It’s a miracle our house hasn’t collapsed under the weight of all our stuff – I doubt we’ll ever be able to move out! If you’re committed to a home long-term, try to turn it into your dream pad. By all means, splash out if you can, but don’t dismiss budget alternatives. At the moment, we’re painting our house. It’s labour-intensive but it’s going to look great!

Outside

When choosing exterior colour schemes there are some great resources online and we’ve had fun planning ours. Some websites will let you scan and enter a shot of your own house, then give it a virtual paint job. Experts say you should repaint every seven to 10 years, taking special care to sand back and repair areas that have blistered in the sun. For something a bit radical – such as very dark colours – look for paint formulations that are especially designed to absorb heat.

SPLASH OUT: Professional painters cost thousands of dollars so this option isn’t for hard-pressed wallets. Carefully checking references and testimonials should help sort the cowboys (or girls) from the rest!

BUDGET: The obvious appeal of the DIY option is that it’s cheaper, but it’s also a lot of work and preparation alone may take many weeks – even months. Like most jobs though, it’s worth doing well!

Ed’s Tip

A drive around the neighbourhood looking at other people’s houses can help you come up with a perfect colour scheme. If you find one you like, be bold – knock on the door and ask the owners for the names of their paint colours. Chances are they’ll be flattered you find their house attractive!

Bathroom

The bathroom is another area where your dramatic change. budget can easily go right off the scale, but if you’re planning to live somewhere for years, bathrooms are a part of the house where renovations can make a real difference to your life.

SPLASH OUT: A major bathroom renovation will have benefits for everybody in the family and make starting each day a little easier. The quicker you do the work, the less disruption your family will endure!

BUDGET: If you don’t have the money for a true makeover, one way to freshen up your bathroom is to paint everything white. It’s amazing how effective such a transformation can be – almost as good as a new bathroom!

Ed’s Tip

If space is an issue in your bathroom, consider an innovative approach, such as building narrow shelving into an existing wall cavity.

Kitchen

Kitchens can be very expensive. We can’t all afford a spiffy show home standard. Compromise is often the key to getting the best bang for your buck, but always try and get good quality fittings. A cheap tap mixer that falls apart in a few weeks is a false economy, but re-spraying existing cupboard doors can look fantastic while freeing up money for other areas.

SPLASH OUT: If you want shiny cutting-edge products, there’s nothing money can’t buy. Spending big dollars can get the job done quickly, too, and your friends are sure to admire the finished room!

BUDGET: Many companies now specialise in renovating existing kitchens. Simply changing your old benchtop for a smart new one can be remarkably effective, yet inexpensive. And freshly painted walls along with new cupboard and drawer handles can make a dramatic change.

Ed’s Tip

You can sometimes find whole kitchens for sale on websites such as Trade Me. If the owners are keen to sell, this can be significantly cheaper than paying for a brand-new kitchen.