When is it comes to home improvements and renovations, there are few rooms in a home where remodeling makes as much sense as the kitchen. The kitchen is considered a marquee room in a home and making improvements to a kitchen will typically increase a home’s value. But when you’re a real estate developer or a homeowner looking to sell a home, you have a lot to more consider with kitchen renovations namely keeping costs down. Below are some good, budget kitchen remodeling ideas that will improve the look and value of any kitchen.

kitchen renovationAccording to NARI, the National Association of the Remodeling Industry, the average kitchen renovation runs anywhere between $20K and $50K. That’s not small change and if you’re trying to keep costs down it’s best to stay away from any major work. There’s a lot of things you can do to a kitchen to maske it look much better than it currently does without breaking the bank and there’s good chance that a lot of the stuff below you can get done yourself.

 

Refinish the Cabinetry

If your existing cabinets are made of good wood, you might want to consider sanding them down, refinishing them and painting or staining them a new color. Refinishing the cabinetry in a kitchen can have the same dramatic effect of replacing them at a fraction of the cost. And you’ll also save a ton of money by not having to hire contractors if you’re willing to do the work yourself. Refinishing cabinets is not the toughest thing in the world and the return on your investment is quite high.

Repaint the Kitchen

Another way to dramatically change the look of your kitchen is by painting the walls a different color. If you combine this with refinishing your cabinetry, you could end up with a brand new kitchen! Another great thing about painting is that it’s easy enough for most homeowners to tackle themselves. Another remodeling project that doesn’t require hiring professional contractors equals more money in your pocket.

Floors

Depending on what kind of flooring you have, replacing your existing flooring or giving it a good cleaning can really improve the look of your kitchen. Tile can be pretty expensive to replace so what you may want to do is just it a good cleaning (don’t forget to clean the grout as well because it can also get pretty filthy) and repair any scratched or cracked tiles to make the floor look like new.

New Faucet

A new faucet in a kitchen can also go a long way in modernizing the kitchen and increasing its appeal. Not only are faucets not terribly expensive but it’s also something that a competent do-it-yourselfer should be able to handle.

Lighting Fixtures

New lighting fixtures can also help to bring more light into the kitchen and modernize the look and feel of a kitchen as well. You can use spot lights to highlight centerpieces in the kitchen or sconces and other forms of wall lighting to add some character to the kitchen.

Any real estate agent will tell you, the kitchen is arguably the most important room in the house so it’s important that the kitchen be in top condition if you expect to sell your home for top dollar. The remodeling ideas above are all easy to execute and can yield a high return on your investment.

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In my last post I talked about how you can find a local handyman to help you out with various projects around a house. If you’re a real estate agent than you know that some home improvements can have a dramatic impact on the value of a home. Below are some home improvement ideas that are known to add value to a home and enhance curb appeal and the best thing is most can be done by your average handyman. If you didn’t already know, a good handyman can be a huge asset to a realtor getting ready to sell a home.

kitchen remodelReplacing Bathroom faucets – You already know that home buyers like to see modern and up-to-date fixtures in bathrooms and replacing the sink faucets in upgrading the look in the bathroom. Fortunately replacing the sink faucets is not a terribly complex job and it can dramatically change the look of your bathroom.

Replacing Light Fixtures in the Bathroom – This is another small and not too complex project that can dramatically change the look of your bathroom. A good light fixture can also affect the level of brightness in a bathroom which is also a positive.

Fresh Paint in the Bathroom – A fresh coat of paint in the bathroom will complete a bathroom overhaul. Considering bathrooms are one of the most important rooms home buyers look at when looking for a home, it is money well spent.

Staining or Painting Cabinetry in the Bathroom – Sanding the cabinetry in the bathroom and applying a fresh paint or a stain will give your bathroom a fresh and new look.

Replacing the Hardware in the Bathroom – Replacing hardware is a low-cost improvement that makes a big difference in appearance.

Install Ceiling Fans – Installing ceiling fans can change the look of any room and can also be quite effective at cooling the temperatures inside a home during the hot summer.

Staining or Painting Cabinets in the Kitchen – Most buyers consider the kitchen to be the heart of a home. Painting or staining the cabinetry in a kitchen will dramatically improve its appearance. For the best results make sure to completely sand the cabinets before applying paint or stain.

Replace the Hardware in the Kitchen – A simple change that can improve the appearance of the kitchen. Make sure to use quality hardware that is consistent with the kitchen’s appearance and design.

Replace Kitchen Faucet – Another simple change that goes a long way in changing the appearance of your kitchen.

Replace the Light Fixtures in the Kitchen – Often the light fixtures in a kitchen are easy to change and new light fixtures can make the kitchen brighter as well as give the kitchen some character.

Consider the Entry to the Home – What does the door to the main entry look like? Does it need to be replaced? Can it be painted? At the very least make sure to replace the door handle on the front door. Adding a couple of planters to either side of the front door can also go a long way as can some light fixtures.

Simple Landscaping – A bag of high-quality fertilizer that covers up to 5,000 square feet will cost you under $3o at the local home improvement store and the bright  green grass will give prospective home buyers a great first impression. make sure the lawn is regularly mowed to maintain good curb appeal.

Regular maintenance and Upkeep – Cleaning the carpets and the tile are fairly inexpensive to do and also give the home a fresher appearance. It’s also a good idea to repair any grout in the kitchen and bathrooms that has become chipped or discolored as well any dents or holes in the walls.

All of the above are minor cosmetic changes that can easily be done by a good handyman with the exception of  cleaning the carpets but will dramatically improve and change the look of a home. In today’s real estate market, it is sometimes unrealistic to expect to make big changes to a home and still expect to make a profit so smaller, cosmetic changes such as the above are often the solution.

 

 

 

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