Frugal Renovation Tips for the Old House

Owning a house offers numerous joys, but, once its prime time is over, piled up problems can cause some serious headaches, too. That’s the time when lesser men would consider selling the possessions and moving into some smaller and newer apartment, but you are not one of them. Your old house is worth fighting for, even if you don’t have too vast resources on your disposal. We will try to give our small contribution to this noble cause by giving you few tips for frugal renovation that will add value to your beloved home.

Solve the Insulation Problem

No matter how resourceful you are, house renovation will cost you some money. Installing the insulation is a great way both to give your old house a new look and ensure that your investments will return in the long run. Start by checking out quality suppliers like Renovator Store in Australia and find fiberglass batts, or loose-fill cellulose, which are both very affordable and easy to install. As for the windows, you can always opt for the double-glazed variety, or try out your DIY skills by plugging air leaks. Window and doorway velvet drapes are always recommended. Finally, you can go one step further with a dropped ceiling, which will make your house even more energy-efficient.

The Question of Floor

Once again, we will put the long-term sustainability as our top priority. In the end, you won’t renovate the house every year, so make sure that you get the job done now. Therefore, you should opt for the solutions which will last you the longest and are easiest to maintain, and those are floor tiles, concrete, and stone, which is the most durable and scratch resistant option out of three. If you, however, want something that will be more affordable and retain temperature better, you can always give your floor a laminate coating.

Painting the House

Now, when more demanding tasks are over, it is time the polish the look of the house by giving it a paintjob. Here, you can save a great amount of money if you decide to tackle this task on your own, with some cheaper tools. The paint itself is very inexpensive, so this step shouldn’t pose too much of a problem. It is however recommended to apply some scratch-resistant wall coating after the painting is over, to make you efforts more long lasting. Choose soft colors for the walls, and some lighter ones for the ceiling to create an illusion of more space and compensate for the dropped ceiling.

Bathroom Renovations

Plumbing layout will be your greatest limiting factor while tackling bathroom renovations, so there is no way to make some drastic changes without spending some larger sums of money. Still, you can achieve some very pleasing results even with some simpler moves, such as refreshing the tiles, and updating the fixtures. Wooden cabinets are the most vulnerable to moisture, so they should be first on the way out. You can replace them with affordable used alternatives, or you can try your luck in carpentry, and make them by yourself. Replace the lighting as well, and you will have completely new bathroom.

Devil in the Details

Small details are the final touch your house will need, but don’t underestimate them. They can make or break the whole look you tried so hard to achieve. Easiest way out of this problem is to set up one color scheme (vibrant if possible) and follow it with rugs, cushions, etc. We already mentioned drapes, so keep them in line, too. As for the furniture, even the older pieces can make very charming “vintage” look, if you accompany them with other, rugged items you can easily find on the flea markets. If you are, however, stuck with the variety of styles and different pieces, “eclectic” look is the great equalizer, if only you follow its basic principles.

All you have to do now is to use all the things we mentioned above, and turn your beloved home in the prettiest old house around. Give it the love it deserves and prolong the pleasant time together for many years to come.