Many of us dream of living in a spacious house with a modern, stylish interior. However, the high costs of building materials and professional labor can make this dream feel out of reach. Yet, there are determined individuals who take matters into their own hands, transforming their homes through creativity and hard work—all without breaking the bank.
And stick around until the end of the article, where you’ll find a fascinating story about neighbors with a truly unique—and unconventional—idea of what makes a home comfortable!
“After buying the flat, we had no money for renovations, so we did them gradually. Here what we did with the bathroom. We had about $2,000.”
- Very nice and neat! © BAMX / Pikabu
“My wife and I recently bought a new flat. We decided to renovate the balcony. We did everything ourselves.”
“I watched several videos from construction experts who explained the proper techniques for the project. From there, I formed a clear vision of how the balcony would look. The very next day, I rolled up my sleeves and got to work.”
“The condition of the flat was very bad, so we had to make renovations quickly, within 2 months. We did everything ourselves. It was the first time, we had to learn on the go.”
- You say, “We don’t know how to do it. No money,” but in fact, it’s a designer renovation. But if I do it, it looks ridiculous. © RosDot / Pikabu
- This in 2 months? It took us 6 months. © AkkaS / Pikabu
“In 2016, we bought a flat with a mortgage. We had a small budget for renovation.”
“We purchased one of the most affordable tiles available at the time. I was concerned about laying them evenly, so I came up with a solution: arranging them in a split pattern, offsetting each row by using the leftover piece from the previous one. It turned out to be a clever way to ensure a neat and balanced look.”
“Built our own dining nook. Now we can comfortably seat 4 people at this table.”
“Bathroom before and after”
“Before and after office makeover!”
- Please come do the same for my office. © sophia_jpeg / Reddit
“We were only planning to replace the toilet. Then it turned out that the base of the new one was smaller, so there were gaps in the floor. We had to change the tiles as well.”
“A year ago, I finished the renovation of my flat. And one of the most important parts of the flat was the workplace.”
© Torsus / Pikabu, © Torsus / Pikabu
“3 years ago, we bought a 2-bedroom rundown flat with a mortgage. The renovation was done for a total of 2 years, room by room: kitchen, bathroom, and a year later the rest of the flat.”
“I’m an ordinary villager. Many people are used to beautiful pictures and delightful stories, but I’ll dilute them a little with my own creation.”
“50’s bathroom refurbish”
“Before and after of my basement room”
- Epic remodel. © -CJF- / Reddit
- Beautiful work! Love it — be proud of yourself! © krispey / Reddit
“Tiny ensuite bathroom renovated to fit the 2 of us — all done by my talented husband.”
- Wow, I love the red hardware! © corinnigan / Reddit
“Finished renovating. It was a rundown flat with rotten floorboards. I had to relay the tiles 7 times until I got them leveled.”
- White envy. © user5066870 / Pikabu
- You are a heroine! Very beautiful and cozy. © Mamulhen / Pikabu
“2 months ago, we bought a 2-bedroom with a mortgage. The state of the kitchen was sad.”
“A few days ago, we completed the walls and put together our kitchen furniture. It might be inexpensive and compact, but there’s something incredibly satisfying about cooking in a kitchen we built with our own hands. It’s ours, and that makes it special.”
“Small lake house bathroom: before and after”
- Oh my god! This is a phenomenal makeover! © genjiandplants / Reddit
“Needed to brighten up the kitchen.”
“My cozy reading nook has been transformed.”
“Primary bath before and after”
“Before and after of my sunroom”
Bonus: Some people have a very specific vision of comfortable living.
- We bought a flat and used the last of our savings to do some light renovations before moving in. Our neighbors were also renovating, but their project has been dragging on for over a year!
- One day, they asked my husband to help them move something. He came back after 10 minutes with a dazed look and said, “You won’t believe it—they have nothing on the floor because all the furniture is nailed to the walls. Even the fridge is on a shelf, and so is the bed!”
- It turns out, our neighbors have an unusual obsession with keeping the floor completely clear. They’ve mounted everything to the walls, and whenever they want to rearrange something, they have to drill new holes. They claim it’s incredibly convenient for their robot vacuum.
- We certainly have some interesting neighbors!
And here are some tips from experts for how to make your place look classy while on a budget.
