5 DIY Home Upgrades That Cost Less Than $3,000 Total
Is your rental property looking a little tired and ready for some TLC? If so, then there's good news. With less than $3,000 and some elbow grease, you can complete five high-impact, do-it-yourself improvements. Each will help attract potential renters and add to your property's value.
Costs shown here were estimated based on a three-bedroom, two-bathroom house with approximately 1,700 square feet. While not exact, they should provide a good feel for budgeting.
For simplicity, we sourced widely available products from home improvement stores. YouTube also offers a rich library of DIY tutorial videos to help you can gain confidence and get moving.
1. Paint the kitchen cabinets
Tired wooden cabinets can be reborn with a few coats of paint. Start by cleaning them. If they're badly worn, lightly sand the old paint until it's smooth. It's also a good idea to rub them down with a sander deglosser so the new paint will adhere well to the finish.
- 10 gallons of paint with primer: $330
- Sandpaper: $12
- Sander deglosser: $7
Total: $349
2. Install a new kitchen backsplash
A new backsplash is an inexpensive way to bring extra color or light-reflecting shine into your kitchen.
The figures shown here are based on a common sized U-shaped floor plan. If you're not especially confident, there are plenty of attractive peel and stick backsplash options, too. These may not wear as long as a standard tile installation, but they provide a lot of visual impact for the money.
If you have 24 linear feet of 16" backsplash, the job requires roughly 32 square feet of tile. There's a huge range of tile patterns, colors and price points to choose from. This estimate assumes a $10 per square foot planning figure, which covers the cost of white subway tile.
- White subway tile: $320
- Grout: $34
- Wet saw rental, thin set and miscellaneous tools: $295
Total: $649
3. Paint an accent wall
It's no secret that paint is a thrifty landlord's best friend. Select a wall in the living or dining room and paint it a deeper or brighter shade than the other walls in the room.
- 1 gallon of paint with primer: $33
- Assorted sandpaper: $8
- Wall Putty: $8
- Painter's tape: $2.42
Total: $51.42
4. Replace the bathroom cabinets, tops and faucets
If the bathrooms are looking dated, it may be time for a remodel. Avoiding any changes to the plumbing will help control costs.
For roughly $1,600, you can replace two bathroom vanities with tops, add new faucets and replace bathroom lighting. Keep things simple by using the same fixtures in the guest and master bathrooms.
- Hall bathroom vanity: $920
- Master bathroom vanity: $274.68
- Hall bathroom lighting; two fixtures: $138
- Master bathroom lighting; one fixture: $69
- Faucets for hall and master bathrooms: $164
Total: $1,565.68
5. Paint bathrooms and install new towel bars
Nickel or polished chrome are popular finishes that will bring new energy to the space. Select towel bars in these tones for an instant update. It's a good idea to buy extras of these so you can replace items that renters break or lose in the future.
- 2 gallons of semi-gloss paint: $40
- Two towel bar sets: $134
Total: $174
Overall project costs
- Paint the kitchen cabinets: $349
- Install a new kitchen backsplash: $649
- Paint an accent wall: $51.42
- Replace the bathroom cabinets, tops and faucets: $1,565.68
- Paint bathrooms and install new towel bars: $174
Grand Total: $2,789.10
*Note: Prices are subject to change for each item.
Ready to get to work? Inspired to cost out other wish list projects for your rental property?
If your DIY aspirations also include installing new appliances, review our tips on buying appliances for your rental home.
