I added £30k to my three-bed home’s value with cheap hacks – including a £10 shower screen & eBay shelves

A WOMAN has added £30,000 to her home’s value with cheap DIY hacks, including a £10 shower screen.

Rima Aktar, 29, from Liverpool, purchased the three-bed house for £125,000 in May 2020 with her husband.

Jam PressRima Aktar has added £30k to her home’s value with DIY[/caption]

Jam PressPictured in the living room before, the home was ‘very outdated’ and had ‘damp’ carpets throughout when the couple bought it[/caption]

The home was “very outdated” with blue walls and “damp” carpets throughout – but the couple knew with a bit of TLC it could be the perfect base.

While they didn’t want to do a major renovation or throw too much money at the property – as they don’t consider it their “forever home” – they were determined to give it a fresh makeover that better suited their tastes.

They set about decorating last November, painting the walls in neutral tones, ripping up the carpet to let the wooden floor breath, and adding panelling to the walls for a touch of glamour.

To keep costs low, they did everything themselves, learning how to panel by following tutorials on Instagram – which Rima describes as one of their proudest achievements in the home.

Jam PressThe 29-year-old, from Liverpool, and her husband did everything themselves[/caption]

“My main goal was to add storage as my home didn’t have a lot of it,” Rima, an equality and diversity lead, says.

“We made a DIY pantry area in the kitchen and added fitted wardrobes in our bedroom which perfectly fit into the alcoves.

“I also wanted to add panelling in almost every room, however we wanted to do this ourselves to save cost and be under budget.

“We learnt how to do it from Instagram tutorials and it’s honestly one of the most proudest achievements we have done with the house.”

As well as the panelling, the couple also experimented with other DIY tasks – including creating a makeshift pantry in a small corner of their kitchen, which they panelled, painted white and then screwed on some rustic-style shelves purchased from eBay.

Jam PressHer £10 shower screen hack looks way more expensive[/caption]

Jam PressThe bathroom is much more modern now[/caption]

In the kitchen, they made DIY shaker-style cabinets. They purchased MDF wood cut to their specifications that cost £70, and then fitted them.

Rima said: “The most difficult part was the painting – we have high ceilings and we found it to be draining at times, but it was worth it.

“We live in a fairly old house so wall cracks appeared which were difficult, but we have accepted that some of it adds to the character.”

Jam PressThe couple did panelling throughout the home themselves[/caption]

Jam PressRima says it’s one of their proudest achievements[/caption]

In total, the couple have spent £3,000 on the renovations – including the cost of the fitted wardrobes – which is just a tenth of the value they’ve added.

Now, they are focusing on transforming the two spare bedrooms and giving the hallway a mini makeover.

Rima added: “I have come to the conclusion that I will always have some decorating to do.

“But my husband has been my partner in DIY and I wouldn’t have been able to execute half of the ideas or plans without him – he truly is a gem.”

The renovation is far from finished and Rima hopes to add more than £30,000 when it is.

Jam PressNext they want to renovate their other two bedrooms[/caption]

Jam PressThe work cost £3k and £2k of that was the fitted wardrobes[/caption]

Jam PressThe dining room has a crisp, clean feel[/caption]

Jam PressThese shelves were a DIY job[/caption]