Many home-improvement jobs can be done without a
professional. Homeowners are able to
achieve much more than they believe they can on their own when it comes to
improving the look and feel of your home.
Often times a big change can happen on a small budget. Using home design books and tips from the
internet will help you get a supply list together for any project that can be
done around your home for a big impact to be had. Below is a list of home improvements to look
into that make a big impact on a budget.
The bedroom is a great starter place for home
improvements. Building a new bed frame
or re-doing the current one always adds new life to the bedroom. Something else that adds a big impact is a
change in color and bedding. Adding
texture to the walls or using depth with alternating colors is often a
statement in the bedroom. By adding a
mirror above a dresser you can add a lot of character as well. Whether you need help hanging a mirror or
refinishing a bed the internet will be a good source for ideas and directions.
Another way to change up a room’s character is with the
addition of custom window treatments. I
would leave designing the blinds and shades to the experts and look into
installing the window treatments on your own to save on money. Consider the statement and function of your
current window treatments; what do they say about the space? Custom window treatments give a room
character while possession a function within your home.
An example I will give is in my daughter’s recent bedroom
renovation. She wanted layers of windowtreatments. We knew she needed a dark room to fall asleep in but also that room
darkening shades are not stylish for a pre-teen room. In order to mix both her needs and her wants
we looked online and found a company that sells cellular shades that are single
celled and offer a blackout effect when used.
They also disappear into themselves during the day. We installed them with the sheer layering of
curtains and valance every pre-teen dreams of and at night the bonus is she can
sleep.
Speaking of home improvements where children are involved
and do it you self project; consider them when it comes to your project. Kids
love to help and it is often a hassle to keep them occupied while you are busy
improving the home. Consider involving them in a project that they can complete
with minimal supervision. Make them the
supervisor of their project and have them take ownership and responsibility for
seeing it through.
For my daughter she
was in charge of building two frames with plywood backer. We pre-measured and cut the items for her.
She was in charge of painting and putting them together as well as hanging
them. One is used as a chalkboard and
the other as a cork board. Something
simple to work on that kept her out of hair while we painted, redid her bed
frame and installed new window treatments.
A simple home improvement project that will help in homes
where pipes are in crawl spaces or under sinks with little insulation is by
adding pipe insulation. This is simple, cheap and effective in preventing pipes
freezing gin the winter and sweating in the summer. Both which can cause damage to the structures
around the pipes over time if not dealt with.
Many home improvement projects can be done by home owners
willing to put in the seat equity to get the results desired. Bigger home improvement projects such as new
roofs and barrier free improvements might be where I would call in the
professionals but for the minor household improvements most homeowners can
handle them easily on their own.
