Rent Your House Fast: Revitalize Your Kitchen for Less Than $1000

| October 23, 2011 More

Want to have your vacant rental property snapped up almost before you can post the “for rent” ad? In a world where rental houses and apartments typically feature outdated cabinets paired with beige laminate and linoleum, an updated, trendy kitchen can set you apart from the crowd and get you a signed lease agreement faster than you can say “mosaic tile backsplash.”

Below are three stunning kitchen remodels that cost less that $1000 to complete.

1. The $967 Kitchen Remodel from This Old House:

Before and After:

kitchen remodel 1 - before

Homeowner Edwardo carefully sanded and painted existing cabinets a gorgeous shade of chocolate brown, then replaced the cabinet pulls. His major expenses included the glass tile backsplash, which cost $400,  and new laminate counter tops with a stainless steel edge, which cost $300. The rest of the budget went into inexpensive paint and updated hardware and fixtures.

2. Cabinet refresh for $350 from DIY Life:

Before and After:

If an entire kitchen overhaul doesn’t fit within your handyman/handywoman skill set or budget, consider showing the cabinets in your rental house’s kitchen some love before putting your house on the market. If your particular set of cabinets doesn’t lend itself well to a sophisticated refinish, go for fun and funky instead. DIY Life recommends using a “furniture refinisher, such as Formby’s or Miniwax, to strip off most clear finishes” before attempting a new coat of paint.

3. The $30 Kitchen Remodel from Sunset Magazine, via Design Hole

Before and After:

30 dollar kitchen - before

Yes, you read that right. $30, y’all. As you might guess, this “remodel” involves paint, paint, and more paint. These homeowners took the “remodel-via-paint” concept to a new level, though, using Kelly Moore Rust-Oleum paint to give the 1970s appliances a facelift along with the cabinets. While you may not want to choose such bold colors for a rental, the overall technique is genius. And it cost $30. Thirty dollars! Did I mention it cost $30?

Have you updated a kitchen inexpensively? What did you do?

Category: Ready to Rent: Tips & Tricks, Rental Style