Home Improvement Projects Under $100
When it comes to home improvement projects, you probably think about granite countertops, walk in showers and beautiful hardwood floors. Sure, these projects make a huge difference on a home but they will cost thousands, if not tens of thousands of dollars.
But what are you to do if you want to make a difference in your home but are on a tight budget? You can still make an impact on your home, you just need to get creative and be able to put a little sweat equity into the project. Here are a few of the top projects that you can do to your home that will make an impact but not break the bank.
1. A Fresh Coat Of Paint
Painting is key as far as bang for the buck goes. You can get a few rollers and brushes for under $20, a gallon of good paint for well under $30 and some tape and cheap plastic tarps for under $10. That puts you well under the $100 budget and gives you enough material to do an average size bedroom. A larger living area may require an additional gallon of paint but then your budget will still come in under $100.
Painting is also one of the easiest projects that you can do. The key to it is preparation. Many people ruin their paint jobs buy rushing into the project. Take the time to properly tape off the walls and lay down your tarps. Remove outlet covers (please don’t paint over them) and clean your walls with a rag lightly dampened with soap and water. A few hours of prep time will pay huge dividends.
For well under $100, painting a room comes in as the number one budget friendly, bang for the buck home project.
2. Plant Some Trees
Nothing adds value to a home like a mature tree. A nice 40 foot tree in front of a home can easily add thousands of dollars in value. Why? Because they are statement pieces and they require a lot of time to get there.
The first thing that you do when you buy a home is plant trees if the property is lacking in that area. This is because it will take years for those trees to mature. Better get started. Remember, spend a little money now and reap big rewards in home value in the future
Depending on the type of tree you want, you can expect to pay about $30 a piece at the big box store. Then all you need is about $5 in mulch and a shovel.If you do not have a shovel, add $10 to the budget to get yourself one. This means that you can add 2 trees to your property for well under $100.
The type of tree you select depends on your taste. If you want a very fast growing tree, look at a Cleveland Pear. Many people frown on them but the are rugged, grow quickly and produce brilliant white flowers in the spring and nice autumn color in the fall. They also grow like weeds. If given a choice choose the Cleveland Pear over the more familiar Bradford Pear. Clevelands do not grow as wide but they have stronger branch structure.
3. Upgrade Your Lighting
If your home is still sporing builders grade lighting fixtures, you can make a mighty big impact by upgrading your lighting.
Sure, there are a lot of fixtures that will break the budget but there are a ton of options that come in well under 100 bucks.
Walk in to your neighborhood Home Depot or Lowe’s and you will see dozens of options, enough to suit any taste. You can even find many track lighting sets and even ceiling fans with lights for under $100 if you shop carefully.
As far as installation goes, it could not be simpler to install a new light fixture. Just shut off the power, unscrew the old fixture and detach the wiring. Then wire the new fixture in and screw it into place. In most instances, you can even reuse the old mounting brackets from the fixture you are replacing.
4. Remake Your Front Door
Your front door makes a huge impact on how your home is perceived. Ever drive through a neighborhood and be drawn to that house with the dramatic red front door.
Not saying that you have to go that bold but you can make a huge impact on your home by remaking your front door. Al it takes is a $10 quart of paint, $10 in sandpaper and brushes and a new lockset for around $60 to $80. Sure, you can find more expensive sets but in this price range, you can find a nice piece that will set your door off.
The first thing that you have to do is figure out a color for your door. You could go red, blue, black, etc. You are only limited by your imagination and what goes well with your home. Since front doors take a lot of abuse, you will probably need to sand it down before applying your paint. Then let it dry, install your new hardware and you are all set. You can complete this project easily on a Saturday.
5. Give Yourself Bigger Windows
Yes windows are expensive but you can give yourself the look of large and expensive windows with a simple set of curtains.
All you need is the appropriate size curtain rod for $20 and a nice panel of drapes for $50 to $70. The trick to making your windows look bigger is to get an appropriate sized rod that will stick out about a foot past the windows on either side. This can give you the look of a large window without having to spend 2000 dollars to get it.
Installation is easy, just install the curtain rod brackets, install the curtains on the rod and attach the rod to the bracket. Boom, instant large windows.
6. Light Your Way
Is it hard to find your way to your home at night? Would you like to set off that pathway with some decorative lighting. Maybe it is time to install some outdoor path lights and when you go solar, you won’t need a loan to make this upgrade.
Solar lighting has come a long way and you can now buy lights that actually get the job done. You can find the lighting in all sorts of price ranges but they start at $20 for a dozen of simple modern pathway lights.
As fast as installation goes, it will take you longer to order them than it does to install them. Simply push them into the ground where you want them and you are all set.