My inaugural home was a bona fide 1980s relic. Laminate butcher block counters, orange-toned kitchen cabinets, deep green fireplace tiles… you know the picture.
Being frugal (translation: low on cash) in my twenties, I wasn’t about to pour a fortune into renovations.
About a year and a half after buying the place — after making targeted updates that I’m convinced saved me thousands — I had it reappraised.
The appraised value of my house jumped by 30%.
7 Low-Cost Home Improvements You Can Tackle Yourself
Some of that gain was due to inflation and a sizzling housing market in the Denver area, but a significant portion came from the improvements I made. You can learn how to handle home repairs cheaply or even for free as well.
Here are the seven do-it-yourself projects I recommend that are inexpensive yet impactful.
1. Buy “Oops” Paint
Never undervalue the effect of a fresh coat of paint.
Walk into a house dominated by loud pink walls? Don’t panic. A bit of effort and a trip to your local hardware store can fix that.
Every time I visit Home Depot, Lowe’s or Ace, I comb the paint aisle for “oops” cans — paint that was returned because the buyer changed their mind on the color.
This paint is heavily marked down — frequently at least half off — and it might be exactly the hue you need. You’ll often find it in large volumes too, which helps when you’re covering a big room or several rooms with the same shade.
Painting takes time, but it’s straightforward and saves you hundreds compared to hiring pros. If you plan to stay put, tackling a room or two at a time makes sense.
2. Hunt Contractors’ Leftovers
Contractors buy supplies in bulk. They build multiple homes at once and often overbuy materials.
Their surplus can be your jackpot.
Outlets like ReStore, operated by Habitat for Humanity volunteers, are packed with valuable finds such as sinks, cabinets, doors, lighting, wood flooring and more.
If you’re not picky about tile styles, for example, my local ReStore usually has plenty of neutral bathroom and kitchen tiles at a tiny fraction of retail cost.
It takes dedication and frequent visits to snag what you want, but that effort pays off — and it’s actually kind of fun — when you’re renovating on a budget.
My favorite ReStore score? Doors.
The selection of interior and exterior doors is huge and prices can be incredibly low — . In older homes, mismatched or dated doors age the place. A set of fresh, white doors can completely change the look with minimal expense.
3. Refresh Small Details
Many of a house’s most ignored components are fixtures — light fixtures, ceiling fans, doorknobs, hinges and cabinet pulls.
With a can of metallic or matte black spray paint, costing roughly $3–$7, you can revitalize these pieces.
These small touches signal to buyers that your home is contemporary and refreshed, not old and in need of work.
Instead of replacing ceiling fans, I spray-painted the fan blades and metal parts and reinstalled them — they looked brand new.
I also sprayed the doorknobs and hinges — they’d been shiny gold — which modernized the house instantly. My fireplace trim had gold accents too; a coat of paint made it look cohesive.
This method works for the exterior, too. I updated the dated lights flanking the garage with a bit of black spray paint in an afternoon.
If new cabinet faces are out of budget, opt for updated knobs and pulls instead.
In my two-story home, the stair railings and banisters matched the orange-toned kitchen cabinets. Rather than buy replacements, I sanded, restained and resealed the oak railings in a darker stain. Now the staircase is a highlight, not an eyesore.
4. Remove Popcorn Ceilings
Remember when “popcorn” ceilings were fashionable? Me neither.
This is an accessible — though labor-heavy — update that will add serious curb appeal when buyers tour your home. It removes one more potential complaint.
I recommend tackling one room at a time.
Clear out the furniture, then completely cover — and I mean completely — every surface you don’t want dust on. Plastic sheeting and tape are essential.
Using a spray bottle or a clean landscape sprayer, lightly mist a section of the ceiling. After a few minutes, use a putty knife to gently scrape off the texture. Continue until the ceiling is flat and smooth.
Finish by sanding with a slightly damp sponge and applying a fresh coat of paint.
5. Ditch the Builder-Grade Mirrors
In most houses, the bathroom mirrors are original and utilitarian — large, frameless and bland.
Swapping out builder-grade mirrors is a quick way to make bathrooms feel more finished.
Measure the area above the sink and find an affordable framed mirror to hang.
Your new mirror doesn’t have to be new — I’ve discovered fantastic mirrors at thrift stores and yard sales that lent personality to the bathroom. With luck, you might even score one for free.
And if the frame’s style is good but the color is off, your reliable spray paint can save the day.
6. Construct Raised Beds from Reclaimed Wood
No money for professional landscaping? No problem.
Search the discounted lumber pile at the big box store, check ReStore, or grab a discarded pallet someone left behind. Then build a raised garden bed or two.
Raised beds deter rabbits, moles and other pests, and give you control over soil quality. They make gardening easier since you can tend all sides without bending over as much.
They also get prospective buyers imagining the property’s possibilities — “What would I plant here next season?”
Instead of dwelling on patchy grass or a lack of landscaping, buyers will notice the tidy, purposeful lines of garden beds.
7. Revamp Countertops
I splurged on granite for my kitchen counters, but I couldn’t justify that cost for the house’s four bathroom vanities.
For only $17 I bought a package of cement patch and skimcoat like this kind available here. With under $20 in materials, I made concrete-style countertops that look sleek and modern.
Begin by taping off or removing the sink. Tape any joints where the counter meets the wall.
Scuff and sand the existing surface, then wipe it clean. Mix a small amount of the cement powder with water and use a putty knife to spread a thin, even layer across the countertop.
After the first layer dries, sand out imperfections. Add further coats until the surface is uniform and smooth. Seal the finished surface with a heavy-duty concrete sealer.
You can also replace an entire kitchen or bathroom countertop with concrete by forming a mold and pouring the concrete.
For more tips on improving your home affordably, check out these ideas for cheap home upgrades and smart diy kitchen upgrades.
