Home Improvements Under £1000

Thinking of upgrading your home on a budget?

In this guide, we’ll look at some standout home improvement ideas for less than £1,000, allowing you to enhance the look, feel and character of your home while within the £500 to £1,000 range.

Whether it be a visual enhancement such as a new feature wall that uses wall panelling or giving your whole garden a new look and feel, it’s possible to improve your home without breaking the bank. Let’s dive in and explore ten low-cost home improvement ideas!

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1. Replace Key Kitchen Appliances

If you’re still using old kitchen appliances, swapping out some for new, modern (and maybe even smart tech) appliances is one way to improve the utility, functionality and appearance of your kitchen.

Of course, with a budget of up to £1,000, it’s very unlikely you’d be able to replace all of your kitchen appliances. That said, swapping out two or three modern alternatives can still go a long way to improving your kitchen experience. Not to mention the potential for a significant bump in energy efficiency.

One of the most affordable kitchen appliances is a microwave with most new editions landing in the £100 to £250 price range.

As for a fridge-freezer, the cost of a replacement will often end up between £300 and £750. Of course, there are many higher end fridge-freezers on the market that will exceed £1,000 including many of the best options on the market.

Nonetheless, there are still plenty of solid offerings below the £1,000-mark including the Beko Harvestfresh CFP3691DVW which is priced at around £400 to £600 and classed as the ‘Best Budget Fridge Freezer’ by the Independent. Another notable budget-friendly example is the Hotpoint 339 60/40 Fridge-Freezer.

Beyond that, washing machines cost around £300 to £500, dishwashers are priced about £250 to £500.

Ultimately, when choosing the right appliance(s) for you, just ensure that along with being in your price range it is suitable to your needs and kitchen. It’s also worth considering how new appliance(s) may look visually when compared or contrasted with one another and the rest of the space as is.

2. Double Glazing for One Room

While double glazing for an entire property will cost several thousand pounds, you may want to introduce double glazing for a single space. Double glazing generally requires the work of a professional. This is particularly important if working at a height (e.g. bedroom) as more safety concerns come into play. The work is also generally quite complex.

For instance, you may have several windows in your living room. They may be connected to create a single structure or separate. Whatever the case, it may be possible to replace the existing window units with double glazed windows while sticking to a sub-£1,000 budget.

Of course, this will depend on factors such as the number of window frames in the room, the type of windows and the pricing of the contractor or company you reach out to.

Alternative spaces where you might want to have double glazing added include a bedroom, kitchen and bathroom. Double glazed windows can help keep the heat in, not only making a space cosier through the winter but helping to lower heating bills. Double glazed windows tend to be between 30% and 80% more efficient than single glazed units.

3. Have Your Shower Replaced

Hiring a professional to replace your shower is another way of improving your home, assuming your existing shower is getting close to the point where a replacement is needed or/and you want a new type of shower.

The average costs of a new shower, including labour and supply costs are:

• Mixed Shower - £300 to £500
• Power Shower - £500 to £900
• Electric Shower - £300 to £500
• Digital Shower - £500 to £1,500
• Thermostatic Shower - £300 to £500

As you’ll gather, digital showers can exceed £1,000 in total costs, however, many options are available within the £500 to £1,000 range. You must hire a professional to install a shower due to the electric work involved.

4. Garden Upgrades

Upgrading your garden does not need to cost the Earth as a garden makeover is possible with a budget-friendly and eco-friendly approach.

How you might want to alter your garden will depend on the sort of look and feel you’re going for and changes suitable to the space.

Here are some ways of enhancing your garden without breaking the bank:

• New Shed: £700 to £1,100
• Garden Solar Lights (5-10 units): £25 to £250
• New Plants For Your Lawn at £3 to £25 per plant (15 to 60 plants)* - £45 to £1,500
• Raised Garden Beds (1-2 beds): £150 to £1,200
• Garden Path Way: £200 to £1,600
• Trellis With Climbing Plants: £50 to £300

By opting for budget-friendly (yet still reliable) garden upgrades, it can prove relatively easy to enhance the look and feel of your garden while sticking to a budget of around £500 to £1,000.

For example, if using some of the above examples, you could add half a dozen garden solar lights, one raised garden bed and a trellis with climbing plants, keeping to a budget of around £500 to £750 altogether.

* You may find that 10-20 new plants is sufficient to spruce up your garden especially if it’s a small space. That said, a medium-size garden will likely need dozens to have an impact. In general, it will vary depending on the look of the existing space and the impact you’re after.

Also ensure any new plants added are not poisonous to pets if you have any or neighbours’ pets like to visit. It’s also possible that some plants could prove an allergen concern for people spending time in your garden.

5. Introduce Rugs

Rugs are a great way of not only making the underfoot more comfortable but adding a cosier atmosphere to spaces and, if you’d like, adding dashes of colour to liven up rooms.

Common rug types include hand-tufted, flat-woven, handwoven and hand-knotted. Popular designs used include.

• Statement rug for your living room
• Hallway runner rug to welcome guests
• A fancy patterned area rug to liven up a living room
• Vintage or antique rugs in decent enough condition and budget-friendly
• Bathroom rugs made with a suitable material

6. Wall Paneling Feature Wall

Wall paneling generally serves a primary purpose of aesthetically enhancing a space, though it is also valued as an option to improve heat insulation and soundproofing.

Using lines and structure, wall panels can not only add dimension but hide an unappealing wall appearance by covering it up. The intricate design of wall paneling can also make it great as an option for a feature wall.

7. New Security System

Opting for a new security system can also improve your home and increase peace of mind and practical safety. Opting for a modern security setup may also increase the value of your money.

In terms of common security system elements, motion sensors usually cost around £150 to £250 with door and window sensors being priced at approximately £150 to £200 and a burglar alarm costing about £500 to £800.

Beyond that, a smart alarm system costs roughly £500 to £800 with a couple of sensors included in the cost estimate. Wired security cameras cost around £200 to £400 while wireless security cameras offer a similar range but could reach up to £500 or more.

8. A Work From Home Office

If you or anyone else in your home works from home full-time or on occasion, a remote work office setup could be perfect.

Whether you take a room within your home and redecorate it for work functionality, repurpose an extension or otherwise, it’s important to consider how to make a home office space work for you.

This means keeping a good and ergonomic design in mind as well as suitable soundproofing where required. Opt for a design that is easy on the eye and makes for a comfortable and relaxing work space too.