How to get the most out of your limited remodeling budget

WASHINGTON — When it comes to your home, every new light fixture, appliance and even the kitchen sink can become a gut-wrenching investment decision. What change will increase the value of your home more: The sensible beige tile or the fuchsia with hand-painted details that you really want?

These decisions have become even more significant during a housing slump that has stoked competition among home sellers. For people on a budget, finding the most effective way to continue to increase the value of their home depends in part on the size of the property and its age, contractors and architects say.

“If you live in a $1 million home, $10,000 is not going to cover the cost of new kitchen cabinets or do anything for the master bath,” said Bob Weickgenannt, president of Starcom Design Build in Columbia, Md. “But if you live in a home that’s worth $450,000 to $650,000, you can probably do your countertops and your master bath.”

Before launching a project, owners should consider whether they plan to stay in a home for a short time — less than three years — or are making a long-term investment, said David Lupberger, a home improvement expert for Service Magic, a contractor referral service.

“If you are in there in 10 years, does it matter what the return on investment was?” he said. The calculations are different for people who may be selling within three years, Lupberger said. The time-consuming task of customizing a home to personal tastes should take a back seat to more generic improvements that could bring in a buyer, he said.

“Why would you put all of that energy into a place you’re not committed to?” he said. “The emotional investment is not there.”

It can take years to recoup the cost of a renovation, so consider it a long-term investment, contractors said.

“When the market was good, the return on a kitchen (remodeling) was 150 percent right away,” said Tim Burch Jr., president of Burch Builders Group in Warrenton, Va. “I think in the long run, you definitely get your money back. And you have to remember, you get to live in it. That’s the real advantage of it.”

And don’t forget landscape upgrades, said Stephen Vanze, a principal with Barnes Vanze Architects in the District.

“Landscaping has a big impact on the value of your home, it has a big first impression,” he said. “Your yard is the biggest room in your house, if you think about it.”

$1,000:

TRY A FRESH COAT OF PAINT, OR SPRUCE UP THE LAWN AND GARDEN

The nearly universal reaction from landscapers, architects and contractors on to how to make the best of a $1,000 home improvement budget is a round of head scratching, hem-hawing and stalling. The options are limited and the projects should be defined and small, they agreed.

Paint, which can cost less than $30 a gallon, emerged as a frequent suggestion. “Just changing the color on one wall can change the way the floor space looks without structural changes,” said Burch. While many advocated adding interest to a room by adding color to the walls, Christian Zapatka, a modern architect in D.C., recommends otherwise. White can act as a blank canvas and you’re not limited to the stark white of hospital walls, he said. Consider linen white and other shades that come with flecks of blue, he said.

With $1,000, a homeowner can also tackle a neglected lawn, plant some fast-growing trees or get rid of overgrown shrubbery, landscape architects said.

$10,000:

CREATE AN OUTDOOR LIVING AREA, OR OVERHAUL A SMALL BATHROOM

Homeowners with a $10,000 budget can explore creating an outdoor living space, including adding a deck to a townhouse or creating a simple patio. If the home already has a deck or patio, consider upgrading the yard by adding an outdoor kitchen with a sink and refrigerator or even a fireplace.

“People are wanting to enjoy outside space,” Burch said. “We almost always think now about what can we do with this outdoor adjacent space, so it’s not just a yard. … It’s a good way to add that extra flair that nobody else has.”

If making structural changes to a large or complicated yard would blow the budget, find a shady but unused portion of the lawn and draw attention there with a stone bench, said Kameron Aroom of Arlington, Va.-based Scott Brinitzer Design Associates. Save money on labor by purchasing the stone yourself, he said.

If you work with what you have, “you will be more successful,” Aroom said. “You can create a separate place from your house to entertain.”

A $10,000 budget is also enough for an overhaul of a powder room or small bathroom, contractors said. You could improve many of the major elements — vanity, mirrors, toilet — adding marble and other upgrades, they said. With enough room and lucky pipe placement, some people might also be able to add a small shower.

It is possible to do a “pull and replace” of a powder room for $5,000 to $10,000 that would not include moving pipes or making other structural changes, Burch said.

With $10,000, homeowners can also rethink the lighting plan in their home. Adding recessed lights or upgrading electrical panels and circuits to handle more power can increase the value of your home. So can finally addressing rooms that have insufficient natural light, contractors said.

$20,000:

UPGRADE YOUR KITCHEN COUNTERS AND CABINETS, OR YOUR MASTER BATHROOM

With a $20,000 budget, a homeowner’s ambitions can widen to include significant changes to the kitchen. A complete kitchen renovation is likely too expensive, but significant improvements are possible, including adding granite counter tops, new floors or cabinets. All would prove to be a good long-term investment that would raise the value of the home over time, remodeling experts said.

For $20,000, you can also consider a complete renovation of a master bathroom. As long as you aren’t planning on moving any of the major plumbing fixtures, the renovation can include upgrading materials, adding granite and new vanities, Burch said. “There are so many options now. Vessel sinks, natural stones, there are a million and one vanity options,” he said. “It makes a huge difference.”

It would also be a good investment to look at the less glamorous parts of the house, including doors and windows. They are both things that you can see and operate, Zapatka said.

“Make sure your interior doors are solid core, not hollow,” he said. “It gets a lot more substance and heft, when you open and close your doors they should have a weight to them. … Windows and doors can make or break a house.”

With this budget, homeowners can also tackle a more extensive yard renovation, including adding a water feature, larger patio or more plants, landscape architects said. The adventurous homeowner could even consider a “trophy tree” — a large transplant, which could cost more than $10,000, including shipping costs, landscapers said.

But otherwise, don’t expect an immediate impact. “It can take at least two years for plants to get to a somewhat mature size, but trees will take five to six years,” Aroom said. “No one should expect a garden to pop out of the ground.”