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Do up your house on the cheap

A lick of paint can completely transform a room

Redecorating a few key rooms can make your house feel brand new.
Create more space without spending a fortune and save money with these best buys.
Read our expert tips from Martin Roberts presenter of BBC’s Homes Under The Hammer.
Make sure you use the right people and try to avoid getting a loan - make the most of your savings with our help.

With house prices falling now really isn’t the time to sell up and move to a new house. Avoid the expensive and stressful business of moving and try some home improvements instead. You can add value to your property and have some fun while you're at it. Here are the top 10 DIY projects that estate agents would recommend, plus the average amount added in value, according to a survey by GE Money Home Lending last year.

1) Loft conversion - £22,300
2) Add an extension - £19,271
3) Build a conservatory - £11,904
4) New kitchen - £8,250
5) Add central heating - £6,147
6) New windows - £5,239
7) New bathroom - £5,155
8) Redecorate - £4,576
9) Resurface the driveway - £3,928
10) Add decking to the garden - £3,617

Some of these will of course cost you a fair bit but redecorating is one project where you can add value without spending lots of money. Read on for lots of ideas on how to give your house a makeover cheaply.

Redecorate

Dos and don'ts...

DO stay safe. Always read the labels on paints, solvents, or other products and follow the guidelines. When using tools always read and follow the manufacturer's guidelines and wear the appropriate protective gear. Check a ladder is secure before you climb up it, and if necessary get someone to hold it for you.

DO measure the room. Record the dimensions of the whole room including any windows and note the location of any plugs. Take all those measurements with you when you shop - it will make life so much easier.

DO get some inspiration. Read magazines, look online or browse stores to get an idea of the styles and colours you like.

DO create a focal point. Each room should have a focal point which the rest of the room is centred around. It can be anything you like - a fireplace, a bed, a window. If a fireplace sounds too expensive don't forget that a piece of art can work just as well. See websites like art.com and easyart.co.uk for huge selections of canvas prints, tapestries and posters that you can browse by subject, artist, price and size.

DO co-ordinate. Make sure the accessories, fabric and colour scheme work together throughout the room. Go to the clearance section on the Cath Kidston website for some bargains.

DO consider wallpaper. It's very on trend at the moment and by wallpapering a single wall you can completely alter a room's look. Try Wallpaper Direct for a large selection of wallpapers.

DON'T be boring. Use a variety of textures - smooth, rough, shiny, matte - to stop a room looking dull and boring.

DON'T choose paint from a colour chart. Go to B&Q and ask for samples then test them on a small section to see how they look in natural light. Choosing the correct paint for the particular surface will infinitely improve the finished look. So if you aren't sure read the label and ask in stores what the best kind of paint is to use.

DON'T overcrowd a room. Simplicity is the key. So don't cram a room with bits and bobs - it will only look smaller. Instead select a few key items and arrange them carefully.

What else?

Get insurance: If you're going to undertake any major DIY projects do think about insurance - check your home contents and building insurance to see if you're covered for accidental damage. It's also really important to tell your insurer about these changes or you may not be able to claim. Read our home contents insurance article for more information.

Buy some new furnishings:Liven up your bathroom with new towel bars and other fixtures. A new shower curtain, toilet seat and set of towels will have a real impact. Cath Kidston has some gorgeous bathroom accessories and fabrics - check the clearance section on the website for some great deals.

Check the bigger department stores like M&S, John Lewis and BHS regularly for special offers and seasonal discounts. For constantly cheaper prices on lots of home improvement items try Wilkinson Plus and BHS.

Sort out the garden: Don't forget the outdoor spaces - a great garden will add value to your house and you'll be much happier having a nice space to spend the summer days.

So clean up any mess and get those green fingers working. Pull out weeds and replace them with gorgeous shrubs - go to Crocus for garden plants and flowers and check out the special offers section to save some money.

Put woodstain on your garden fence. It will protect it from sun and water damage and prevent peeling and cracking. Always apply the stain in the direction of the grain. Use wax for surfaces that get a lot of wear and tear and won’t be exposed to water - it will give a lovely soft glow and you can just apply another coat when necessary. Use varnish for a hardwearing finish - you can get both gloss and satin finishes. Go to B&Q for a huge variety of waxes and stains.

Get some new furniture. Go to BHS for great deals on garden furniture and check out garden shop Crocus which also has a furniture section.Lights4fun sell funky lights for both indoor and outdoor use so why not give a tired looking garden a lift with some pretty lighting.

Create more space

Creating more space (or the illusion of more space) can make such a difference to the way a room looks. Get rid of furniture you don't need and rearrange what's left so that you have as much space as possible.

Mirrors: Using mirrors, which reflect light, is a very easy and cheap way to create the illusion of more space. Next have some fabulous mirrors of various styles and finishes so take a look here.

Light: Dark rooms feel cramped and uninviting so remove any heavy curtains from the windows and replace with light, pastel coloured blinds. Go to eBay for some amazing bargains on blinds.

Floors: If you have a wooden floor underneath your carpet get rid of the rug and the room will instantly seem bigger. Use a sander and some varnish to make it look presentable and then lay down a couple of small rugs which will make the floor space seem bigger. Look out for great deals like this Akbar rug from BHS - now reduced from £359 to £179.

Put up shelves: Again this is a simple way to create more storage space at very little cost and you can do it yourself quite easily. Click here for a guide to putting up shelves. You can buy some really attractive shelves that can be decorative as well as functional.

Loft conversion: This will add both space and value to your property. Check with your local planning office before you start the conversion - you'll have to get building regulations approval and conform to fire regulations (which may involve installing fire doors and alarms). Choose your builder carefully. There are plenty of people specialising in loft conversions, but get quotes from two or three and make sure they are a member of the Federation of Master Builders. Go to Grow Your Own Home for a free estimate of the costs.

See our article on how to organise your home with clever storage solutions for more tips.

Expert tips

We spoke to Martin Roberts, presenter of Homes Under the Hammer and he gave us some fantastic tips on ways to give your house a makeover. For more ideas read his book Teach Yourself: Making Money From Property and take a look at his website.

Shop around: Sites like eBay are great for making huge savings. Try architectural salvage yards for some brilliant bargains on unique items like antique fireplaces and church furnishings which will give your house some character.

Do it yourself: Labour is the most expensive part of any kind of renovation so one of the biggest ways to save is to do some of the donkey work yourself and then get professionals to finish it. For example, if you're not confident about retiling your bathroom, remove the old tiles yourself, prepare the surface for the new ones, the just pay for someone to fit the new ones.

Create space: If you have an extra large bathroom why not chop it in half and create a new room? You can convert your loft into an extra bedroom or even consider spreading downwards by extended your cellar. Another good idea is to buy a garden shed either for extra storage, a workshop or a kids' play area. Lower your curb and create an off street parking space - you'll need to get in touch with your local council to do it.

Decorating: Keep everything modern - at the moment rustic, neutral shades are really fashionable. Remember that small things can make a real difference. Try replacing just the front of your kitchen units - which you can easily do yourself - and it will transform the room.

Best buys

Tools: Sites like eBay and Amazon often have some heavily-discounted tools and DIY items. Girly girls will love this cute pink tool box and there are lots of great wall shelves to choose from.

Kitchen: B&Q have a half-price sale on their kitchen door and drawer fronts and you can save up to 50% on kitchen cabinets at Wickes.

The living room: Cath Kidston have some really gorgeous discounted fabrics which you can buy by the metre. Make the most of Heals' massive 70% furniture clearance sales in a selection of their stores. Find out which store are offering these fantastic savings here.

The bathroom: Again try Cath Kidston for up to 50% off some gorgeous bathroom accessories in their clearance section. You can also make some really great savings at on basins, toilets and taps at Homebase when you spend £300 until the 24th of June.

The garden: Save up to 50% on outdoor furniture at BHS. Go to Homebase for up to 50% off garden furniture both online and in store plus up to 20% off all lawnmowers until the 24th of June.

Get stuff for free: Go to Gumtree and in the 'Stuff for Sale' section click freebies. It gives you a list of free things in your area. You will have to collect the items but it's a small price to pay for a free sofa or dining table! Just click on the items you want then email the owners to organise a time to collect - but be quick as things tend to go quickly. You can also try posting a wanted ad of your own asking for items you need and someone might get in touch.

Freecycle is another way to get free items that people are throwing out. Go the website, sign up for free and join a Freecycle network near you. You can browse the networks by your region here. Once you become a member of a local group you can view the items being given away and post your own items. Everything posted must be free, legal and appropriate to all ages.

Use the right people

Make sure you know whether your builder is dodgy before you cough up any money with RatedPeople who offer a free service helping you find recommended tradesmen in your area. Simply sign up, describe the job/trade, then get quotes and choose the one that fits your needs. Once they’ve completed the task you can rate them yourself.

If you're looking for some help with your home improvements go to Jobsgrapevine, which is a free forum where odd-job men, plumbers and the like advertise their skills.