Add Value to Your Home With These 10 Simple Upgrades

Outfit your abode with these high-impact, low-budget projects.

Install a Tongue and Groove Ceiling

Whether you’re covering up an ugly textured ceiling or simply interested in adding character, a tongue and groove ceiling is a relatively easy, budget-friendly project. Spruce tongue and groove is the most common type found at home centres, typically sold in widths of 100mm, 120mm or 200mm. No matter the type of wood or size, you’ll want to finish the boards before installation, since tongue and groove boards tend to expand and contract with temperature and humidity changes, which could reveal potentially unfinished parts of wood. For best results, screw battens directly into the framing first, over the existing ceiling drywall, so you have a solid surface to nail the tongue and groove boards to.

DIY a Mudroom

The epitome of mudroom style and function is the cubby. This DIY mudroom unit has ample storage for the whole family and plenty of spaces for baskets to keep items hidden. Most kiwi homes have a garage that has an entry into the house and this is the perfect space for the mudroom. 

Enhance Decks with Lighting

Landscape lighting may seem like a complicated DIY project, but low-voltage lighting systems are actually a job any beginner can tackle. And if you make your deck the focus, the extra visibility will even add a certain level of safety.

Low-voltage systems are much less dangerous that standard household wiring because the system relies on a transformer plugged into a standard GFCI receptacle. That converts power from 220 volts to 12 volts. The current travels through outdoor cables to supply power to the fixtures. There are several methods to approaching a deck lighting system — we’ll show you how here.

Add Garage Cabinets

The garage is so frequently used as a catch-all for home improvement projects and off-season gear, these easy cabinets will be well worth your time and dollar. We’ve come up with plans for an easy storage system that can be modified to suit any garage. Plan out your configuration with masking tape on the wall and floors, ensuring that each cabinet has at least on stud behind it so it can be securely fastened.

Refinish the Deck

There’s no greater impact for your money than to refinish your deck. Decks take a huge beating by the elements, so maintaining them is essential to protect your biggest investment–your home. Prep is always the first step in any major ugly deck makeover project, so make sure to give the surfaces a good pressure washing or cleaning and remove any flaking deck stain if necessary and let it dry out thoroughly for several days. When your deck is ready for a new coat, select either a clear, solid or penetrating stain. Penetrating stains require more frequent coats in the future to stay looking new, but don’t need to be stripped off again unlike solid stains. Just make sure to check the forecast and wait for a period of a few sunny days before you begin. Learn more about refinishing your deck here.

Install a Kitchen Backsplash

The kitchen is full of big-ticket items, but the backsplash doesn’t have to be one. Installing a backsplash yourself will save about $70 per square meter on a professional installation job, leaving more wiggle room to play with your materials cost.

Mosaic tile, like the type shown above, comes in various colours and materials to suit every kitchen and commonly starts at about $90 per square meter. They’re mounted on 30cm. x 30cm. sheets and can also be cut along the mesh backing, saving you from making too many cuts with a wet saw. Plan on installing the tile on Saturday and grouting and sealing them Sunday.

Plant a Tree

Plant a young tree now, and before long your investment will add valuable curb appeal to your property. Before planting, make sure to consider how large the tree’s root systems will be when it’s fully grown, and choose a species that is recommended for your area–your local extension service will be able to provide a list of the best trees for your region. And as always, before you dig, make sure to call 0800B4UDIG and someone from the utilities company will come out and mark the underground utility lines. Read more tips for trouble-free tree planting here. Shade trees can be especially nice in the backyard.

Build Out Custom Closets

It’s the little luxuries of a home that set it apart from builder’s-grade models. Think bigger than white wire shelving and consider customising a closet system using ready-made storage components. Since there’s so many options to choose from these days, consider the process as a choose-your-own-adventure; the system you create in the end should work for your specific needs, whether that means more drawers, shelves or hanging space, baskets or hooks for accessories and jewellery, and cubbies or shelves for shoes.

Install Easy Window Trim

Outfitting windows with this classic profile, a look found in many turn-of-the-century homes, is deceptively simple. Early craftsman constructed these with mitred returns and crown mouldings, but with a few modifications this project can be completed using simple 90-degree butt joints, saving hours or even days depending on the number of windows in your home. Opting for MDF over wood for the job spares your budget and paints just as nicely; a 4×8-foot sheet typically will be enough for 4-5 windows. For the full guide to creating this elegant, custom touch, click here.

Upgrade Kitchen Lighting

Kitchens are the new multi-purpose room. Not only do they need to accommodate the cook, they also serve as a workstation for kids and adults, a gathering space for family meals and dinner parties — the list goes on. While lighting plays a big role in setting the mood for these tasks, it’s easy to come up with a custom solution to suit your family’s needs and the restraints of the existing wiring. We’ll show you five upgrades here, from dimmers to under cabinet lighting, that will help brighten your space.