Converting your old house into a BnB rental is an excellent idea to make it more productive and earn you extra income. However, it’s not only about opening your home and collecting money. Before you start renting rooms, you’ll need to work on your house, from ensuring it’s structurally sound to ensuring it’s clean and comfortable for guests. Several adjustments can make your house more appealing to guests without breaking the bank. Renovating an older home can be challenging, but you can turn it into something captivating with hard work and dedication. During this transformation, decide whether you want your BnB to portray an old-fashioned feel or something more modern.
Some repairs are cosmetic, such as painting and replacing broken floor tiles. Other repairs are more serious, such as installing new wiring or plumbing. Either way, you’ll want to get started without incurring huge costs or delays. In most cases, the longer you wait to start fixing up an old house on a budget, the more money it will cost you later in terms of labor and supplies. You can transform your old house into a perfect vacation rental BnB if you implement the following tips for fixing up an old house on a budget.
Consider the Space
The idea behind fixing up an old house on a budget to a BnB is simple. You rent out extra space to travelers who need more affordable lodging options than hotels. You may want to ensure that the house has enough space for your family and is in a safe neighborhood. Get creative with furniture arrangements to create more space. Try using side tables as coffee tables and placing chairs around them instead of around the dining table or sofa. It’s essential to consider the available space that you have when making any home improvement decisions. If there are rooms in your house that you don’t use as much as others, consider how to make them more functional or attractive. For example, if you have an extra room in your basement or attic, consider turning it into a guest room or playroom for kids.
Conduct Thorough Cleaning
Cleaning out your home before fixing it up is a crucial step toward fixing up an old house on a budget. You don’t want to spend time fixing things that you can easily remove or replace. The cleaning exercise establishes what needs fixing. You’ll want to create a plan to remove everything from the house so that you get rid of unwanted items quickly and easily. Clean your house from top to bottom. Focus on the kitchen, bathrooms, and bedrooms. If there is a problem with mold or mildew anywhere in the house, you must remove it immediately.
Get rid of all the clutter in and outside the house to ensure everything is clean and tidy. It’s vital that your property looks well-maintained and inviting from the outside. Remove any overgrown bushes, weeds, or other unsightly trash around the property. The exterior of your home encounter various elements such as dust, bugs, leaves, pollen, etc. Therefore, you must check for signs of water damage, such as peeling paint or rotting woodwork. Check the walls, floors, and ceilings for mold and mildew or cracks in the plaster. Call a water damage cleanup business for comprehensive cleaning if there’s any sign of water seeping into a wall or ceiling cavity. You may use commercial cleaning products like water-based detergents and degreasers to remove dirt buildup on exterior walls and windowsills.
Ensure the Garage Door Is Safe
If you are remodeling a house that has been standing for many years, it helps to take a good look at the garage door. The garage is essential to your home, protecting cars from theft or damage. The last thing you want is for the garage door to break down on you when your guests are hurriedly leaving in the morning. Check if there are signs of rust or wear and tear. If there are any signs of damage, it’s best to consult a garage door repair service. The professionals will ensure the garage door opener and its mechanisms are working properly by testing them.
Fix Defects
Before tackling any significant work on your home, you must fix any major defects first. Guests don’t want to stay where they feel unsafe or uncomfortable, especially at night. If broken windows or doors are in your home, fix them as soon as possible. Start with simple repairs before anything else. You may consider hiring an inspector to determine any issues that are not evident from the outside. A home inspector will examine everything from structural components to wiring, plumbing, and heating systems to determine their functionality.
Check for electrical problems since older homes often have defective wiring systems due to appliance heat or poor shielding from electrical currents. Call an electrician to fix the system if you notice black marks on outlets or switches, frayed or exposed wires. Your budget will determine how much work you can do and how much you’ll need to hire. You’ll also want to consider your skills as some projects, such as replacing an old roof, require experience and special tools that most homeowners don’t have.
Ensure All Systems Are Running Smoothly
Fixing up an old house on a budget won’t be easy without putting in the time and effort to determine where to invest and cut corners. If major systems aren’t working properly, that’s where you should focus your efforts first. You must ensure everything works in your home, from the water supply to the heating system. If there are obvious defects with the plumbing fixtures, get the plumbing system installation services to take care of them, as they are significant to your BnB rental success.
It’s essential to maintain your furnace. An old furnace doesn’t provide enough heat or air conditioning to keep your house comfortable. It might present many problems, including shutting off after a few minutes of operation. It could be leaking gas. You can be left without heat or hot water when it malfunctions, which can inconvenience your guests. If you are looking for affordable ways of fixing up an old house on a budget, furnace repair can help cut costs while still getting your home back into shape.
Ensure you have adequate safe water for your guests. You may have to hire a water treatment company to test your water to see if there are any bacteria or harmful substances. They may recommend installing a water filter system in your home to ensure safe water for your guests and customers. It is especially true if you have well water or if your home has an older septic system. These systems could be problematic during a remodel, and it’s best to have them checked before any work begins. A good company will inspect your well and septic system so they can give you recommendations on how to fix it properly.
Be Creative With Appliances
When procuring appliances like refrigerators and stoves, don’t spend too much money on fancy features like touchscreen controls and large freezers. Instead, consider getting appliances with basic features like stainless steel exteriors and energy-efficient motors that won’t break down easily. Consider buying used ones if your budget doesn’t allow for new stainless steel appliances. You can find great deals at stores and garage sales. You can save money by replacing individual parts instead of buying new appliances. For example, if your dishwasher stops working properly, replace the malfunctioning part that stopped working with a new one. Old doors can make a room feel tired and dated. Replacing them with new ones doesn’t have to be expensive. You can replace door handles and knockers to breathe life back into a tired entranceway without breaking the bank.
Fix the Roofing System
Old roofing could be leaking or falling apart through the years, and replacing it will be a priority on your list of fixing up an old house on a budget. A new roof can help you in neg while also ensuring that no one gets hurt from rain, hail, and wind. Roofs come with many designs and materials, providing choices when considering one for your BnB. A residential roofing service can repair leaks and ensure your roof is safe from further damage. If you’re unsure what kind of roofing material is best for your home, ask your roofing contractor about their recommendations and get a roofing estimate.
Update the Kitchen
When you’re fixing up an old house on a budget, the kitchen makeover can take up most of your time and patience. You might not have the budget for a complete kitchen overhaul, but there are ways to update the look of your old cooking space without breaking the bank. Storage space is always an issue in older homes, especially if they don’t have basements or attics. Make use of every inch when designing your new kitchen layout. Shelves above countertops are a good option because they’re easy to install and give more room for cookbooks and spices. If you need extra storage near work surfaces, consider putting up pegboards to hold pots, pans, and utensils within easy reach. In addition, consider adding pullout shelves under the cabinets. Consider replacing old stand-alone appliances with inbuilt ones to save space in your kitchen.
Paint the Walls
Fresh paint can transform the look of any room. Painting walls is the easiest way to give your home a facelift. You can use any color you want, but remember that lighter colors tend to make rooms seem bigger than darker ones. Consider using stripes or patterns instead of solid colors if you want something more dramatic. Clean and dry your walls before painting, and use an indoor/outdoor primer before applying your top coat of paint for extra protection against stains and scuffs.
Buy Quality Furnishings and Linens
When choosing materials for your renovation, consider those that are durable and budget-friendly. For example, if you’re remodeling a bathroom, purchase tile that’s easy to clean and won’t need replacing soon. If you’re painting a room, stick with light shades that do not show dirt or wear over time. Furniture is one of the significant expenses associated with fixing up an old house on a budget. Look for sturdy pieces made from solid materials such as hardwood and those with strong joints that won’t give way under pressure.
Custom window coverings are worth the investment. They provide better insulation than traditional blinds, which means you will have less heat loss during winter and fewer air conditioning costs during summer. In addition, curtains can be custom-made to fit your windows perfectly, thus eliminating the need for costly adjustments or repairs. The cost of installing window coverings may vary depending on your area and the number of windows you want to be covered. But if you shop around for prices before making your purchase, you should get some good deals on custom-made curtains or shades.
Upgrade Your Driveway
If your driveway isn’t in great shape, it can give renters the impression that the rest of your home is old and dated, too. A fresh coat of gravel will immediately impact without breaking the bank. If you’re handy with tools, get your supplies from driveway gravel delivery services and fix them yourself. If you want a more professional job, hire someone with experience. You want your driveway to be flat and level with the rest of your property so that water doesn’t collect on any side. To reduce water damage over time, which can lead to cracks in your driveway or even structural damage in extreme cases, consider slope stabilization.
Whether you’re after a quick and easy makeover or a more extensive renovation, we’ve got some ideas to help you get started in fixing up an old house on a budget. Our tips cover everything from getting the best materials for your budget to finding the right style and color scheme for your BnB rental. From choosing the perfect paint color to sourcing affordable furniture, we are available on call. Contact us today.
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