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!
#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.
Image source: chron0john, cottonbro studio / pexels (not the actual photo)
#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.
Image source: molten_dragon, Vidal Balielo Jr. / pexels (not the actual photo)
#3
Adding outlets to closets and cabinets so we could charge our tootbrushes, waterpiks, and vacuums in the place where we store them normally.
Image source: regallll, Markus Spiske / pexels (not the actual photo)
#4
Bidet. Its worth the hype for less wipe.
Image source: scotch4breakfast, amanda kelso / flickr (not the actual photo)
#5
Dehumidifiers … I had a damp basement, but not any more.
Image source: keepah61, HS You / flickr (not the actual photo)
#6
I don’t remember the exact material cost but enclosing my screen porch myself was weeeeeeell worth it.
Image source: TrimMyHedges, Curtis Adams / pexels (not the actual photo)
#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.
Image source: DrunkenGolfer, Lisa Anna / pexels (not the actual photo)
#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.
Image source: Imaginary_Grocery_70, Luis Ruiz / pexels (not the actual photo)
#9
Soft close toilet seats
Image source: deucedeuce223, Raymond Petrik / pexels (not the actual photo)
#10
$300 of blown in insulation and radiant barrier for the attic.
Image source: maviryk, TheMuuj / flickr (not the actual photo)
#11
Blackout curtains in all the bedrooms.
Image source: Bearacolypse, Giorgio Proietti / pexels (not the actual photo)
#12
Paying extra for Leaf screens on my new gutters. I researched several types and brands and found one that appears to work for us.
Image source: ThisIsAbuse, Katia Miasoed / pexels (not the actual photo)
#13
Added a laundry chute. No more carrying baskets of dirty laundry down the stairs.
Image source: Minimum_Loan229, RDNE Stock project / pexels (not the actual photo)
#14
Insulation 100%
Image source: ihateredditmodzz, anatoliy_gleb / envato (not the actual photo)
#15
Painting the walls. When we moved in everything was an agreeable neutral and we had too much other stuff going on to think about it. But we didn’t survive a pandemic to live in a boring house. Now it’s colorful and looks like us and all the photos we take in the house have beautiful backgrounds.
Image source: regallll, Blue Bird / pexels (not the actual photo)
#16
The fence I wanted would have been about 8000$. I did something nice for $800 with reclaimed wood and hard work.
Image source: XavierWT, Snapwire / pexels (not the actual photo)
#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.
Image source: Proper-Interest, Mark McCammon / pexels (not the actual photo)
#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
Image source: beav0901dm, Vika Yagupa / pexels (not the actual photo)
#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.
Image source: GokusSparringPartner, Thought Catalog / pexels (not the actual photo)
#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.
Image source: workingtrainwreck, Max Vakhtbovycn / pexels (not the actual photo)
#21
That translucent film to cover the smaller windows that you want lots of light from
Image source: MarcusBrody96, Pedro Serrano / pexels (not the actual photo)
#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
Image source: ais72, 克 韩 / pexels (not the actual photo)
#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.
Image source: Legallyfit, Max Vakhtbovycn / pexels (not the actual photo)
#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.
Image source: anon, Dmitry Zvolskiy / pexels (not the actual photo)
#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.
Image source: StunButton, Mâide Arslan / pexels (not the actual photo)
#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.
Image source: stone_ad, Curtis Adams / pexels (not the actual photo)
#27
Changing ugly light fixtures
Image source: 2smart4u, Vecislavas Popa / pexels (not the actual photo)
#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.
Image source: thzatheist, Ksenia Chernaya / pexels (not the actual photo)
#29
Literally, the easiest thing was replacing all hinges, doorknobs, and faucets. To change away from the old brass stuff was instantly better
Image source: getafreehug, Ksenia Chernaya / pexels (not the actual photo)
#30
Added a 4×5 pass through between the kitchen and living room – made our 1902 house feel so much more modern and open.
Image source: barkerhoward, Vecislavas Popa / pexels (not the actual photo)
#31
Poured a 20×20 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 8×12 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 $2k.
Image source: vrtigo1, Rodolfo Quirós / pexels (not the actual photo)
#32
We built a wood fired pizza oven in the back yard! Great for family/friends get-togethers. Looks interesting and is a great conversation starter.
Less than 500$ in materials and a summer’s worth of weekend labor to assemble.
Image source: crazyreadr, André Beltrame / pexels (not the actual photo)
#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.
Image source: ShuuString
#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.
Image source: hskrgrl51, Castorly Stock / pexels (not the actual photo)
#35
$1500 for granite countertops, installed.
followed up with –
$750 for laminate flooring – DIY.
Each completely changed the character of the house.
Image source: Finklemaier, Curtis Adams / pexels (not the actual photo)
#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.
Image source: apostate456, Andrew Gustar / flickr (not the actual photo)
#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.
Image source: legalpretzel
#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.
Image source: victalac
#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
Image source: cursingbulldog
#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
Image source: neekogo
#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
Image source: Bellabird42, ArtHouse Studio / pexels (not the actual photo)
#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 .
Image source: Cream06, Jakub Zerdzicki / pexels (not the actual photo)
#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.
Image source: Veronica612
#44
Water softener.
Image source: OG_Antifa
#45
I added recessed lights to my otherwise dark Living Room and it has been a game changer
Image source: hobovirginity
#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..
Image source: BigOlFRANKIE
#47
The biggest life changing thing we ever installed was our touch faucet in the kitchen. It’s such a life changer.
Image source: SheRocks, Charles & Hudson / pexels (not the actual photo)
#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
Image source: adderall30mg
#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.
Image source: comicidiot
#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.
Image source: jynx18, Saya Kimura / pexels (not the actual photo)
Follow Us
