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Property Pros: Renovations Under $5,000 That Make an Impact

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This is a new sponsored column by Jim Muldoon, a Northern Virginia native, Arlington resident and one of the real estate and remodeling experts at Legacy Home Improvement Consultants. Legacy HIC is your source for all real estate and home improvement needs. Please email with any questions or topics you would like covered.

In this column we will get into a lot of tips for adding value to your home, how to execute a great remodel and will even cover projects when a remodeling company wouldn’t be necessary.

In honor of the 5th month of the year we are going to go over a couple projects that you can get done for under $5,000, but it will have a lasting impression. There are a bunch of everyday living spaces that overlooked but with this type of budget a big impact can be made.

Lets start with your powder room. We all know the master bathroom is a must to upgrade but this little half bathroom is where the majority of your guests will go to freshen up and yet, no love.

The average square footage is 20-25 so you should find some nice tile to start. For around $10-$15 a square foot you should be able to accomplish that. The removal of the current floor and installation of the new tile will be around that price point as well.

A lot of our clients are getting pedestal sinks because they are inexpensive and really open’s things up. They work because you do not need much storage space in a powder room. If you prefer a cabinet vanity that’s fine just keep in mind installation with sink connection will be around $350 and we want to keep that portion of the project under $800.

For $350 you will be able to buy and have installed a nice faucet. Make sure the head of the faucet has good clearance in comparison with the sink. Trying to wash your hands but feeling like you are playing operation to not touch of back of the sink is the worst.

Purchasing a nice commode, including energy efficient options, for $150-$200 should be an easy find. You should factor in $250 for removal of the old commode and installation of the new one. All the plumbing should include changing our your old water valves, no reason to wait for a leak to do this.

When looking for mirror options, keep in mind the spacing between the light location and height of the sink. Mirror installation charge will be minimal so find something sleek but stay under $300.

Swapping out the lights should run around $350 with labor and material. We suggest matching the metal finish on the vanity lights with the finish on the faucet.

When shopping for your new exhaust fan pay attention to the sones and the size. You do not want to have to re-size the opening for the new fan unless it’s a must and the lower the sones the better. You can get a quiet exhaust fan for $150.

The finishing touches like base trim and paint should be right at $1,000. This still leaves some wiggle room for anything that might come up during the project. Most powder rooms can get knocked out in a week and can seriously up the appeal of your home.

If you have any questions about material selection or the renovation in general give me a shout and I will get into more detail with you. Remember to shoot me questions that you would like for me to cover in future articles. Your real estate is one of your best assets. Let the Property Pros help you get more informed.

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