30 Home Improvements That Won’t Affect Your Budget

1. Don’t Underestimate the Kitchen Remodel

Kitchen upgrades perceived as “modern” — like stainless steel and quartz countertops or Shaker cabinets — can bump your home’s sale price by 3 to 7 percent. No matter what kitchen renovations you choose to make, though, do your research before signing on the dotted line. “Consult with real estate brokers and architects in the area that you live,” said Sidney Torres, host of CNBC’s “The Deed.” “Go see the past work of the contractors before committing to one.”

Average Cost: Including appliances, the average kitchen remodel costs homeowners about $22,100, though smaller revamps — like a combo of painting, refinishing the fixtures and adding a backsplash — range between $10,000 and $15,000.*

2. Choose Classic Hardwood

It’s a fact of life that people love the warmth, durability and timeless style hardwood floors add to a space — that goes for both buyers and home dwellers. And as a bonus, a new wood floor usually nets you a cost recovery of about 91 percent.

Average Cost: Roughly $5,500 for all new wood floors, or about $2,500 for a hardwood refinish from the pros.*

3. Bedeck Your Yard

The beauty of a deck is that it increases your living space without adding any walls to your house. To keep things on budget, shoot for under 500 square feet — that’s plenty of space for your new grill and all the outdoor furniture you could want.

Average Cost: A 200-square-foot deck can be done for under $5,000, but plan for an average cost of $7,000 if you want something closer to 500 square feet.*

4. Give the Master Bath a Boost

For a typically small space, there’s a whole lot of remodeling to be done in the bathroom. Go big with a full remodel of your master bathroom, including new fixtures, tub, flooring, cabinets, countertops and lighting, or trim your budget by just focusing on a few essentials.

This remodel option comes with a high price tag, so it might be worthwhile to consider other funding options if the price falls higher than what your savings allows. For example, you could consider supplementing the cost of this upgrade with a Discover Personal Loan, which offers amounts up to $35,000. You can get the funds quickly and can choose repayment terms from 3 to 7 years.

Average Cost: The average bathroom remodel runs about $9,664, but by focusing on your bathroom’s trouble spots, you can pare that down to about $3,500 to $7,000.*

5. Give Your Windows a New Outlook

Foggy, out-of-fashion windows can hurt your home in numerous ways, from hampering your curb appeal to reducing the light that comes in and even dragging down your energy efficiency, maybe even letting in outside air. If you’re selling, keep in mind that young buyers especially value eco-friendliness — but just about everyone wants to let a little light in.

Average Cost: Spend about $200 for a professional cleaning, or go all out with a new window installation for about $5,000 for your entire home.*

6. Freshen Up Your Exterior Paint

Giving the exterior of your home a fresh look could make a world of difference. You just can’t beat the cost-effectiveness of exterior paint. Plus with paint, you really have unlimited options — if you can imagine a paint color, it exists.

Average Cost: Heartier exterior paints exceed the cost of interior options, but not by much — the national average cost to paint a house is a little over $2,700, though you should account for $1,500 or more added on if you have a two-story.*