I just re-did most of another place by the way and would pass on a few tips to first-time homebuyers and remodelers, especially those in modest starter homes with smaller budgets, and who don't have any DIY experience at all.
1) **** tiling new showers, refinishing tile, or even getting to heavy into scraping out grout from existing tiles and all of that. It's not that hard or expensive, but in lower-end places a decent direct-to-stud shower surround is just as easy and definitely faster with less things to go wrong. Not to mention easier to clean & maintain with less potential for water leakage. Won't wow anybody but then neither does lower-end tile. Wish I'd followed this advice myself.
2) Not everybody can afford to update a kitchen or bathroom at any given time, but anybody can replace outlets, switches and their plates. I say go with white unbreakable plates in the "jumbo" size, it helps hide the imperfections you tend to have when paint has stuck to the old plate and so on. It's something people's eyes appreciate even if it doesn't register.
Case in point,
this place had all beige 70s fixtures matching the doorbell chime you see in the upper left. Combined with fresh paint it makes all the difference in the world.
3) New vent covers, bathroom vent fans, light fixtures, door chime, ceiling fans and thermometer aren't far behind. They do cost a little more but are still pretty modest compared to major work. And very easy to swap.
4) Trafficmaster Ceramica is an awesome option for flooring on the cheap and it goes in easy. They're basically vinyl stick tiles thin enough to cut with a utility knife and even do odd cuts with good scissors, but you grout them like regular tile. ~$1.50 a square foot depending on color at Home Depot, and that's without a discount.
80 sq. foot bathroom done for about $150 in maybe 4 hours, and that's including the cost of grout, grout float, sponge, bucket, spacers, and some haze remover which I needed because I let it sit too long. If you have to level your floor out a little figure another $20 for patch/skimcoat. And it looks pretty close to real tile except it doesn't get cold. AND, if you should damage one, too easy to remove a piece and swap it out. VASTLY better than the regular vinyl stick tile crap with no grout lines. Lots of pictures on Google.
5) Patching imperfections in drywall is worth the effort. Grab a gallon of the Drydex DAP, some 150 grit sandpaper, and some basic putty knives. If you have any bigger things then patches and maybe joint tape. Combined with new fixtures, vents, outlet and switches and paint, you're talking about 75% of the visible interior of your house.
6) When in doubt and especially when selling, just go with a bone white or slightly brighter paint (not pure white), in flat, everywhere. **** all of that about walls this and ceilings that. With white for trim and doors. Safe choice, easy, it looks clean, and also makes it easy for people to envision other colors for a given room or wall.
7) Stock Lowes and Home Depot kitchen cabinets, like the typical white ones, are kind of meh. There are sales all the time on somewhat better stuff for marginally more money not only at the big boxes but elsewhere. The store stock stuff okay for something in the laundry room maybe.
Just purely imo/ime.
Last edited by Gonzirra; 08-17-2014 at 05:26 PM.