If you are thinking about remodeling on a budget, you want to spend your money where it will have the best chance of being recouped when it's time to sell.  Assuming your house already has fabulous curb appeal, the first place to start is the kitchen.

•·         Kitchen lights.  Install new kitchen light fixtures.  Consider a pendant light over an island or peninsula.  Maybe replace the sink and its hardware.

•·         Kitchen cabinets.  Add roll-out organizing trays.  Recondition the wood with oil.  Put on new hardware.  If the cabinets are just too beat up, buy new doors and drawer fronts.  Reface the boxes.  There are companies in Kona that specialize in this.  Counter tops.  Skip the solid nature stone.  Go with stone tile or another solid surface.  Maybe adding a new backsplash is all that is required.  If you live with humidity, Formica counters may not be a good choice because it's made with particle board.  Since low cost Formica counters have surface seams at the corners, moisture can get in and swelling results.

•·         Breakfast bar.  When you have the opportunity to cut an opening in a wall that separates the kitchen, make it an oversized breakfast bar.

•·         Bathroom.  Install a new medicine cabinet, and new light fixtures.  If you have tile grout, lightly scrape and re-grout.  After the old tile is buffed it will look better too.  Add a French shower door.  That will take eyes off the old tile.

•·         Basement.  If you have a basement with cement walls, have a contractor fill the cracks with hydraulic cement and finish first with waterproofing paint and then color.  Use a quality floor paint to further spruce up the space. 

•·         Add a room.  If you have a large space, consider adding a wall to make a new bedroom or study.

•·         Lights.  Install new light fixtures in the foyer.  Install dimmer switches around the house where they would be appreciated.

•·         Garage.  Replace the garage door opener with a remoter touchpad entry system.

•·         Front door.  A pretty new front door is good value.  Don't forget to spruce up the front lanai or walkway.

For more information about Hawaii Island's Kona, Kamuela and the Kohala Coast, go to BigIslandOceanfront.com or email us.