DIY home improvements can be great feel-good projects. You get to learn a new skill, use your hands, and take pride in something you create yourself.
But let’s face it: Your DIY project doesn’t make sense if it won’t make cents. In other words, it needs to pay off when it comes time to sell your home.
“The key to winning the ROI game with home improvement is to take a less-is-more approach.”
If your goal is to earn a return on your DIY investment, take on improvements that will have a big impact on buyers.
“Bells and whistles tend not to rank high on ROI,” The high-tech home theater might mean hours of fun for you and the family, but it’s probably not going to pay for itself when the time comes to sell.
Of course, that doesn’t mean you can’t outfit your house with the latest technology – if you’re making an improvement tat you’ll love and enjoy, go for it. But if you’re looking to roll up your sleeves and tackle a project that will offer serious bang for the buck, try one of these home improvement projects next weekend.
- REFRESH YOUR KITCHEN CABINETS If the cabinets are in good shape, adding a fresh coat of paint or stain will dramatically transform the feel of the entire kitchen.
Be warned: Even through painting isn’t very difficult, it’s still time-consuming. You’ll need to remove the doors and ddrawers to ensure a clean finish. But in terms of skill level, it’s something even novice DIYers can handle.
And remember, slow and steady wins the race when it comes to any painting project.
You could lose some buyers with a sloppy paint job. If you truly want to increase ROI, a good paint job takes time and patience.
2. CREATE CURB APPEAL
Making a great first impression on home buyers is one of the quickest ways to boost your home’s value.
Landscaping and gardening are the biggest ones that also are simple. Curb appeal has a significant impact on buyer’s purchasing decisions.
Aside from adding tasteful foliage and keeping your lawn manicured, a few strings of cafe lights can also improve your home’s outdoor space and curb appeal. Don’t forget to paint old fences and prune overgrown plants.
3. GIVE YOUR FRONT DOOR A MAKEOVER
Want to boost your home’s curb appeal but don’t have a green thumb? Spruce up your front door instead. All it takes is a few coats of paint. (The same rules apply: Work slowly and carefully to avoid drips and roller marks.)
4. CREATE A BACKYARD DECK
Outdoor living is hugely popular, even more so since the pandemic, since people are looking to expand their home’s usable living space.
Creating a new deck is possible to do yourself, but it’s not for the faint of heart especially if you’re putting in concrete footings for the deck posts. This project is best for intermediate to advanced renovators, and it helps to have a few friends on board to assist.
Keep the design simple–avoid any tricky changes in elevation–and work with pressure-treated lumber instead of hardwoods that are tough to cut and screw into.
5. BRIGHTEN UP THE BASEMENT
You don’t need to spring for a fully finished basement to appeal to prospective buyers.
Spraying the basement unfinished ceiling with flat black latex paint can make a big difference to clean up a look, and spraying the walls.
6. ADD MORE STORAGE
Anytime you add usable living space to the home, you increase its value. That’s true now more so than ever given all the time we are spending at home.
Making an addition to your home might not be realistic. But smaller improvements, like adding a pantry in the kitchen, a new storage unit in the garage, or even organizers, add valuable storage space to your home and will pay off when you’re ready to sell.
7. MAKE SMALL REPAIRS AND KEEP UP WITH MAINTENANCE
It may not be as satisfying as tackling a big project, but staying on top of your home’s basic maintenance is just as important and promises serious ROI.
Many of today’s buyers are staying away from fixer-uppers in favor of move-in ready homes that won’t require frequent repairs.
Seemingly small problems like a leaky faucet, loose gutter, or missing light fixture can be a red flag.
