Home renovation can be done cheaply if you start small

Some inexpensive changes can make a big difference in your home’s appearance

We have written extensively about using home equity loans to remodel homes. That’s a great idea, if you have the equity in your home and if you have the ability to repay the loan. If you do, great. You can take an older home and make major changes to it - remodel the kitchen, replace older bathroom fixtures and even add a room or two, if that’s your thing. But what if you don’t have the equity or the money? What do you do then?

There are still some fairly simple things you can do to make improvements in your home that don’t cost a lot of money. Most are do it yourself projects that take a little bit of time and a little bit of money. The more disposed you are to doing it yourself, the better and cheaper your results will be. You won’t get the same results as you will if you have your home professionally remodeled, but every little bit helps.

Here are some things you might consider doing if you want to spruce up your house but don’t have a lot of money:

• Kitchen cabinets - It can cost thousands of dollars to replace kitchen cabinets, but you don’t necessarily have to replace them to improve their appearance. You can replace the handles on the cabinets and drawers with newer, more modern looking ones. You can simply repaint them. A little bit of paint, in the right color, can go a long way towards changing the appearance of your kitchen. If your cabinets are dark in color, painting them white will make the room appear both brighter and larger. A less expensive alternative to replacing the cabinets is to have them laminated. Several companies, including Sears, provide a service that covers the old cabinets with new wood laminate. They look new at a fraction of the price.
• While you are pondering your cabinets, you might also consider your counter tops. It isn’t necessary to replace them; like the cabinets themselves, the tops can be covered with a laminate replacement. They look new at a much lower cost than out and out replacement.
• Painting rooms can help, too. If you have old, 70’s era wood paneling, painting it white or off white can give your den a new, spacious, vibrant look. Paint is inexpensive, and you can paint a room in a day.
• Paint your garage floor - New epoxy paints can make a garage floor look new and add the feature of stain resistance. If your old floor is stained, you need to clean it first. Then you can add the paint, which makes the floor oil resistance. You may wish to pay to have this done, as the fumes from epoxy paint are dangerous. Still, it can add a new look to your garage.

These are but a few simple, inexpensive things that you can do to improve the look of your home. Some of them are simple enough that you can do them in a day, and some, like a can of paint, can cost less than $20. If you can’t afford to completely remodel your home, then a bit of touch up here and there could be just the thing you need.