The list of curb appeal ideas contains projects for all skill levels. I have notated the approximate difficulty between 1 and 5 (1 being the easiest and 5 being the most difficult) for each project and the approximate cost.

Whether you do a few of these home improvements or most of them, you will notice the difference immediately…And guess what? They will help to improve the value of your home!

Let’s get started on leaking your home looking better than ever!

1. Mailbox

Most people aren’t going to put too much thought into your home’s mailbox. Although, it is technically the first element of curb appeal (since it’s actually at the curb).

Cost: $40-$250

Skill level: 2

2. Storm door

Installing a storm door can add value, function, and an additional layer of protection to your home.

Cost: $200-$500

Skill level: 3

3. Potted plants by the front door

A very easy way to add life and color to the stoop is adding potted plants and flowers around the front door. The nice thing about potted plants is that they’re not permanent so you can move them around wherever you want. You can also change up what you have in them to go with the season.

Cost: $50-$150

Skill level: 1

4. Put a doormat down

A doormat is one of the last things someone sees before entering a house. Usually, visitors will be standing by the doormat for a few seconds or minutes. You typically hear “make a good first impression” but in this case you want to “make a good last impression”. Buy a doormat that is very welcoming, unique, or funny. Don’t be scared to get one that complements your personality.

Cost: $20-$40

Skill level: 1

5. Add a picket fence

Obviously, putting up a picket fence is a curb appeal idea that will only work on certain properties. If your front yard would benefit from a picket fence it can have numerous benefits. The fence will frame your property out nicely, add value, and can give your home a little bit of privacy.

Cost: $10-$30 per linear foot. Pine wood is less expensive than cedar. Also note that this is the approximate price for a picket fence to be installed.

Skill level: 3

6. Spray for and pick weeds

Likely, one of the most important factors to curb appeal is having a beautiful lawn. Keeping weeds out of your yard in the first place with preventative measures is the best way to go. But if that has not been the case you can still get out there and remove all visible weeds and even spray so no more sprout up.

Cost: $15-$30

Skill level: 1

7. Update your siding

If you’re siding is old, outdated, or not the nicest in the neighborhood you may want to consider replacing or upgrading it. Cement Hardie plank siding is versatile, looks great, and holds up very well over time. A less expensive option would be going with vinyl siding. Both have the ability to completely change the look of your house in a positive way.

Cost: For an average 2000 square-foot home it will be approximately $4,000-$20,000 depending on the materials used.

Skill level: 4.5

8. Make use of house numbers

Head over to the hardware store and pick out some decorative or stylish numbers and place them next to the door or on a post.

Cost: About $10 per number

Skill level: 1.5

9. Power wash the house

Regardless of the type of siding you have, if it’s been a few years since it’s been installed or cleaned you’re probably due for it to be power washed. You might be shocked at the difference it will make.

Cost: $200-$400

Skill level: 2.5

10. Power wash driveway and sidewalk

Don’t stop once you have finished washing the exterior of the house. It’s the perfect time to power wash the driveway and sidewalk. It’s incredible the effect of the entire curb appeal once you have cleaned the driveway and sidewalk with the power washer.

Cost: $150-$250

Skill level: 2

11. Upgraded porch lighting

One of the least expensive ways to give your home more of a luxury feel is upgrading the lighting near the front door and porch. If you have typical standard lighting fixtures, think about upgrading them to something more eye-catching.

Cost: $50-$200

Skill level: 4(Licensed and insured electrician should be used)

12. Fix or replace the lawn

You can try using grass paint on brown areas but this is really just a Band-Aid. Depending on the type of lawn you have you may be able to spread some seeds to fill in the bare spots. You also can buy plugs or single pieces of sod depending on the type of grass.

Cost: Replace $500-$5000 (average size yard $2500)

Fix: $20-$300

Skill level: 3

13. Replace front door hardware

Replacing the hardware on your front door will make more of a difference than you think. In today’s world many people expect the front door to have smart technology. At a minimum you can go for a more modern door handle. The best route would be adding a doorknob that has a keypad and Wi-Fi capability.

Cost: Doorknob and deadbolt combo $15-$300 – Smart locks $75-$500

Skill level: 2.5

14. Replace the roof

Old looking roofs can send red flags straight up the pole for most homebuyers. Also, many insurance companies will not write a new policy if a shingled roof is over 15 years old and a metal roof is more than 20 years old. So be proactive and get this taken care of before going on the market. Some of the most common types of roofing materials are asphalt shingles, wood shake shingles, terra-cotta, and metal.

Cost: $4000 to 15,000

Skill level: 4.5 (A license and insured roofing company should do this job.)

15. Decorative fence around AC unit and garbage cans

Air conditioning units are not built for aesthetics and that surely goes for garbage cans as well. It’s a fairly easy job to build a small fence to block trash cans and air-conditioning units from view when going up to the house. You can also purchase enclosures partitions for air-conditioned units and garbage cans online.

Cost: $150-$250 each

Skill level: 3

16. Add a birdfeeder

Non-threatening animals such as birds will add a beautiful and peaceful feel for the entire property. Birdfeeders take minimal effort to maintain. Just add food and watch nature unfold right before your eyes.

Cost: $25-$100

Skill level: 1.5

17. Replace old walkway

If your walkway or driveway is old, worn out, or just not attractive there is a fix. You can either replace it with concrete or even better would be using pavers. Pavers add a real aesthetically pleasing look when approaching the property. 

Cost: $1000-$3000

Skill level: 4

18. Paint the front door

An easy way to make things pop is to paint the front door. Remember that you don’t need to have a plain white door. You can get creative.… Just not hot pink or fluorescent yellow… Ha ha.

Cost: $50-$150

Skill level: 2

19. Landscape lighting

Putting lights throughout your landscaping will make your house stand out at night. You can direct floodlights up toward trees or garden beds. You can also add smaller solar powered lights for a more subtle feeling. It will make a night and day difference…wink wink.

Cost: $2100-$4900

Skill level: 3.5 (You will need a license and insured electrician)

20. Replace ground covering in the flower beds

This is one of my favorite curb appeal ideas because it’s easy, doesn’t cost a lot, and makes a big difference. Sometimes you don’t even realize that the flowerbeds are lacking something until you fix the problem. Adding additional mulch, woodchips, or pine straw to your flower beds will revive them in a way that will make you smile.

Cost: $100-$300

Skill level: 2

21. Update flowerbeds with color

Flower beds that are dull will also make the entire yard look dull. By adding this color to the flowerbeds it will in turn make the house look newer than it is.

Cost: $1000-$3000

Skill level: 3

22. Add a smart doorbell/camera

Technology has come a long way in a short amount of time. Smart doorbells with cameras are no exception. These gadgets make it possible to answer the door from anywhere. Whether you’re stuck in the bathroom or stuck in traffic, you can see who is at the door. The quality of the cameras have gotten so good in fact, that there have been many cases where doorbell cameras have caught crimes happening. Even better, they have helped lead to arrests!

Cost: $75-$300

23. Add seating to or around front porch

The worst thing you can do with a porch is leave it empty. Having nice good quality chairs for furniture on your front porch is a necessity. It gives a place to come relax or have a conversation with loved ones outside.

Cost: $300-$2500

24. Install or replace gutters

Think about updating or at least cleaning your gutters. It really depends on how old they are and how they are holding up. If the gutters are dilapidated then replacement is probably the way to go. Although, sometimes you can get away with cleaning out the gutters, power washing them, and only replacing downspouts. It’s also a nice touch if you can have the downspouts buried so the water runoff is not eroding any of the land around your house.

Cost: Installation or replacement $2000-$4000

Cleaning: $150-$400

25. Widen/extend the driveway with decorative pavers

By widening your driveway with pavers it serves two points. First, it is very aesthetically pleasing to the eye. Second, by adding a few feet on each side of the driveway it will make parking a breeze. Narrow driveways on a recipe for bumping into another car with your door or even worse backing into another car. Having a little bit of room to work with can go a long way.

Cost: $1500-$2500

26. Illuminate driveway and path

Lighting is such a critical aspect of curb appeal. Not only does it look nice but it also keeps your home and property lit up which will deter burglars. It’s pretty easy to purchase solar powered lights that you can push into the ground next to your driveway and paths.

Cost: $100-$300

27. Moonlight landscaping features (lighting downward from trees)

If you have trees in your front yard moonlight lighting is a really cool feature. It’s the opposite of traditional landscape lighting. What you do is reverse things. The lights go up in the trees and shine down. It has the potential of making people look twice… In a good way.

Skill level: $1000-$3000

Skill level: 4.5 (This is going to take an electrician and someone to put the lights in the trees)

28. Put a flag up

Get patriotic and put an American flag out next to the front door. You can install it yourself in minutes.

Cost: $50-$175 including a mount

Skill level: 2

29. Get a new front door

Next time you’re out for a drive look at homes’ front doors. It won’t take you long to realize what impact a nice door can make. The front door can transform the entire exterior.

Cost: $600-$4500

Skill level: 4 (A good handyman might be able to do it but you may need a contractor for more complicated doors and trim work)

30. Clean the debris from the gutters

No one likes to clean the gutters but it’s something that needs to be done. Maybe you’re lucky and have a high school child that will be up for the chore. If not, you can hire someone or suck it up, get the latter out, put some gloves on, and tackle the job.

Cost: Free to $250

Skill level: 3 (this does require ladder work so be careful or hire a professional)

31. Paint the fence

If you already have a picket fence out front make sure it doesn’t need an extra coat of paint. If it does, consider this to be a good time to change the color or make it look new again with a fresh coat of paint.

Cost: $3-$4 per linear foot

Skill level: 2

32. Use outdoor art

Yard art is a really cool way of expressing yourself at the same time adding some flare to the front yard and garden beds. You don’t have to go overboard but a few pieces will make a subtle impact. Just don’t put up an army of creepy gnomes. Ha ha.

Cost: $25-$1500

Skill level: 1

33. Add Flowers Along Your Walkway

By planting flowers next to your front walkway it will add a natural buffer and vibrant colors. Using plants to add that extra pop to the color palette of your front yard is the best way to go.

Cost: $100-$500

Skill level: 2

Conclusion

Curb Appeal can make a big impact on a home’s look and feel. By adding unique design ideas and personality to your home, you can make it more appealing and inviting for guests. By following these tips, you can create a beautiful, welcoming space for your family and friends. Once you have made the best curb appeal possible for your home all you have to do is enjoy it and maintain it.

The cost for each of these projects was compiled from first-hand experience and the following references: homedepot.com, bobvilla.com, homeguide.com, costimates.com, thisoldhouse.com, lawnster.com, fixr.com