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14 ways to improve your property on a budget
Written by
Amanda Hampshire
Published on
July 31, 2015

14 Ways to improve your property on a budget

Whether your planning to  renovate a property to make it nicer for yourself and your family to live in, to add value to a property your selling or make an investment property  more attractive to tenants, there are many things you can do to improve your property on a budget.

Lighting - New light fittings can change the look and atmosphere of a room very easily as well as add light to dark areas. If there is only one light in the ceiling of a large room,  look at adding floor & table lamps.

Parking - Parking can add enormous value to a property located in built up areas. If you don’t have a garage, but do have room in your front yard, look at options for a cheap carport or a erect a shade sail.

Floor coverings - A low cost rug can cover up old or damaged floors and add warmth to a room. If you need new carpet in one room, many flooring retailers sell discounted off cuts and end of roll carpet.

Kitchen - A new kitchen is a major expenses but there are some smaller, low cost renovations you can do to your existing kitchen. A new bench top makes a large difference to an old kitchen. If you can’t afford the full bench top, look at having the existing top laminated or sprayed. Back splash tiles on the walls can also be sprayed to give them a more modern colour or fresher look. Also look at new door handles for your cupboards and tap ware for your sink.

Bathroom - Make a bathroom instantly appear bigger with a large wall mirror. You can also update the tap ware, showerhead or toilet seat to modernise the room. Consider having the tiles or bath sprayed if they are outdated or stained.

Painting - Painting is one of the simplest and cheapest ways to completely change the look and feel of  a property. Painting can create a modern look by using the latest colour trends and can also help you define specific areas or make rooms look larger. If painting a whole room seems overwhelming, consider doing just one feature wall to add a particular style. Google phrases like  ‘latest paint colour trends’ or ‘colours to make a room look larger’. As well as the walls, there are a lot of smaller items in your house that can benefit greatly from a coat of paint, look at your doors, window seals, bedside tables, wooden furniture & picture frames.

Gardening - Curb appeal sets the tone for a first impression on the property so if the grass is in poor condition, look at having new turf laid. Remove any dead plants and weeds from the garden, trim any plants that are overgrown and purchase low maintenance plants and plants that are currently in flower. A cheap coloured pot with a medium sized plant near door entries can also make a large difference.

Storage - If you’ve overcrowded cupboards and lots of clutter around the home, have a look and see if there is any room to add additional storage. This can be as simple as baskets or boxes with lids that fit under beds, low cost, flat pack cupboards in bedrooms, toy storage boxes in children’s room or lounge rooms and coffee tables with underneath storage drawers. If there is clutter outside, consider purchasing a small shed or large outdoor storage box.

Curtains - Curtains can be a cheap way to modernise a room and create a specific effect. Low cost , premade curtains can be found online or in Manchester stores.

Rearranging furniture - Often the positioning of furniture can make a big difference to a room, take a step back and look at the way you have your room laid out. Is there a good flow to walk through? are sections of the room clearly defined? Does the size of the furniture fit the room? Try moving things around and see what different effects you can create.

Pictures / Wall Art - Do you have any pictures in the room? Do they match the look and feel you are after? Sometimes just changing the frame of a picture can make a big difference and if you don’t have a budget for a new frame, try just painting the frame. You can purchase a blank canvas and create your own modern art or have a look on websites like ebay for a cheap art work.

Maintenance & repairs - If there are any obvious repairs that need to be done, make sure you get these looked at. If one a potential buyer or tenant can see things in the property that have not been attended to, they will wonder how many other issues there are that are not so noticeable.

Accessories - Small low cost accessories can make a big difference to any property. Take a walk through the property and try to identify small items that could be replaced. Things like a new welcome mat for the front entrance, a new letterbox, cushions for the seating areas and beds, new bedspreads, vases with colourful flowers, new kettle in the kitchen, new towels for the bathroom.

Declutter & Clean Up - Remove the clutter to make the house appear more orderly and spacious. Give it good clean to freshen everything up and remove any odours.

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