Every homeowner knows that a home is both expensive and takes hard work. Homeowners spend on average 3% of what their home is worth on home improvement every year. Luckily, there are ways to lower these costs.

If you are unhappy with the work that your contractor has done, do not hesitate to speak up. Talk to the contractor personally, and let him know the part of the contract he did not live up to. If nothing gets resolved by phone, you need to send the contractor a follow-up letter through registered mail. After this, visit the consumer protection office in your area and ask for their assistance.

It's important to do renovations which add value to your house. By nature, a design feature that is personal to you is less likely to feel personal for someone else, and therefore, it may deter interested parties from buying your home.

Save money by just changing the doors on your cabinets. Now, not all of us can get new cabinets. By just swapping out the cabinet doors, you can create a brand new look at a fraction of the cost. Just be sure to take proper measurement before getting the new doors. Installing new doors is simple. You just need to put in a couple of screws!

If starting a remodel in your bathroom or kitchen, remember to turn off the supply of water going to these rooms prior to starting work on plumbing and fixtures. It seems common sense, however many homeowners often make the error of overlooking this step and end up with major flooding, which actually requires more renovations.

There are a wide variety of home improvement options that can fit into just about any budget. Even if you lack thousands of dollars to spend, there are many smaller and more affordable projects to choose from. Some of these included repainting your home, adding new siding or replacing your front door.

Wallpaper can be a good option if you don't like paint or paneling in your home. Wallpaper is a simple and cheap way to change the look of any room. Be careful when choosing the paper since some are harder to take off than others, just in case you don't like it later on.

When hiring a contractor, be sure to have in writing the exact costs of the home improvements. You should also insist on a timeline and a payment schedule.

If you are planning a major landscaping project, plan it so that the style and construction complement the rest of your home. Landscaping work that does not relate to your house or even clashes with it will be a waste of time and money, doing little to improve your home's appearance.

Installing a shower should probably be a high-priority home improvement project for you if your home doesn't have one. A shower can reduce the amount of water used and is much more accessible than a bathtub. Taking a shower for five minutes only uses 25 percent of the water a tub uses.

Accentuate the areas of your home that are a selling point. Don't block any windows with excellent views. Take down your bedroom canopy if you want to show off your high ceiling. Whatever you wish to do, you really have to show off the main selling points. When you do these things your potential buyers will see what makes the home special and more desirable.

After going through the tips laid out here, you can know that you won't spend too much money in your next trip at one of those home stores! You can make your home a beautiful place to live in, while still saving a lot of money.