You do not need to spend weeks living on a building site to make some great renovations to your home. Many jobs that make a noticeable difference can be achieved with just a free weekend, a realistic plan, and a few basic tools. If you’re looking to give your home a bit of a boost but don’t have a ton of time, here are some ideas that just take a single weekend:
Hire a van if you need one
First, it’s worth noting that you might need a biggish vehicle for some of the projects on this list. You may need to transport timber, plasterboard, paving slabs or flat-pack furniture that simply will not fit in the family car. So, to give yourself a bit more freedom, it might be a good idea to get a cheap van lease before you start. One journey with the right vehicle takes a lot less time (and is a lot less frustrating!) than several trips in a smaller car, particularly if your nearest builders’ merchant is some distance away.
Freshen up a room with paint
Painting is one of the quickest ways to change the appearance of a room, and it’s not tricky to paint a room or even two over the course of a weekend. Remember, to get the best out of painting, it’s actually best to spend more effort preparing than on actually painting. Move the furniture before opening the first tin, protect the floor with dust sheets and clean the walls if they have collected grease or dust over time. Fill any small cracks, sand the repairs smooth and apply masking tape before you reach for the roller. That way, you’ll get a smooth, clean run at the walls when it comes to putting paint to plaster.
Update your kitchen cupboards
Replacing an entire kitchen takes far longer than a weekend, but repainting cupboard doors or fitting new handles can make a huge difference to the look and feel of the room without the same expense.
Remove every door before painting and label each one so it goes back in the right place afterwards. Clean away grease, sand the surface thoroughly and allow each coat to dry fully before putting everything back together.
Don’t make the mistake of not removing the handles and hinges before painting! On that note, changing hinges and handles at the same time can give the finished kitchen a much cleaner and more consistent appearance.
Put up floating shelves
Floating shelves add storage without taking up floor space. Remember to use a detector before drilling into the wall so you avoid hidden pipes and cables. Measure twice, mark the fixing points carefully and use a spirit level before tightening the brackets.
Once the shelves are secure, remember to balance them by keeping heavier objects closer to the wall rather than right at the front edge.
Replace tired taps
New kitchen or bathroom taps can change the look of a room in an afternoon. Turn off the water supply before disconnecting the old fittings and keep a towel or bucket nearby for any remaining water in the pipes. Check the manufacturer’s instructions before buying replacement taps because fixing systems vary between models.
If the existing pipework shows signs of corrosion or damage, stop the job and replace those parts before fitting the new tap.
Add a feature wall
A single painted wall or a length of patterned wallpaper can drastically change the appearance of a room without the need to redecorate every surface. Choose the wall that naturally catches your eye when you enter the room, as that’s the wall that’s likely to have the most impact as a feature wall.
Build a small patio or deck
It may seem like a big ask to build a small patio or deck over the course of a weekend, but it’s possible if the design is simple and you’re realistic about the project.
Measure the area carefully before ordering materials and check that the ground is level before laying the first slab or fixing the first board. Leave enough room for outdoor furniture so the finished space works as well as it looks.
Finish one job before starting another
A completed project almost always has a bigger impact than three unfinished ones. Buy the materials in advance, allow enough time to finish properly and leave the tools in the shed before moving on to the next idea.
All in all, there’s plenty that you can do to transform your house over the course of a weekend. So, what are you waiting for? Head to the DIY store and get renovating!
