Moving and owning a home is expensive. However, after moving, you might find things in your new home you wish could change, alter, or improve. Finding cash for those DIY projects for your home can be challenging, though.
Luckily, you are not alone. On average, people in the U.S. move 12 times in their life. There are a lot of resources and guides out there for folks who want to renovate their homes for cheap.
Before doing any renovations, you should check your home insurance to make sure you won’t lose coverage in any way. Some renovations are major enough that you might want to contact a professional for them.
Here are 7 types of DIY projects for your home that can save you time, money and hassle.
1. Repairing Your Roof
Roofs require regular maintenance and repair. Roofing is one of the most expensive aspects of being a homeowner, but it does not need to be.
There are a lot of DIY projects for your home that can help you maintain your roof without spending a ton of money. Spring and summer are great times to get the ladder out and go check on your roof yourself. Look for roofing tiles that may have gotten damaged over fall and winter. If you see cracks, damage, missing tiles or rust, you should address those issues quickly.
All of these kinds of damage can result in long term problems if they are not addressed. However, there are some simple fixes that you can do on your own with basic tools and equipment.
You can clean off rust yourself if you spot it. Rust might be a sign that water is sneaking into your roof, so do a thorough check to ensure you don’t have sneaky water damage going on.
You can also do a lot of repair using just caulk. Caulk can help patch up spots that have damage and cracks.
One caveat to this is that roofs will need to be replaced eventually. There are definitely aspects of roof repair that can’t be listed among your DIY projects for your home. If you need to replace part or all of your roof, you may need to contact a professional for help and services. The same is true if you spot major leaks that you can’t repair on your own.
Repairing a roof might be dangerous, so don’t take on more of this project than you can safely. You don’t need to replace an entire roof yourself if it’s going to put you at risk.
There are parts of the project you can take on, however. Some people reduce their costs by working with a professional roofer to divide up the project. You might be able to tear off your old roof and get a reduced price, for example. Installing a new roof will likely be something that has to be done by a professional.
2. Repairing Your Plumbing
Plumbing is another aspect of your home that commonly falls to a professional. However, there are some DIY projects for your home regarding plumbing that you can do yourself. These range from simple fixes to more expensive projects for
If you have leaks those are great repairs to learn how to do yourself. These are often things that are simple fixes if you simply take the time to locate the source of the leakiness. Even for beginners, repairing or even replacing something like a leaky faucet is a very manageable project.
You can also fix a leaky toilet on your own using just cutting pliers, pliers, and rubber gloves. You may need to invest in a new fill valve and toilet flapper as well.
From there, you can easily adjust the fill height inside your toilet or adjust the flush handle and flapper chain as needed. These simple fixes may well be the solution for your running toilet.
It’s true that some plumbing repair might be too complicated for DIY projects for your home. But before you rush to hire a professional, look up your problem and see if you are comfortable trying to fix it on your own. You may be surprised to find that the tools required for the repair are ordinary things you probably already own.
3. Cleaning Out Your HVAC
If you have an HVAC system in your home, it can be an intimidating device. You might not think of it as a good candidate for DIY projects for your home. However, like most things in your home, it needs some routine maintenance that you can do simply and safely.
Filters are a big thing when it comes to HVACs. They get dirty quickly and when they do that means increased costs for you. Dirty filters force the HVAC system to work harder to heat and cool your own and that wastes a lot more energy than you might expect.
If you are a homeowner, it’s good to get into the habit of checking your HVAC’s filters every season. Some seasons will be harder on it than others, depending on the climate where you live. You might be asking more from your HVAC at a time when its filters are especially dirty.
To an extent, you can clean off filters and keep using them. However, there will come a time when they’re too dirty and you have to replace them.
If you are cleaning or replacing filters, ensure your unit is turned off before you start. You’ll need to remove the access panel to get to the filter and take it out. Here is where you’d either clean or replace the filter. Make sure there is a filter back in the unit before you turn it back on.
You can, and should, also clean around the HVAC. If you have trees and other plants near the system, clear these out and make sure they aren’t on the HVAC unit. Debris like this can get inside as well and make those filters clog up quickly.
4. Simple Renovations
If you are thinking beyond just maintenance and repairs, there might be some DIY projects for you home that are more for look and comfort. There are many home renovation projects you can take on yourself for far less cost than talking to a contractor.
One place you might find an opportunity is right at your front door. You can repaint it both to seal it against wind and water, but also to give it a fresh appearance. A wreath can be a great DIY project, especially if you have children. You can make a wreath from craft supplies, flowers, and leaves, old utensils, old toys or just about anything else.
You can also renovate spaces like your bathroom and kitchen just by changing out old, dull lighting or adding some simple new touches like new rugs or mats and new hand towels. Of course, this is another place where a fresh coat of paint can go a long, long way.
When it comes to the kitchen, even just updating your kitchen equipment and appliances can be a new way to squeeze more out of your DIY projects for your home. You might update old equipment or treat yourself to something new that your kitchen previously lacked. This doesn’t need to be fancy or expensive. Even a new fruit bowl can change the whole feel of your kitchen.
5. Adding a Home Gym
If you have an unused room or a basement, you might consider adding workout equipment to your home. This can be state of the art and expensive if you have the funds for that, but it certainly doesn’t need to be.
For example, a simple pullup bar, yoga mats, and even some weights aren’t terribly expensive and can get your started making your own home gym. It might not have all the fancy equipment of a commercial gym, but you can always add more to a room like this as you go on.
If you have the tools and know-how, you might also consider building some gym equipment yourself. Things like a freestanding pullup bar and a weight wrack for barbells can be built out of wood. They are pretty simple frames, so you can definitely include them in your DIY projects for you home.
If you are making a home gym, it is important you choose the right room in your home for it. Garages and basements are excellent because you may have a concrete floor to start with. You can put foam mats down on the floor, but you also don’t need to worry about heavy equipment damaging wood or carpet in these kinds of rooms.
You should also ensure it’s not a place where young children can get to easily. If you have heavyweights and things, those can be dangerous for children to play with unattended and they could get hurt. So ensure that if you are making a home gym it will be safe.
6. Landscaping and Gardening
Landscaping is part of the deal when you get your own home. You need to make sure trees and hedges are trimmed, the lawn is mowed and the garden isn’t growing wild. Depending on what kind of landscaping you have, you might have a bigger or smaller task ahead of you when it comes to this.
Certain landscaping tasks require some professional help. For example, tree cutting should be done by an expert just because the branches can be heavy. They could harm you or damage your home if you cut them down yourself without having the right tools and knowledge to do it safely. If you are trying to completely remove the tree, that is something you’d want assistance with.
Still, there is a lot of landscaping and gardening you can do on your own among your other DIY projects for your home. For example, you might install lighting in your backyard or build a pathway between the back door and a patio, pool or garden.
Speaking of the garden, that should be counted among your DIY projects for your home. A garden is very simple but very rewarding. Find some plants that are in season and go wild. You might even try out some fruits and vegetables. This way, you’ll get a tangible reward when you can to eat the fruits of your labor (literally).
7. Paving Your Driveway
Lastly, we think of the driveway as one of the best DIY projects for your home. It may sound daunting, but it is a lot more possible than you probably are assuming.
If you want very intricate or fancy driveway paving, you may need to talk to a professional. However, there are a lot of types of materials for driveways that are simple to use. You can easily install these on your own for lower cost.
One such material is gravel. Gravel comes in many forms. It isn’t just loose rock. Sometimes, companies that grind up concrete will sell it as a recycled, gravel-like material that can be used for things like driveways. You can spread this out to make a simple and cost-effective driveway at your home.
You might want a fancier look though. That’s where something like brick would come in. Laying down a brick driveway is a lot more complicated and expensive, but still not quite as difficult as doing something like pouring asphalt. That you probably need a contractor for, but bricks are often handled by homeowners.
You can set down brick over your entire driveway or just edge your driveway with brick. This is a great combination if you have a gravel driveway. While the cheap gravel makes up most of the driveway, the brick edging make it a more refined and clean finished look, and keeps the driveway neat.
There are a lot more options for adding your driveway to your DIY projects for your home, but these are a few to get you started. If you are doing the labor yourself, the main cost for this kind of project will come from the materials you need to use. So many sure you measure carefully to know how much you’ll use and select a product that is within your budget.
