Which Home Improvement Projects Add Value to Your Home?

Home improvement projects not only help you personalize your space to suit your style, but they can also boost your property value. When you are investing in a home improvement project, it’s important to choose one that is going to allow you to enjoy the greatest return on your investment.

These home improvement projects typically add the most value to your home:

Kitchen Remodel

A kitchen remodel is one of the most costly home improvement projects that you can take on, especially if you decide to renovate your kitchen from the ground up. However, this is also one of the most valuable investments that you can make in your home. A renovated kitchen can provide you with anywhere from a 50 to 80 percent return on your investment, depending on the choices that you make and the amount of money that you invest in the project.


New Windows

Installing new windows in your home is an improvement project that will increase your quality of life inside your home while also ensuring you enjoy a generous return on your investment when you go to sell. It is important to opt for energy-efficient windows to get the most cost savings and see the highest returns. Don’t forget about the rebates and tax credits you may be eligible for when you invest in energy-efficient windows.

Improved Deck or Patio

When you make a commitment to improve your outdoor living space, you are investing in your own enjoyment of your home. However, a freshly painted deck or a new patio can also add a lot of value — either project can offer a 30 percent to 60 percent return on your investment.

Basement Refinishing

Finishing the basement in your home can transform this storage area into a new, functional living space. If you add luxury features, such as a full bathroom or a wet bar, you may find that you see an even larger return on your investment from this project.

Any home improvement project — regardless of its size or scope — is going to require an investment of your time, energy and financial resources. When you select value-added home improvement projects, you may find that your investment pays off in dividends when you list your home on the market for the highest possible price.

Homeowners Can Save Big With DIY Kitchen Island Innovations

If the cost of renovations holds you back from realizing your desired living space, strategic do-it-yourself projects can save money and accelerate the process.

It’s essential to understand that not every handy homeowner possesses the DIY skills to orchestrate a complete makeover. However, basic understanding of how to measure and use tools allow everyday people to make substantial living space improvements. In fact, more than a few motivated people can create a DIY kitchen island. Given that the meal preparation area ranks among the more expensive to upgrade, a DIY kitchen island can be a game-changer in terms of enjoyment and investment.

Popular DIY Kitchen Island Innovations

The kitchen has more foot traffic than any room in the household and that’s why many consider it the heart of the home. Perhaps the most dramatic change involves adding a DIY kitchen island. This asset allows family chefs expansive food preparation space and a place for friends and family members to gather over small meals and beverages. The following DIY kitchen island innovations illustrate ways you can save big while enhancing your home.

  • Farm Style Center Islands: One surprising innovation involves taking an outdated table or workbench and refurbishing it. Antiques often utilize sturdy hardwoods that can be sanded down, stained, and coated for kitchen use and fixed in place. These furniture items are usually created at the precise height of a modern center island and can be picked up at tag sales or junk stores for pennies on the dollar.
  • Dresser Updates: Like farm tables, a beat-up old dresser can form a DIY kitchen island’s foundation. Identify a piece of furniture that meets your desired height requirement. For instance, dressers of about 42 inches may accommodate bar stool seating. You can remove the top and craft a replacement that extends off one side for a seating countertop. It’s also perfectly acceptable to attach a more expansive countertop over the existing one. Given that repurposed furniture is inexpensive, you’re only paying retail for the countertop materials.
  • Rustic Built-It-Yourself: A DIY kitchen island does not necessarily require you to purchase a manufactured product. Fashioning a kitchen island remains remarkably similar to building a make-shift table or cabinet. Consider downloading basic table-making or cabinet plans and crafting one from lumber. Given that most homeowners are not finished carpenters, rustic designs and appearance can simplify the project.
  • Value of Shiplap: These interlocking boards rank among the more cost-effective home siding materials on the market. They are easy to manage and ideal for the exterior of a DIY kitchen island. This wood material can be installed on three sides of an island, leaving one side available for storage shelving. Shiplap provides aesthetically pleasing lines and can be painted or stained to suit. That makes it a cost-effective material to employ in a DIY kitchen island innovation.

Working families on strict budgets do not necessarily need to build up home improvement savings or leverage equity to enhance their living environment. By thinking outside the box and putting your creative spirit to work, it’s possible to make these DIY kitchen island innovations a reality.