15 Cheap Basement Updates That Boost the Value of Your Home

If you finish your basement, you could see as much as 75% ROI when you sell your home — but you don’t need to spend that much to boost your property value.

There are easy, budget-friendly upgrades you can make in your basement that will increase your listing price, and some of them are even doable with basic DIY skills.

Want to start planning a minor renovation to boost the value of your home? Here are 15 cheap basement upgrades that prove to be smart homeowner money moves — and buyers almost always notice.

Nothing freshens up a space like a fresh coat of paint. Give the walls a coat or two of light colored eggshell paint, and you’ll brighten up the entire space.

If you’re up for stretching your DIY skills, adding drywall can be an inexpensive project for an unfinished basement. It will still have an industrial look if you keep the concrete floors, which you can decorate around with white paint and modern furniture.

Because of the moisture in a basement, it’s not uncommon to end up with peeling paint. This is one of the first things a future buyer may notice, and it will make your home look tired and ill-maintained. 

Sand and repaint areas where the paint needs some major attention.

First impressions matter, and the first thing you see in a basement is the stairwell descending into it. Give it a fresh coat of paint, perhaps a few pieces of art, and maybe even a stair runner. This small facelift will set the tone for the entire space.

In a low-light basement, every bit of light matters. Deep clean your windows to ensure the sun can stream in. You’ll be shocked at the difference it makes to have light come in through a dusty or dirty window versus a clean window.

If your basement is filled with cheap, builder grade lights, those should be the first thing you replace. You can find attractive light fixtures for around $100, and, with some light DIY skills, you can even install them yourself.

If you like the light fixtures you have in the basement but something feels off, try the incredibly cheap update of switching out the bulbs. Put in a bright soft white, and your basement will get a totally new look.

If you want to show a true multi-purpose space in your basement, add gym tiles and mirrors to create a home gym. This is a simple way to show how versatile a basement can be.

Basements often have tile flooring because of the tendency for moisture to seep in and, over time, the grout in that tile can start to look tired and worn. Give your flooring a fresh look by either bleaching the grout or taking a colored grout pen to a light colored grout that is too far gone.

While you have the paint out, consider painting an accent wall to give the space a cheerier look. Even just one wall of color makes the space look more intentional — like you’ve spent the time to decorate down there.

Basements often feel cold and sterile. Adding softness, like a rug or drapery, can give the basement a more welcoming, softer look. However, don’t put anything too expensive down here — basements are also prone to flooding, and you don’t want an expensive wool rug ending up underwater.

Give the basement a calming look with a muted color palette of blues and greens. You’re likely facing limited natural light, so it’s best to lean into light colors and cool tones to help brighten the space and make it feel fresh.

If you’re fortunate enough to have a kitchen or a wet bar in your basement, give it a quick makeover using peel and stick tile to update the backsplash. This doesn’t need to be the same quality you’d use in your regular kitchen; your goal is to give it a crisp new look.

Basements often become a catchall for everything from old tools to sports equipment. Create clever storage solutions that include closed storage, as well as labels. This will give the space a more curated, less chaotic look.

Just because it’s a basement doesn’t mean you can’t jazz up the space a bit! Add art, decorative items on shelves and bookcases, and treat the basement as a space where you want to be. When it doesn’t feel like an afterthought, people will notice, and they’ll read it as a room that’s designed to be lived in.

Whether you’re tackling minor or major renovations, it’s worth it to try to maximize every dollar you spend.

Get the most value for your updates by getting a cash back credit card that you can charge all supplies on. This could be a store card or a card with a major bank, but either way, you want to make sure you’re earning points with every purchase of paint, wood, and hardware.