give the entire exterior of your house a good cleaning. The result will be night and day—you might even realize exterior areas don’t need the fresh coat of paint you were planning. While you’re at it, do you patio, deck, and front entryway. You can also power wash your driveway to improve the curb appeal of your entire house.
Add Crown Molding and Baseboards
Buyers love the look of fresh, crisp crown molding and baseboards. It can give a home a complete facelift and also make it look more expensive and customized. This summer if you’re looking for a relatively easy way to boost your home’s value, think about adding this woodwork throughout. If you already have it, but it looks less than beautiful, give it a fresh coat of paint or replace old boards.
These are just a few of the projects you can likely tackle yourself this summer, improving the value of your home even without a significant investment.
