10 Small Jobs with Big Impacts

If you’re looking to enhance the look and feel of your home, you’ll want to consider how you can do so without breaking the bank. In this blog we’ll look at ten small jobs with a big impact.

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1. New Interior Decor

One relatively simple way of greatly enhancing your home is by replacing your interior decor. This could mean swapping out your interior decor in one or more spaces.

Whether you go with a refreshed version of your current decor setup or to opt for a new look entirely, you’ll want to carefully consider how new decor elements might look, both in terms of comparing the colour hues and their style.

Among some notable interior decor styles include mid-century modern, farmhouse, Scandinavian home design, rustic decor, Bohemian, and modern minimalism.

2. Decluttering

While decluttering may involve a good amount of work in the short-term, it can still prove a relatively small job with a lasting, substantial transformation.

To declutter effectively, you’ll likely need to set aside one or two days. During this time, come up with a plan/rough schedule that factors in drinking enough water and eating well enough for the course of the declutter work. Keep in mind that the work may take longer than initially anticipated.

3. New Lighting

Adding new lighting, whether indoors or outdoors can also have a significant impact on the look and feel of your home.

When it comes to indoor lights, some popular choices are table lamps, floor lamps, recessed lighting, pendant lights and smart lights.

Most indoor lighting fixtures as with the majority of outdoor lighting types must be installed by a professional electrician for legal and safety reasons alike.

For outdoor lighting, you’ll want to consider options such as solar lights, spotlights, LED floodlights, motion sensor lights, or/and bollard lights.

4. Draught-Proofing

While upgrading your home’s insulation (e.g. double-glazed windows, roof insulation etc.) can make a big difference to your heating bills, draught-proofing measures can make a notable difference for cheap.

Some standout draught-proofing measures to consider include:

• Draught excluders for doors
• Draught-proofing window strips
• Letterbox flap/brush*

* If opting to fit a letterbox flap/brush just make sure it is the correct type for your letterbox and that the sizing is right too.

5. Add Wall Photos

Fitting wall photos where suitable can also help revitalise your home. While the living room may be the most obvious location to come to mind, you should also consider whether or not you’d like to install wall photos in your hallway, bedroom or elsewhere.

Independent wall photos can work well, though an alternative approach is to go with a gallery photo style.

To give more specific ideas, when it comes to living room wall photos you may want to create a feature wall, that is, if feasible, using a wall to add various wall photos.

This can then act as a focal point whether with images following a theme or a diverse combination. Of course, if you have a mantelpiece, you may want to simply place small framed photographs here.

Other notable ideas for specific locations include a fridge gallery using magnetic frames, photos arranged along the staircase ascending up along the wall and photographs hung on the side walls of a home office.

6. Garden Renovation

Renovating your garden is a great way of revitalising your home’s outdoor space. This can not only provide a renewed aesthetic but even enhance the value of your property, free up space or/and better utilise the existing space.

Among the most notable ideas for a garden renovation include installing water features, patio/deck cleaning (with the right tools and approach), vertical gardening, introducing one or more raised beds, and provide the space with ornaments.

7. Regrout Bathroom Tiles

If your bathroom tile grout has worn down, you may determine it’s time to regrout them. On average, bathroom tiles will require regrouting once every 8 to 16 years on average.

Once you’re sure of what’s involved, it’s generally fine to regrout bathroom tiles DIY. That said, if in doubt (with the same applying to any DIY task in general), hire a professional to err on the side of caution.

8. Get a Plug Socket Installed Where Needed

In order to have a plug socket installed, as with any electric works, a qualified electrician will be required.

Having a plug socket installed in a suitable location can have a big impact by allowing you to utilise a given area of your home in ways that weren’t possible before.

For example, a plug socket in a given space could allow you to plug in a laptop as an additional work from home space. It could also provide a fresh space for plugging in an appliance in an entertainment space.

An extra plug can also provide the advantage of increased safety and convenience by reducing any need for the use of extension cords. Of course, either way, it is vital not to overload extension cords/plug sockets in general. If in doubt, check with a professional and always err on the side of caution.

The average cost of having a plug socket added is £150 to £200 in labour and supply costs combined.

9. Skylight Installation

While not as low-costing as many other options listed in this blog, having a skylight installed can still act as a solid value-for-money solution to enhancing the look and feel of your home.

You’ll find many installations (such as roof window skylights) with pricing in the region of £1,000, including the price of labour and supplies. That said, skylight installations can exceed £2,000, so it’s important to keep a range of factors in mind before making a decision.

Among the most notable benefits of skylights include increasing natural light in the space where installed, the capacity to enhance air quality of the space and even increasing the value of your property.

10. New Kitchen Backsplash

The average cost of a kitchen backsplash tends to range from £500 to £2,500 depending on the size, quality and materials used.

Similarly to having a skylight installed, while somewhat costly, a new kitchen backsplash can offer great value for money and have a substantial impact on your kitchen’s look and feel.