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10 budget tips to add value to your property

Friday, August 19, 2011 12:10

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Are you are thinking of selling your property or would like to freshen it up while adding value

at the same time? Then these 10 tips will help you achieve an updated look on a shoe string budget.

1. Exterior painting

If you are happy with the existing colour and it just needs a freshen up to cover marks etc,

then one coat of paint will do the trick. You won’t need as much paint, plus you won’t have

to cut in the corners. Just be sure it’s an exact colour match!

If your budget is really tight or you don’t want to do as much work, then painting the trims

and the front door a fresh colour can also do wonders for lifting the homes exterior.

And of course giving the whole house a complete change in colour will obviously do wonders,

usually choosing a fresh off white with white trims is a safe choice that will appeal to a wider

market.

A great example of what a light and fresh colour can do for your homes exterior:

Fun and ,VJ’s a blog by a Brisbane couple’s adventures in renovating a Queenslander

home or “the sows ear” as they have fondly nicknamed it.

2. Tidy up the garden

Prune dead branches and leaves and cut back trees and bushes away from the house,

driveway and paths. Adding some extra plants in the under story of the garden will fill in any

gaps left from existing grown up plants. Adding a layer of richly fertilised soil and mulch will

lift and neaten up the garden beds.

Just by adding a layer of mulch to garden beds can make a huge impact on the overall

exterior of the house, and of course TURF! Laying down bright green healthy new turf will

breathe new life into the properties landscaping.

Use a high pressure hose to clean driveway foot paths and outdoor areas (leave roof cleaning to an expert).

Garden transformation inspiration: Raine and Sage

3. Make a list for each room

So that it’s not overwhelming, make a list of jobs you can do for each room and tackle each

room one at a time (this tip will help keep you sane).

4. Internal painting

If the colour of the interior walls are neutral and a fresh tone, all you will need to do is put

one coat over walls that are grubby or marked. But the paint MUST be the exact same colour.

If you are doing the painting yourself, paint one room at a time to minimise disruption.

Move the furniture into the middle of the room and paint in the mornings, so the paint will have

plenty of time to dry during the day.

If you decide you want a painter to come and do the harder jobs, get the painter to do all the

jobs at the same time as it will cost you more if the painter has to keep coming back to do

small fiddly jobs.

For more inspirational reading: Raine and Sage , Before and after gallery.

5. Freshen up flooring

Getting carpets cleaned can make a big difference to a room (plus it gives the house a “new”

clean smell). Most supermarket stores have cleaners for hire per day for a very reasonable

price. You can also clean rugs, furniture and curtains with the carpet cleaning machine.

If the carpet is too far gone for just a clean, then you may have to replace it for new carpet.

Another option could be to check under the old carpet and see if there is decent timber floor-

boards that you could sand and polish.

For tips on how to restore old timber flooring: This Place.com

Imitation timber flooring is another cost effective option. There are many types of faux timber

flooring, with various levels of quality, finish, appearance and price. Do your homework well

when it comes to this flooring, try to see the product layed, and if possible, be able to walk

on the product as some make a clunky sound when walked on with shoes.

6. Kitchen cabinets

You could replace the entire kitchen, but this post is about budget friendly tips, and the best

way to keep the kitchen makeover as budget friendly as possible, the original frame or

“carcass” should be retained.

If the doors are able to be kept then a simple job of changing the door handles can work

wonders to the cabinetry.

If the doors are made from solid timber, then painting them white or off-white will freshen

the kitchen and update it at the same time.

If the doors/drawers need to be replaced, you may be lucky to get pre-made doors from

a hardware store that fit yours perfectly. A cabinet maker can make new doors and drawer

fronts with allot less hassle.

For resale or investment properties, it’s best to stick with neutral colours in permanent fixtures.

If you love to put some colour into the house, then feature walls and decor are the wiser options.

Visit Remodelaholic , to see the Kitchen before and after archive.

6. Kitchen splashback

Unless the existing splashback is white and a tile style and size that is still current (think white

subway tiles), then you may not have to touch them. But if they are obviously outdated or the

colour isn’t working, then you may have to think about changing them.

There are so many options these days for kitchen splashbacks, and they don’t need to cost

much either. There are great laminex alternatives to glass, and stainless steel look a

like products. You can also pick up tiles that are discontinued or on sale at tile suppliers

or on ebay.

in different applications eg: splashbacks behind cooktops have to comply with fire ratings.

7. Light fittings and switches

Light fittings and switches usually get ignored or forgotten. Cleaning these can make an overall

difference to the interior of the property, removing dust and the collection of dead bugs inside

light fittings is a good idea. Clean light switches from grubby marks, if they are discoloured,

then replacing the covers can be a quick and cheap option also.

8. Bathrooms and toilets

Bathroom cabinetry can be freshened up in the same way the kitchen can be, plus tapware

should be updated if they are tired looking or don’t function properly.

Basins and bath looks dirty? You don’t have to replace them, here are some cleaning tips.

If you don’t want to, or can’t afford to replace the bathroom tiles, but can’t bare the thought of

leaving it in it’s existing 1970′s state, then there are paints available for tile application. Tile

grout can also be covered with a grout pen. Both available from hardware stores.

Replacing old toilets are a very good idea, to get a “cleaner” look. Having new toilets installed

can be good when selling, also for water saving standards.

For a quick fix solution to a stained toilet bowl, installing a toilet cleaner to the rim of the

seat that turns the water blue, this will hide any unsightly grime inside the toilet bowl.

Always get a professional opinion when attempting to take on projects that need to adhere

to building standards eg: plumbing and waterproofing standards. Using a licenced trade

contractor is the best way to achieve an optimal result.

For more on Bathroom transformations and before and afters, visit Remodelaholic

9.Window treatments

Replacing old and faded curtains and blinds in favour for neutral coloured roller or Roman

blinds. These are available in many sizes at affordable prices at Ikea. Curtains in the master

bedroom can be a good option to distinguish it from the other rooms.

Clean the windows thoroughly and remove any unnecessary attachments that may clutter the

look to the interior and exterior of the home. Having sparkly clean windows is a simple and

cheap way to neaten up a room.

10. De-clutter and savvy styling

A very important tip that should not be overlooked, and that’s to declutter the property.

Remove anything that is lying around the house ie; leftover building materials, old pot plants,

broken outdoor furniture, grass cuttings and leaves etc. If you don’t NEED it then get rid of it!

You may have become “blind” to the unsightly clutter, therefore put on your “clutter detecting”

glasses and become ruthless!

It might be hard at first to start putting the “stuff” on a pile to take away, but a good start would

be to have two piles, one that is rubbish to be taken away and the other is an ‘undecided” pile.

Once you get on a roll and you start seeing the huge difference that it makes to the property,

and the liberation that comes with it, then the “undecided/maybe” pile will start to get smaller.

For all the stuff that is to good to throw away, you can, have a garage sale, take it to the

markets or put it on eBay. Once you start making money from your excess clutter it wont

be so hard to let go of these items.

For selling a property the above tip is probably the most important tip of all. For a prospective buyer to come onto the property without all the mess and clutter to distract them. They can see the house properly in its neat and tidy form – the best the house can be for whatever the buyer has in mind for the property.

For detailed power tips on how to declutter visit: Declutter your home, declutter your life

Source:

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