You want: A paint job
Usually costs: $10,000
Budget option: $1500
Paying a professional to paint a three-bedroom house costs about $10,000 - but if you're happy to do it yourself, the paint and materials will cost just $1500. To save more, head to a paint centre for tradies, like a Dulux Trade Centre, says Nick Panton from Décor Active. "Painters don't use top-of-the-line brand-name paint; instead, we use a professional trade range, which is still great quality - but 25 per cent cheaper."

You want: A new kitchen
Usually costs: $10,000+
Budget option: $1200+
Can't afford a brand-new kitchen? Consider buying second-hand. At websites like www.secondhandkitchens.com.au you can find kitchens that cost as little as $2000 and can be only a few years old. Or, if you can't afford to completely make over your kitchen, interior designer Karin Larssen** suggests asking a cabinet-maker to create new cupboard doors, or adding a coat of paint or new handles to existing ones. A new benchtop and ambient lighting can also make a big difference.

You want: A designer bathroom
Usually costs: $10,000
Budget option: $700
It's relatively easy to transform a daggy bathroom into something a little more livable, says builder Michael Dose. First, invest in some mould-resistant ceramic paint to revitalise or update tiles. Next, ditch the messy shower curtain and opt for sleek shower doors. "And, to instantly double the size of your bathroom, install a strip mirror along the entire length of wall and you'll be amazed at the difference it makes," suggests Dose. Alternatively, a splash of porcelain paint and a new seat can instantly refresh toilets.

You want: Wooden floors
Usually costs: $20,000*
Budget option: $7000+
As much as you might love Tasmanian Oak hardwood floors, genuine timber veneer floorboards cost $85 per square metre, as well as $3000 in labour costs to lay them. The cheaper alternative, says Peter Fisher of Floating Floors, is a good-quality laminate (floating) floor, which costs $35 per square metre - and you can install them yourself. (Otherwise, a tradie will charge about $2000.) If you simply need to revamp existing floorboards, save money by taking two or three days to sand and clean them, and ensure the nails are flush with the floor before you call in the professionals. To sand the floor yourself, hire a sanding machine for about $150 a day and buy floor polish from Mitre10.

• Prices based on an area of 200 square metres. **For more information, visit www.colourconsultant.com.au