Cheap Home Improvements To Keep Busy
Currently, we are adjusting to a new way of life, which includes social distancing, self-isolation and staying home for longer periods than ever before. Many are looking for ways to keep busy while spending more time at home and making the best use of this time.
Having something fun and new to focus your attention on will not only help to take your mind off matters but also give you something to look forward to and a sense of achievement when it is completed.
We have a few suggestions to help at least keep you busy and to keep your mind active. At Ross’s Discount Home Centre, we’re still open for business and have some cost-effective home improvement ideas that don’t require a tradesperson.
We know that for many, now isn’t the time to spend a lot of money, so we’ve put our thinking caps on to come up with a range of cheap home improvement projects you can do at home that won’t cost a fortune.
With a budget of $500 or under, you can do wonders for your home. Continue reading to get some home improvement inspiration to get you through these tough times.
New Kitchen Splashback
If you’ve been looking at the same kitchen splashback for the past 15 years, now may be the perfect time to update it with affordable kitchen splashback tiles.
Now, before you overlook this home improvement idea because you’re “not a tiler”, let me just say that ANYONE CAN TILE! Upgrading your kitchen splashback with new trending tiles IS easy, and it CAN be done WITHOUT THE NEED TO HIRE ANY TRADES – especially with our help! That’s Right. At Ross’s Discount Home Centre, we have a qualified tiler on staff who can walk you through the entire process, either over the phone or via Skype (social distancing in effect!). Trust me, it’s pretty simple and learning something new will surely keep your mind off things.
So, let’s take a look at some of the beautiful tile options for you to consider:
- First up is the classic Subway tile – this will never go out of style and is one of the most affordable options. We have Subway tiles starting at a low $30 per square metre.
- For something more of a feature, consider featured tiles such as our Esty Black or Esty Brown, Isla Navy, or Susan Navy, which are all $45 per square metre.
- And, for the latest in splashback tile trends, you can’t go past our Marble mosaics in Hexagon, Penny and Herringbone patterns, all of which are $30 per sheet. If you have a smaller splashback, then these will scrape in under the $500 budget.
Read our post on Kitchen Splashback Trends for the latest kitchen tile trends.
You can quickly determine how many square metres of tiles you will need by multiplying the height of your splashback by its width. To give you an idea of how many tiles you may need, the average splashback is around 600mm high by 3000mm long, just 1.8 m2.
Upgrade bathroom tapware
Another easy and cheap home improvement project you can take on without leaving the house or needing to hire a tradie is a simple tapware upgrade.
Replacing your basin mixer, bath spout, shower head, and shower tapware is one of the quickest and most effective ways to give your bathroom a mini makeover. You really don’t need to hire a plumber. Replacing tapware is much easier than you may think. And we’re more than happy to assist in any way we can, including providing you with step-by-step instructions on the process over the phone or via a video chat.
Our bathroom tapware range offers an array of modern designs in both chrome and sleek matt black finishes starting at just $15! Now that’s a bargain.
If you’re fond of chrome tapware, then some of the best buys include our Cube Hand Shower Rail Set, which is currently on sale for $70, reduced from $160. Or, for something more simple, swap out your showerhead for the Cube Shower Head, which is just $100. Other Cube tapware to consider to complete your upgrade is the Cube Basin Mixer for $120 and the Cube Fixed Bath, which is very affordable at just $80.
Total cost: $270 – $300
Read our article on this year’s trending tapware to ensure you choose the perfect style for your bathroom.
Retile the bathroom
One of the best home improvement projects you can undertake is to retile your bathroom! Not only will it keep you busy during this time, but it will also add value to your home – now that’s a win-win.
If you’ve dabbled in tiling before and are keen to tackle another tiling project, this is the home improvement project for you. Even if you have no experience, this is a jot you CAN do! We can walk you through the entire process. With Ross’s Discount Home Centre, you can get everything you need to complete the project, including the grout, without leaving your home. You can retile the shower, a feature wall or the entire bathroom.
Jump onto our website and source your tiles and grout; we will deliver it directly to your door.
Let’s take a look at some of our trending bathroom tiles for you to consider:
If you’ve been watching current bathroom design trends, you may have noticed a lot of light greys and whites. For the flooring, terrazzo-look and sandstone-look tiles are trending, and for walls, subway tiles (laid vertically) and large white porcelain tiles are very much “in”. Statuario and calacatta marble-look tiles are also very popular.
You will find all these tiles in our range.
For terrazzo-look tiles, consider our Terrazzo White, Terazzo Grey and Terazzo Charcoal tiles, which are $45/m2. For sandstone-look tiles, consider our Monalto White, Monalto Light Grey, and Monalto Grey tiles, which are $60/m2. And for marble-look tiles, you can’t go past Stone Porcelain Statuario and Imperial Snow, which both retail at $45/m2.
We have a large range of Subway tiles and 30×60 white tiles that are ideal for feature walls and walls. Consider our Gloss White Wall Tile 10x30cm ($30/m2) and Gloss White Wall Tile (Rectified) 30x60cm ($15/m2).
Now, granted, if you do choose to retile your entire bathroom, you’re going to surpass the $500 budget, but on the bright side, you’ll be kept very busy during the lockdown.
Upgrade the kitchen sink
A quick and affordable way to modernise the kitchen is to replace your kitchen sink and mixer tap with new ones. And I personally know this is easy because I have just upgraded mine.
We have many kitchen sinks and kitchen taps for you to consider, and you’re sure to find the perfect one to suit your current size requirements and design styles.
Our wide kitchen sink range means you’ll find one to fit your current sink cutout or a larger one. We have sinks starting from a very low $130, which leaves plenty of room in the $500 budget for a new kitchen mixer.
If you’re looking to score a bargain, then consider our Cube Curved Sink Mixer (which matches the Cube bathroom tapware I mentioned earlier). We currently have this modern square-set sink mixer on sale for just $100, down from $220! For something fancier, consider the Sink Mixer & Sprayer Unit for $295, or the Fiona Spinh Sink Mixer for $220.
You can easily upgrade your kitchen sink and mixer for well under $500, and this is a project you can get done in a day.
Show your laundry some loving
Personally, my laundry was the only area I didn’t renovate during my home renovation. But I wish I had. If your laundry is crying out for a little loving, then know it isn’t hard to update. Replacing a laundry sink or laundry unit and laundry tap is a job anyone can do. And, if you really want to give yourself a challenging project, install laundry cabinets and tile the splashback too.
Even in lockdown, this is all very doable. With products from Ross’s Discount Home Centre delivered to your door and literally hundreds of “How To” home improvement videos on YouTube, this can be done. And more so, if you choose wisely, it can be done for as little as $500!
Let’s take a look at some of the budget products to consider for this project:
At $30/m2, our Gloss White Wall Tile 10x30cm will never let you down; it’s a good allrounder that will suit any design style. Or, for something with a little more flair, consider the Lison Mosaic for $40/m2. With a muted grey palette, this tile works well with various cabinetry colours. Alternatively, if you’d like something a little more trendy, Tuscany Wood Light Grey Short Herringbone, at $30 per sheet, is perhaps a better choice.
Replace your shower panel
A shower panel stained with soap scum and grime can really tarnish a bathroom’s design. And if it has calcium buildup or hard water staining, then no amount of scrubbing will remove it: it’s time for a new panel.
Thankfully, replacing a shower panel is both affordable and doable, even during self-isolation and even with a $500 budget! We have a budget-friendly shower panel from just $345 that will slash years off your aging bathroom. Best of all, it features an AllClear coating, so you’ll never have to worry about soap scum and grime buildup ever again. We also have a new range of walk-in showers that have been designed with the modern bathroom in mind. Crafted from high-quality materials like glass and stainless steel, these walk-in showers offer a luxurious experience that won’t break the bank.
Upgrade your shower curtain
A shower curtain is a very functional and affordable solution to confining water within a bath, but it has drawbacks. If you’re sick of water spraying outside your shower or the curtain sticking to you as you exit the shower, then why not replace it with a bath shower screen? This is one lockup project I’m here for!
Installing a bath shower screen is a relatively simple process, which anyone can do so long as you have an electric drill. If you don’t, you can always shop online and have one delivered. Thank goodness for online shopping in times like these!
For well under $500, you can completely transform the look of your bathroom while making it a whole lot more functional.
Our extensive range of bath shower screens starts at just $195, and best of all, as with our shower panel, all screens feature AllClear coating, so they will keep looking as good as new for their lifetime.
Conclusion
One of the best ways to keep busy while spending more time in your home is to focus on a home improvement project, and there is no shortage of cheap options. With $500 or less, you can install a new kitchen splashback, upgrade your bathroom tapware, retile your bathroom (if you’re game!), replace your kitchen sink and tap, give your laundry a mini makeover, replace an old shower panel, or upgrade a daggy shower curtain to a new bath screen.
Whether you choose one, two, three or all of these cheap home improvements to keep you busy, we have everything you need at Ross’s Discount Home Centre. We are open for business as usual and can deliver any of our products throughout Perth. You needn’t leave home – simply jump onto our website, check out our range and place an order. We have plenty of stock and can deliver in 3 to 5 days.
Got a tiling question?
At Ross’s Home Discount Centre, we are here to help. Our Sales Manager, Mat, has over 25 years of tiling experience and is available on the phone to answer any questions. You can call Mat directly on 9378 2233 between 8 and 5. If you want to arrange a Skype chat with Mat, please call 0447505952 to arrange a suitable date and time.
