Get Premium
Dark mode theme is available exclusively for premium users. Learn more about the benefits of subscribing.
No fees, cancel anytime.
Dark Mode 
No fees, cancel anytime 
In this day and age, it’s hard enough to be able to afford a house, period. So once you’ve purchased one, you probably don’t have thousands of dollars laying around for renovations. Even if you're itching to rip out the carpet in your bedroom and replace it with sleek, wood floors, that change may have to wait.
There are, however, some more affordable projects that you may be able to accomplish in the meantime. Homeowners on Reddit have recently been discussing cheap home improvement projects that are worth every penny, so we’ve gathered some of their suggestions below. Keep reading to also find a conversation with Krayton M. Davis, Executive Principle at Let’s Renovate, and be sure to upvote the projects that you’d like to get started on this weekend!
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Insulation and air sealing. There was a cold window and a tiny draft I had just stuck putty into keep the cold out. Finally pulled off the trim and I could see outside! Ended up sealing wood, painting window sill, and spraying foam around window. Room is significantly warmer all winter, and I'm working through all the other windows doing the same thing for $30 each window in materials.
RELATED:
#2
Under cabinet lighting. Cost me $150 and was 1000% worth it.
DIY fire pit was about $50 worth of retaining wall blocks, also completely worth it.
Upgraded the dishwasher to a Bosch 800 series with crystaldry. It gets your dishes dry like a dishwasher from the 80s but without the heating coil that melts your plastic stuff. That thing is some sort of German black magic.
Mike Loux 1 month ago
The house we bought has under cabinet lighting, and for some reason it's not hard-wired, yet plugged into a socket under the sink. Because reasons. Anyway, got a Hue smart switch and now I can control that along with the rest of the kitchen lights (which are Hue bulbs) in the same app. Totally worth the $30 or so I spent on the switch.
#3
Adding outlets to closets and cabinets so we could charge our tootbrushes, waterpiks, and vacuums in the place where we store them normally.
Brian Droste 1 month ago
Did you do it yourself or hire a electrician? If you hire a electrician. That would not be cheap. Unless you really know what you are doing and having a lot of knowledge with electrical things, if something happened like a fire, that could nullify your home insurance.
To learn more about home improvement projects that won't break the bank, we got in touch with Krayton M. Davis, Executive Principle at Let’s Renovate. Krayton was kind enough to have a chat with Bored Panda and recommend some budget-friendly projects that can make a huge difference in your home.
"Some affordable or easy home improvement projects that are definitely worth the money and effort include repainting rooms to give them a fresh, new look, installing energy-efficient lighting fixtures to save on electricity bills, and updating cabinet hardware to enhance the kitchen and bathroom look," he shared.
#5
Dehumidifiers … I had a damp basement, but not any more.
#6
I don’t remember the exact material cost but enclosing my screen porch myself was weeeeeeell worth it.
Green Tree 1 month ago
I replaced my front porch ceiling light with a ceiling fan. Total coat about $150 with the installation. Now on a hot summer night we can sit out there blasting the fan and it not only cools us but keeps the bugs away
"Investing in organizational systems to declutter your home is worthwhile, especially when it comes to the convenience of quickly locating items," Krayton continued. "Another impactful yet simple project is improving curb appeal through landscaping— planting flowers, trimming hedges, or painting the front door can significantly enhance a home's exterior charm."
#7
I installed a laundry sink with two sets of taps and have one permanently attached to the Python water changer hose for my aquarium. It takes minutes to do water changes and there isn’t a drop spilled. Wife approval factor 9/10.
#8
Completely redid an upstairs bathroom, all by myself. Used the same tub, but ripped the rest to the walls. Watched the return area at IKEA for weeks until I'd found two matching sinks and a floating vanity and faucets, all 50% off. Large format tiles on the floor, up the back wall and around the tub. Used cheap molding to frame the existing large over sink mirror. Half price backsplash tile. New toilet, on sale. Paint. It looked like a spa when I was done.
On the other hand, we asked the home improvement expert if there were any popular projects that he would not recommend. "While home theaters can be an exciting project, they might not necessarily be worth the hefty investment - unless you are a dedicated movie-watcher," he noted. "The cost of high-end audio-visual equipment, specialized seating, and soundproofing can quickly add up without a corresponding increase in property value."
"Similarly, extensive luxury bathroom remodels with high-end materials and features such as saunas or whirlpool tubs may not yield a significant return on investment, especially if these additions do not appeal to the broader pool of potential home buyers," Krayton added.
#10
$300 of blown in insulation and radiant barrier for the attic.
keyboardtek 1 month ago
We owned one house that had really hot second floor rooms because the afternoon sun heated up the siding. We installed the radiant barrier and no more heat passed through that wall.
#12
Paying extra for Leaf screens on my new gutters. I researched several types and brands and found one that appears to work for us.
The Darkest Timeline 1 month ago
I need to get those; pine needles are constantly clogging my gutters
So what advice would the renovation expert give to new homeowners who want to start sprucing up their houses? "Begin with straightforward tasks that provide maximum impact with minimal complexity. Painting walls, replacing light fixtures, or adding new cabinet hardware are excellent do-it-yourself projects that can significantly refresh your space," Krayton told Bored Panda.
#13
Added a laundry chute. No more carrying baskets of dirty laundry down the stairs.
#14
Insulation 100%
Debby Keir 1 month ago
That spray foam stuff makes a house unmortgagable in the UK. * https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/spray-foam-insulation-and-mortgages/ *
#15
Painting the walls. When we moved in everything was an agreeable neutral and we had too much other stuff going on to think about it. But we didn't survive a pandemic to live in a boring house. Now it's colorful and looks like us and all the photos we take in the house have beautiful backgrounds.
Beth Wheeler 1 month ago
When we bought my house the bedrooms and 1 bathroom all white and the other bathroom was florescent yellow including the countertop, which has all been gone for years.
"Additionally, taking on simple landscaping jobs, like planting flowers or creating garden beds, can elevate the appeal of your home's exterior," Krayton says.
"However, for more complicated tasks, it's advisable to seek professional assistance to ensure safety and quality outcomes by adhering to building codes," he noted. "Electrical work, major plumbing renovations, and large-scale structural changes are best left to experts with the requisite skills and experience."
#16
The fence I wanted would have been about 8000$. I did something nice for $800 with reclaimed wood and hard work.
Geoffrey Scott 1 month ago
Daughter had a friend who used slabwood, the wood left from sawing boards that most folks use for wood furnaces for a fence, wasn't unsightly. Have also seen shipping pallets used for fencing as well.
#17
Had kitchen cabinets professionally repainted. Kitchen feels so much brighter and fresher, and the quality of the job using a sprayer was so much better than what I would have achieved doing it myself.
keyboardtek 1 month ago
We hired a pro to paint our cabinets. They used a special two part epoxy paint that dries extremely hard and resistant to scratches.
#18
$150
Bought a used projector on ebay, a screen at my local Amazon return warehouse, and a home theater sound system assembled from goodwill purchases and I have an outdoor movie theater setup in my garage
Krayton also noted that it's crucial for homeowners to prioritize projects based on their lifestyle needs and future plans. "Consider how long you plan to stay in the home and tailor improvements accordingly; short-term residents might focus more on aesthetic updates or essential repairs, while those settling in for the long haul may choose to invest in comprehensive upgrades," he shared.
"Additionally, keeping an eye on current design trends and the local real estate market can help guide decisions on which improvements will add the most value to your home."
#19
Added shelving in the hall closet a year ago for ~$300 and got 32 sqft more shelf space.
$10 red motion activated night lights for the bathrooms. Nice for midnight infant diaper changes and brushing teeth before the sun is up in the morning when the overhead light is just too much.
Shelving and hang drying racks in the laundry room. ~$100.
#20
Materials cost only, replacing the outlets and switches from 80s/90s almond to modern white; probably about $500 total, but we had a lot to replace.
Replacing the knobs and hinges on our doors from the original (80s) brass, peeling knobs to more modern black matte. Probably another $400. Definitely a good band-aid until we get around to refinishing the doors themselves!
Paid a handyman to replace a faucet, probably $300, and it solved the leak and aesthetic problem immediately (obviously). Found the guy from an ad on the side of his van at his full time job at an Ace Hardware.
Replace ALL of your bulbs. It is INSANE how much of a difference brighter bulbs made in our house. Pro tip, LED lights run at lower wattages, so you can go up to a higher wattage equivalent/higher lumen safely.
Beth Wheeler 1 month ago
It can be a pain to do it but when my kitchen faucet started leaking a few years ago I bought a couple of different repair kits for it that didn't work. I took a chance on calling Price-Pfister and they sent me what I needed for free on a faucet that was about 20 years old at the time. I took that darn thing apart 3 times before I got it fixed. We couldn't even use the dishwasher and had to wash dishes in the bathroom for 2 or 3 weeks.
#21
That translucent film to cover the smaller windows that you want lots of light from
#22
Replaced old blinds and curtains with top down / bottom up cellular shades. Bought custom size from Blinds.com and installed myself.
New smart ceiling fan / light that looks modern (replaced 20 year old one that looked very dated).
Updated bathroom fans - Panasonic Whisper truly are whisper quiet! And new timer switch :)
New patio furniture set
#23
Touchless kitchen faucet (it has a sensor you wave your hand in front of)
3-in-1 fan/light/heater in the bathroom. Being able to take a shower with the heater on makes me feel old but my god is it amazing in winter.
#24
Stupid easy and stupid cheap. Covered my kitchen backsplash with fake tile sheets. It’s a temporary bandage until I get my kitchen fully redone, but it looks so much better and I’ve gotten so many compliments.
#25
New front door with a large window to let in more natural light, with a keypad deadbolt. Never have to worry about being locked out or fumbling for my key in the dark.
Smart garage door opener. I can operate it remotely and make sure that it's closed by 8 PM. After having kids we kept accidentally leaving it open a lot.
Bidet toilet seats. Clean bums are just light years better.
Charlotte Sandoval 1 month ago
I worked for a lock company for a while, I would really recommend against having a large window in your front door. Saw too many shattered ones where people just reached in and unlocked the door through the broken window.
#26
$25 on Amazon to buy those garage door magnets that make it look fancier.
$10 on Amazon to buy timer switches for all of our lamps
Much smaller than the cap you suggested, but those things have really changed the aesthetic of our home relative to the cost.
#27
Changing ugly light fixtures
#28
Like $15-30 per closet to get the hardware to make bifold doors into French doors (take hinges off, hang the second half from a new set of hangers). They open so much wider and quieter. Put new hardware on and you got fancy closets.
We also redid our walk-in closet on possession - paint and IKEA organizer for pretty cheap but it's so much nicer.
Also change ceiling lights. Easy and makes things better.
#29
Literally, the easiest thing was replacing all hinges, doorknobs, and faucets. To change away from the old brass stuff was instantly better
#30
Added a 4x5 pass through between the kitchen and living room - made our 1902 house feel so much more modern and open.
#31
Poured a 20x20 concrete slab in my backyard behind my back porch. That was a game changer as it gave me somewhere to put plants, grills, an outdoor table, etc.
Then, a few years later I covered it with one of those hanging shade cloths and that was another game changer as it meant I could actually use the patio for more than a few months a year (central FL).
As to OP's example, those recessed lights are super simple to install and well worth every penny. The only lighting my house had was from ceiling fans so most of the rooms were way too dark. Adding 4 recessed lights on a dimmer switch is under $200/room and is such a quality of life improvement, it's a no brainer.
An honorable mention - sheds can be nice as they free up a ton of space in your garage. I built an 8x12 shed during covid, and while it was a little more expensive than OP mentioned they wanted to spend, you can get prefab sheds for well under $2k.
Huddo's sister 1 month ago
I presume they knew how to pour a concrete slab themselves, because otherwise I don't think it would be that cheap. I wanted to redo a short driveway and add an additional slab, big enough for one car, and was quoted $14000!
#32
We built a wood fired pizza oven in the back yard! Great for family/friends get-togethers. Looks interesting and is a great conversation starter.
Less than 500$ in materials and a summer's worth of weekend labor to assemble.
Donkey boi 1 month ago
I'm guessing OP isn't a DIY kind of person. I did mine in 2 weekends. So if you are DIY minded, it really doesn't take too long (the clay work took a while because it was too hot that day). Obviously, size is gonna make a difference, I made mine to fit 2 large or 4 small pizzas at once.
#33
We took the former "parlor" and ripped out the rippling carpet, fresh paint on everything with the trim a different color than the walls (they were the same before), refurbished the ceiling fan, put in wifi bulbs, new, cheap pull down blinds for the 10 single pane windows to replace the falling apart roman shades, and I added premade beadboard panels to the bottom two feet of the wall with a board around the top to match the height and style of the windowsills. New carpet came later (whole house, definitely not under 2k) and now it's a perfect playroom (read: contained area to throw all the toys at the end of the night) for the 3 year old.
#34
Changing my light switches from ‘flip’ to ‘paddle’. Having all of them brand new & the same color/type has made a huge difference & probably cost around $50 (or less). And wasn’t as hard as I was anticipating.
#35
$1500 for granite countertops, installed.
followed up with -
$750 for laminate flooring - DIY.
Each completely changed the character of the house.
#36
Nest Smart Smoke/Carbon Monoxide Detectors (about $100 each, so $600 total). Feel great that I can monitor while I'm on a trip. I can set automations (e.g. if it detects an alarm at night, turns on all the lights). Even better, it warns me if it's going to go off while I'm searing steak and I can turn it off via the app.
Upgraded to a DC motor fan in the bedroom (300). No more noisy fans.
#37
Added a light in my mud room area. Old house, plaster walls. The $250 to have our electrician pull those lines was well worth it.
Replacing the wooden threshold at our front door. Again, old house, wonky walls. Paying a carpenter $400 for a brand new oak threshold and pvc facing board was absolutely worth it.
Pest control. I could do it myself, but honestly hate the idea. Fieldstone foundation requires extra effort to exclude mice. Worth $400/year.
#38
Put in dimmable 6" flat LED ceiling lights. Got rid of three table lamps and a chandelier in the process.
Absolutely transformative. The living and dining room look a lot more spacious now as well.
#39
We had a small 2-3 ft block retaining wall in our back yard, super steep between it and the patio and you’d have to go around to get out the back gate to the walking trail. We also had to fence off the top as our dog hurt her back launching herself off to bark at anyone using the trail.
D codes to fix both problems by cutting a set of stairs into the middle of the wall. Only had to cut 2 of the old big blocks in half as the pavers fit perfectly with the spacing of the blocks. Put in 4 sets up to the patio and used the old blocks we removed to raise the height up and soften the slope from 30%grade to 6-10% much more manageable and easier to mow. Only cost about $300 and two days nursing my back but worth it.
Super functional and looks great. We’re planning to add some pavers alongside the drive way this summer so we don’t have to stand in the mud getting the car seat in and out and I might get a few extra to connect the top stair to the patio and eventually get a paver path down to the gate from the bottom of the stairs
#40
Replaced my 60+ year old solid wooden front door that liked to swell during the summer (to the point where I didn't even need to lock it and it'd still be secured) to a fiberglass door with a small window in it. Much nicer, much easier to lock and unlock, and so much more modern
April Pickett 1 month ago
I hope you sold it to one of those stores/warehouses that have "old" furniture, doors, moldings, trim, etc.
#41
I rehabbed my fireplace. First, I just painted the old brick and that made it look instantly more modern. After a year, we just decided to remove the old hearth (turned out it was solid cement with a brick exterior) and put in a mantle (FB market), paint, tile, and the whole aesthetic is changed
Beth Wheeler 1 month ago
Unless it's a really ugly weird color, don't paint brick. There is a lot of upkeep to painted brick.
#42
Installed wifi switches in every room of the house. I live in two story townhouse and there is nothing worse than getting comfortable in bed only to realize you didn't turn a light off downstairs. 🙃 Now , I say " goodnight" and everything is off . Plus I can make sure the doors are locked 🔒 and the a/c is set to the right temp. Those lights were the catalyst for so many other things. Atp I dnt even turn my shower on .
Heras buddy 1 month ago
And when someone hacks your house you loose control over your house. Majority of wifi house apps are garbage and can easily be hacked.
#43
Removing an ugly cornice.
Removing the furr down from above the tub/shower.
Replacing window blinds with top down/ bottom up shades.
Installing a can light above the tub/shower and adding a flushmount light fixture in the center of the room.
Replacing the bathroom exhaust fan.
#44
Water softener.
#45
I added recessed lights to my otherwise dark Living Room and it has been a game changer
#46
Spent a day framing (goodwill buys if poor quality i'd paint/sand/etc), and put photos up around house, while simultaneously filling any divits/cracks/etc. in old plaster and touching up paint.
Tiny thing, but something I didn't realize I'd be stoked about everyday and costs me maybe $100 and a chill day.
On the sub but near 2k front - finishing my basement. As it is now my office / band practice zone. It was around 1.6k all in materials, but counting all the days of free labor and buying the mates beers, za's and uppers - maybe near the line..
#47
The biggest life changing thing we ever installed was our touch faucet in the kitchen. It’s such a life changer.
#48
I redid a bathroom in the cabin for less than 2k.
It was a half bath and now is a full bath with curb-less shower
Didn’t do a glass door yet though, because that put me over my budget of $1500
#49
Look at what non-windowed rooms you walk into the most and buy motion sensing light switches. I added one to a bathroom as well as another to my master bedroom closet. These rooms are always dark so I ALWAYS turn the lights on when I enter or use these rooms. Auto-switches have been a blessing.
The downside is that my bathroom doesn't have a fan, even though it doesn't have a window. So I think the humidity got to my switch as it turns on and off randomly. But it's like $20 for a new one.
I do want to install a fan in there to help out. I currently just run the furnace fan when I shower.
whineygingercat 1 month ago
I put up those battery operated, touch lights in my linen closet. Now I can SEE inside it while putting away the towels.
#50
Wi-Fi dimmable and color changing lightbulbs for the outside of the house. I got a 2 pack for $20. I have a schedule so they turn on and off automatically every day. Set colors and strobe effects for all the holidays. Love them.
Leviton Wi-Fi plug and anywhere companion. You can turn a regular outlet into a switched outlet. The decora rocker switch is thin and can be double stuck anywhere or put next to another switch to look like it is wired. Like $50 for both.
What do you think ?
Tyranamar Seuss 1 month ago
Well, all this post taught me was that I'm not very handy. I can't imagine doing most of these myself.
Mark Alexander 1 month ago
Check out the University of YouTube. It's a DIYer's gold mine.
Load More Replies...
Tyranamar Seuss 1 month ago
Well, all this post taught me was that I'm not very handy. I can't imagine doing most of these myself.
Mark Alexander 1 month ago
Check out the University of YouTube. It's a DIYer's gold mine.
Load More Replies...
Related on Bored Panda
