5 Budget Friendly Renovation Tips

Naomi Middleton

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We moved into our first home in the spring of 2018. We were over the moon to finally be homeowners, but we also knew our house needed a lot of work. Like most home projects, what started as a few updates quickly turned into a much bigger renovation than we originally anticipated.

Since we didn’t have a lot of extra money when we bought the house, we had to get creative. Over the next four years, we refinished or replaced almost every surface in our home. It was a lot of work, but it also taught us that you don’t need an enormous budget to completely transform a space.

Four years later, we’ve completed most of the major projects we had in mind, and it feels amazing to finally be at a place where there aren’t any huge renovations hanging over our heads. Along the way, we learned where it was worth spending money, where we could save, and which inexpensive updates made the biggest difference. Here are five of my favorite budget-friendly renovation tips from our own home.

1. Consider Butcher Block Countertops

We allocated the largest portion of our renovation budget to the kitchen because it ended up being one of the rooms that needed the most work. Originally, I planned to simply refinish the cabinet doors. Once we moved in, though, we quickly realized the cabinets were in much worse shape than we had anticipated. To make matters worse, we discovered mold behind the lower cabinets. At that point, we decided to completely gut the kitchen and install new cabinets.

I’m still proud to say that we renovated our entire kitchen for about $5,500. One of the biggest ways we saved money was by choosing butcher block countertops. Not only did they look amazing, but approximately 16 feet of countertop cost us only $300. Countertops can easily eat up a huge portion of a kitchen renovation budget, so choosing an affordable material like butcher block allowed us to spend money where we really needed it without sacrificing the finished look.

2. Don’t Underestimate New Flooring

Updating your flooring is one of the most impactful changes you can make during a renovation. You don’t necessarily need to choose the most expensive flooring available, but this also isn’t an area where I would recommend cutting too many corners.

In the grand scheme of a renovation, flooring can be relatively affordable for how dramatically it changes the look and feel of your entire home. We installed new Marvino Hickory flooring from Lowe’s throughout most of our house for around $1,500. It immediately made the rooms feel more cohesive and updated.

Full transparency: we originally tried to refinish the existing hardwood floors ourselves, and it was a total disaster! After living with them for a couple of years, we finally decided to bite the bullet and install new engineered wood flooring. I’m so glad we did. Not only has it been incredibly durable, but it’s also easy to clean and maintain. Sometimes spending a little more to do something correctly saves you money—and frustration—in the long run.

3. Paint Instead of Replace

One of the easiest ways to save money during a renovation is to ask, “Can I paint this instead of replacing it?” While our kitchen cabinets were beyond saving, our bathroom had several surfaces that just needed a refresh.

First, we painted the existing vanity with Sherwin-Williams Armitage Grey. A few coats of paint completely transformed it and saved us the cost of buying and installing a new vanity.

We took a similar approach with the bathtub and surrounding tile. Instead of tearing everything out, we hired a local company to refinish the existing surfaces. At the time, it cost us around $500, which was significantly less expensive than replacing the tub and tile. Before you start ripping things out, take a second look at what you already have. If something is structurally sound but simply dated or the wrong color, paint or refinishing can give it an entirely new look for a fraction of the cost of replacing it.

4. Don’t Be Afraid to Paint Brick

I know painting brick can be controversial—and I’m actually often against it! Beautiful, original brick can add so much character to a home. But sometimes the color of the brick simply doesn’t work with the space. When that happens, paint can be a much more affordable solution than replacing or reworking the masonry.

Our fireplace room is probably one of the best examples in our house of just how transformative paint can be.

Aside from replacing the floors, we spent only about $300 updating this room. We painted the walls and the brick surrounding the fireplace with Sherwin-Williams Pure White.

Painting the brick ended up being one of the best decisions we made for the space. It immediately brightened the room and made everything feel cleaner, lighter, and more modern. If something in your home feels dated, don’t automatically assume it needs to be ripped out. Sometimes a few hundred dollars in paint can completely change the way a room feels.

5. Spend Money Where It Makes the Biggest Difference

One of the biggest lessons we learned through renovating our first home is that a budget renovation doesn’t mean choosing the cheapest option for everything. It means being intentional about where you spend and where you save.

We saved by using butcher block countertops, painting existing cabinets, refinishing our bathtub, painting brick, and doing much of the work ourselves. Those decisions gave us room in the budget to replace things that truly needed replacing—like our kitchen cabinets and flooring.

Before starting a renovation, decide which elements will have the biggest impact on the space and which existing features can be repaired, painted, refinished, or repurposed. You don’t have to renovate everything at once, and you definitely don’t have to choose the most expensive option to create a home you love. Sometimes the most dramatic transformations come from simply working creatively with what you already have.