Top 8 Home Upgrades According to Kiplinger

With many homeowners looking for the market to rebound before selling, home improvement is now a hot topic! I bet Lowes and Home Depot are enjoying significant growth these past three years.

Cabinet refacing is a great, cost-conscious option
Cabinet refacing is a great, cost-conscious option.

Let’s put aside the discussion about the money you’d gain by buying a new house at this low point in the market and focus on which mid-range home improvement projects are going to give your Louisville home the best bang for your buck.

According to Kiplinger, these are the top eight home improvement projects.

1. Reface Your Kitchen Cabinets
Rather than redoing the entire kitchen for $25,000-$50,000, resurfacing your cabinets is an easy, cost-effective upgrade. Having your cabinets repainted will cost you between $4,000-$6,000, but handy homeowners might tackle the project themselves.

2. Replace the Sinks and Faucets
Kitchen sinks may get no respect, but they sure get a lot of use. Sinks have come a long way in design and function. The current trend is toward undermounted sinks (shown here), which looks great and are easier to clean. Such cast-iron and stainless steel sinks cost around $1,000.

3. Replace Your Countertops
Improved laminate countertops are the more affordable options at $25 to $50 per linear foot and silestone carries a $50-$125 per linear foot price tag. For a more expensive designer look, concrete or recycled glass might be attractive options.

Three projects are complete and your Louisville kitchen is looking great! Now let’s tackle the bathroom! If interested, read Project #4 – #8.