It’s been over a decade since the home improvement boom of the early 2000s with almost constantly rising house prices across the board and every other program focusing on TV about home makeovers, renovations, and how much it all added to the value of the home.

Times have certainly changed and those looking to give their homes a fresh look are working with much smaller budgets, mostly due to the scarcity of loans and refinance packages compared to previous decades.   

When it comes to home makeovers in 2021, you need to go for the options that will give you the most added value for the smallest outlay possible.

Increase your square footage

This might seem obvious, but adding to the floor space in your house can be very expensive if you target the wrong areas. These will vary from home to home, so it’s best to look at all of your options.

If after completing any of these steps, you are wondering ‘how much is my house worth now’ then consult a local realtor who will tell you how much value the improvements have added.

Converting a cellar is usually a cheap and easy option, as long as you already have the correct headroom. Anything that is likely to involve lots of digging tends to be expensive, so if you don’t have the correct height between floor and ceiling, give this one a miss.

If you can’t convert your cellar (or if you don’t have one) but you do have a garage that is internal to your house, then this is also a cheap and easy option. Replacing the garage door with a wall and window is relatively simple in building terms, but there is one thing you need to check before you make this change. 

Get professional advice on how much value your house loses by not having a garage, and compare it to how much the extra bedroom or study created by the conversion will add.

Kitchens and bathroom makeovers

This can also be very expensive but it doesn’t have to be. If you are not moving any kitchen units or major appliances or knocking down any walls that need extra support, you can achieve a new look for less than you might think.

Not everybody knows that fitted kitchen unit carcasses are all very similar. Both the design and materials they are made out of have changed very little for decades. This means you can give your kitchen a completely new look by just replacing the doors and worktops.

The same thing goes for the bathroom where if you have a conventional white suite, changing your taps and tiles and a well-placed new mirror can achieve very much the same effect as you would in the kitchen. 

Again the golden rule here is not to move anything that might involve getting a specialist in, and simply replace the bits that look tired. Not only do you get to indulge your inner designer, but you also get a new look without breaking the bank.