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One of the most exciting things about buying your first home is determining what projects you can take on to make it even better. As a first-time homeowner, you probably entered into home ownership with some DIY upgrades in mind. After all, it’s a great feeling to roll up your sleeves and work hard to make your new house feel more like your own by giving it your own personal touches. However, it’s important to be discriminating when deciding what projects to tackle. It’s easy to get in over your head if you’re overly ambitious, but you can make a house look great and increase its value with some simple do-it-yourself enhancements.
A fresh coat of paint
According to real estate experts, a freshly-painted interior is one of the best ways to upgrade your home’s appearance and increase its worth. If this is your first painting project, talk to an expert at your local hardware store. You’ll need to know what kind of paint works best with your finish and how many coats to apply, which will depend on the exact shade you want. If you’re looking for something a bit different, consider painting one wall of your family room or bedroom with an arresting and stylish new color.
Toilet time
There’s a tendency to regard a toilet as a permanent fixture, but putting in a new one isn’t terribly difficult, and it can add considerable aesthetic appeal. Toilets come in a wide variety of styles and colors. It’s important to know what you’re doing if it will be a DIY project, but it can be done in about an hour.
Backsplash appeal
It’s remarkable how much a relatively low-impact upgrade can add to a kitchen. For about $20 per square foot and a few hours over a weekend, you can put in a new tile backsplash that will make your kitchen space look bright and clean. Make sure you’re comfortable setting rows of tiles and applying grout before committing to it — try practicing on a piece of plywood if it’s new to you.
Outdoor leisure space
Fire pits are a key feature of many backyard leisure designs, and they’re popular among young homeowners. With some creek flagstones, concrete, and mortar, you can build an attractive fire pit that will be the centerpiece of your outdoor entertainment space. It’ll take some heavy lifting and you’ll need a vehicle that can stand up to heavy loads, but it’s worth a little sweat and toil to add visual appeal and property value outside.
Storage space
Storage space is often in short supply for first-time homeowners. If you need added space in the kitchen or bathroom, new shelving makes an excellent DIY project and gives you just what you need to store pots and pans, or extra bath towels and washcloths. A few wooden planks and some galvanized steel poles can give you the material you need to make attractive, rustic shelving.
There’s nothing quite like the satisfaction of implementing your own taste to enhance a new home. There are many DIY projects you can do yourself that will add visual appeal and value but that won’t overwhelm you.