5 Do-It-Yourself Projects to Add Value to Your Home

When it comes time to put your home on the market, you want to do everything possible to increase its value. At the same time, you don’t want to put so much money into improvements that you don’t get a return on your investment. As such, it is important to select the right do-it-yourself projects to add value to your home without putting a dent in your pocket. Here is a look at five excellent do-it-yourself projects you might want to consider.

Project #1: Replace Your Kitchen Sink and Faucet

The kitchen is always a good place to start when it comes to increasing the value of your home and replacing the sink and faucet is a relatively inexpensive and simple job to do. In fact, the total cost should come in at under $600 and it should only take you a few hours to do the job. When selecting a new faucet, make sure to choose one with a low-flow design, as most of buyers are looking for homes with energy-efficient features.

Project #2: Install a New Backsplash

With an estimated price of $14 per 12” x 12” tile, installing a new backsplash is an inexpensive way to update a kitchen. To make the installation process even easier, you might want to consider purchasing the peel-and-stick tile that is now available, though the traditional grout-and-tile method is generally more appealing to buyers.

Project #3: Replace the Vanity and Toilet

Next to the kitchen, the bathroom is the most important room in the home. Therefore, the more you can do to make your bathroom more appealing, the more you can get for your home. Even minor bathroom updates can provide a significant return on investment, but replacing the toilet and the vanity are particularly easy and inexpensive to do. Since a new toilet will fit right into the existing plumbing, you should only have to switch the old one out for a new one. Even a water-saving model, which will appeal to many buyers, can generally be purchased for $250 or less.

Project #4: Apply a New Paint Job

A fresh coat of paint can easily transform any room in the house, but keep in mind that neutral shades are more appealing to the buyer. Also, if the room is a bit on the small side, you might want to consider using a lighter shade in order to make the room appear larger. With paint costing only about $30 per can, you can expect to earn a 250% return on your investment.

Project #5: Replace the Front Door

Replacing the front door increases the curb appeal of your home, making it more likely that you will attract an interested buyer. After all, first impressions are long-lasting, so you want to make certain to make it a positive one. In most cases, you can obtain an attractive front door for $500 or less. To further increase the value of the home and to put a little more money back into your pocket, you might want to consider purchasing a qualifying energy-efficient door. With one of these doors you can enjoy a tax credit of 30% of your cost for a total of up to $1,500.