When you own a rental property, DIY renovations can be a great way to invest in property value without breaking your budget. There are many projects you can do yourself or with a team of friends and family that will make a rental home more appealing, modernize old features, and possibly even raise your rental income.
The question is: Which DIY projects are the best choice for your rental? Whether you’re a DIY beginner or experienced at home renovations, these eight renovations are a great way to spruce up your property with a little sweat equity.
Indoor DIY Renovations
Most home renovations focus on the interior. Updating the living space can make your listing photos pop and attract tenants who appreciate a fresh, modern look. The most profitable DIY projects will transform a shabby or fading aspect of the house for a like-new appearance and performance.
1. Beginner: Repaint and Add Accent Walls
What you’ll need:
- Paint
- Mixing sticks
- Pans, brushes, and rollers
One of the best places to start is a fresh coat of paint. Update the interior color scheme and erase all signs of previous scuffs and marks on the wall. Fresh paint reinforces the durability of your walls and can add a splash of new style.
Anyone can learn to paint a home interior with the right tools and attention to detail. Adding an accent wall is equally easy, simply choose a beautiful contrast color for a wall that makes the home stand out. You can even repaint the cabinets in the kitchen to transform the visual impression.
2. Beginner: New Vent Covers
What you’ll need:
- Stylish vent covers
- Screwdriver
Vent covers subtly date an older house and become dingy over time. Updating your vent covers with stylish new covers is easy to do. All you need is a screwdriver and new covers that fit over the same space. Explore vent styles that compliment the architectural and decorative style of your rental home.
3. Intermediate: Update the Hardware
What you’ll need:
- New knobs and handles
- Screwdriver
The hardware in a home involves all the knobs, handles, latches, and other small details. Replacing cabinet hardware is an easy beginner task, but replacing doorknobs is a little more complicated. New hardware can completely modernize a space, and replacing loose doorknobs can make the space feel more crisp and secure.
4. DIY Pro: New Flooring
What you’ll need:
- Flooring materials
- Craft knife and scrapers
- Appropriate additions such as caulk or wood glue
If you’re experienced at DIY home renovations, you can dive into a big project like replacing an old floor. Carpets tend to show the age of a home and need to be updated every few years. Modern composite wood flooring boards fit together quite easily without as much need for cutting and shaping. If you’re good at tiling, you can update hard floors and backsplashes throughout the house.
Outdoor DIY Renovations
Outdoor renovations are a great way to upgrade both the street-facing curb appeal and the quality of outdoor living space. Curb appeal allows you to take beautiful glamor shots of the home to attract new tenants and welcome them home, while garden updates make the entire outdoor space more enjoyable during your tenants’ stay.
1. Beginner: Edge the Flower Beds
What you’ll need:
- Edging borders, bricks, or stone
One of the easiest outdoor updates is to simply decorate the edges of each flower bed. Flower bed edging is something anyone can do. You can purchase decorative edging materials like wire loops or wooden borders. But you can also hand-edge your flower beds with bricks or beautifully colored stones with similar ease. These will make your flower beds stand out and ensure the entire garden looks more professional.
2. Beginner: Lay Paving Stones
What you’ll need:
- Paving stones
Putting down paving stones is equally easy, although a little heavier work. Paving stones allow you to create paths and more clearly define your landscaped space. You can make a path of stepping stones, create a naturalistic patio, and connect landscape features in a yard. Paving stones are a great way to create a path through a side yard as well.
3. Intermediate: Power Wash and Repaint or Stain
What you’ll need:
- Power washer
- Paint or stain
You can take control of your outdoor surfaces with a little more skill and expertise. Power washing your pavement can brighten the concrete and make the property look sparkling and new. You can also power wash a deck or patio for a similar effect. If your deck is faded or your patio paint is peeling, you can restain the deck or repaint your patio to give it a whole new look without changing the structure.
Note: Power washing can potentially damage your property. Do not power wash without existing knowledge of appropriate pressure and technique.
4. DIY Pro: Build a Deck
If you’re really a DIY pro, you can build outdoor structures for your property. Construct a pagoda or pergola, pave a patio, or build a deck. As long as the structures are up to the building code and backed by the right permits, you can add significant value to your rental property.
When to Hire a Pro
Lastly, it’s important to know when to call for professional renovation services instead of a DIY project. When it comes to electrical upgrades, you always need an electrician to design and sign off on the work, as this is a critical matter of safety. The same is true for any plumbing projects that involve your water main or sewer connection, as these interact with city assets.
You also need to know your skill level. If your rental property needs an upgrade that is beyond your experience, you can always hire a team and learn about the project by asking questions and watching the upgrade in action.
Build Your Rental Property Value
Updates and renovations are a great way to boost the value and appeal of your rental home. Anything you can DIY can significantly reduce your upgrade costs when paired with the effort to achieve professional quality. For the software tools to empower your rental properties, check out our landlord solutions.
