There are plenty of ways to upgrade a home: an all-new bathroom with a whirlpool tub, a stainless steel cooktop with a downdraft vent, or updated hardwood floors. Everyone knows that it’s necessary to spend money to make money, and that is true for a home as well. And the more significant investment for improvements, the bigger the return (provided it is done wisely).

And who doesn’t want to improve the value of their home? While spending big is a fun idea, there’s also the added benefit of enjoying a brand new kitchen or hardwood floor until the house sells.

But upgrading a home doesn’t have to cost a small fortune and hit the wallet hard. Maybe before tackling the big stuff, it’s worth considering what you can do around the home for $100 or less – sometimes much less. There are also a lot of budget-friendly tips and tricks that can value as well.

This is the first of 52 weekly, inexpensive home upgrade projects. From experience the Keller Williams The Trembley Group Real Estate Professionals have gained from selling Grand Strand and Myrtle Beach real estate, they recommend these projects that all cost $100 or less. They will add value to a home and make it sell faster. Some are small, and some are large, but all of them are incredibly affordable. Don’t wait for the day when you have thousands to spend: consider working on these inexpensive (and fun) DIY projects to upgrade your home today. For under $100, these quick improvements and DIY projects that will enhance a home’s curb appeal and resale value.

Add Light Dimmers

While this home improvement takes just a little skill, any homeowner with just a little bit of electrical savvy can install dimmers on their lighting. It is a reasonably easy job. Dimmers are inexpensive, ranging in price from less than $10 to several times that for programmable dimmers at Lowes.  The option to dim the lights not only makes it easier on the eyes but can also ramp up the ambience in any room.

Adding lighting controls in a home, from simple wall switch dimmers to programmable control systems, add adjustable voltage to a room’s light fixtures and provides multiple benefits. These are a few benefits of dimmer and lighting controls:

• Flexibility for the use of lighting in each room

• Save energy because of reduced wattage

• Save money

Controls add flexibility to the use of light in each room. You can lower a living room’s lighting when the activity in the room changes during a social gathering or while watching a movie. Having the capability to reduce lighting levels in any room allows a homeowner to save energy and money.

Types of Dimmer Controls

They are commonly called “wall box” dimmers since they mount on the wall switch box. These simple manual control devices are available in different types, as well as appearances to match other switches in the same room.

Four examples of dimmers:

• Integrated: Integrated dimming systems are very versatile. They can be used to create multiple lighting presets for one room. Then, a button on the wall or a wireless control is used to select the settings.

• Touch: Touch dimmers also allow changes in lighting with just one button. Some have a one-touch recall to switch back to a prior level of light. Some touch dimmers use a lighted indicator to show the current setting.

• Slide: Slide dimmers provide manual control of your lighting. Some slide dimmers also have a button to switch back to the prior setting easily.

• Rotary: Rotary dimmers are also manual, and they operate on a dial. Many also have push-button control that allows you to turn off the light and retain the current setting. When most homeowners think light dimmer, they think rotary dimmer. 

Scene controls

Some sophisticated programmable control systems let the homeowner switch and dim groups of lights to preset configurations to create scenes at the touch of a button. These systems are more expensive than manual dimmers and switches but offer greater flexibility.

Save Energy & Money

Dimmer switches and other control systems save energy. For example, dimming a halogen bulb by 20% saves about 18% of the power necessary to operate it. Dimmers extend the lives of light bulbs. A dimmer can extend the life of a halogen light bulb with an average life of 5-6 months for up to 3 or 4 years. Dimming fluorescent fixtures provide electricity savings and the convenience of controlling light levels.

Add Ambiance in an Instant

In addition to saving money, dimmer switches will easily add ambiance to any room in your house. Many dimmer switches can be programmed to change at certain times or switched easily via touch screens and wireless controls. Dimmer switches have significantly advanced from the typical rotary-style dimmers that exist in older homes.

Help Fall Asleep

And who doesn’t like a good night’s sleep? Dimmer switches in the bedroom help a homeowner relax and unwind between a busy day’s activities and nodding off to sleep. Evidence from some studies say lowering the lights one hour before bedtime will help a homeowner fall asleep. The variety of dimmer switches lets a homeowner lower the lights manually or program them to lower at a specific time each night. This helps set a regular nightly sleep schedule and trains a body to fall asleep at the same time every night.

Big deal? In addition to making a home more livable, the little details like dimmer switches, show a homebuyer that a homeowner cared about their home and took care of their home. All of this helps a homebuyer imagine living in the nicely finished space.

Need help? Call Keller Williams The Trembley Group at 843.945.1880 ext. 1 and we’ll help you look for the perfect listing or buyers agent!

At Keller Williams The Trembley Group, we pride ourselves on being the experts at more than just selling real estate. We are local residents, some of us have been here for a lifetime. The rest of us will be here until the end of time. We love living, working, and playing in the diverse backyard of Coastal Carolina, and look forward to helping you live and love your dreams soon too. Please reach out to us by phone or email for personalized service and one-on-one advice. 

About our blog

Our agents write often to give you the latest insights on owning a home or property in the Myrtle Beach, SC area.