By Perry Groten
Keloland TV

Your home can be an important hedge against an economic downturn. But many families don’t have the money for a full-blown remodeling project to boost the value of their homes. Even a scaled-back upgrade can boost the value of your home.

During a tight economy, families are more likely to renovate their current home than buy a brand new one. You don’t have to go to the extreme of knocking down walls or tearing up flooring to make changes that can pay-off in the long run. We checked out some remodeling options to transform three important rooms in every home.

An outdated bathroom can be a financial drain on your home. So many homeowners are tapping into the green movement, installing appliances that don’t use a lot of water and saving money on their water bills.

“Steamers are more popular than whirlpools. Low-consumption toilets are obviously a big thing right now,” Buck Harte of Frisbee’s Plumbing & Heating said.

Frisbee’s says a bathroom remodeling project can start at $2,000. Kitchens are the center of family life of in home.

A simple remodeling menu here can include staggered cabinets and a split-level island.

“You never lose money on redoing a kitchen. That’s the first thing people are going to be looking at, at least the women anyway,” Nathan Wentzel of Dakota Kitchen & Bath said.

Bedrooms are getting bigger, becoming the new multi-purpose room. But if you don’t have the budget to turn your bedroom into a suite, even small changes can make a big difference.

“Always go back to the basics of having a lighter, neutral color palate, mirrors giving a lot more idea of space and light and reflection bouncing around, a more visual interest. If you can enlarge just your window, make that a bit bigger, that would help, too,” Michele Engelhart of Traditions said.

The simplest of changes can add more space and style to your home without straining your finances.

Traditions says many of its customers opt to remodel in stages rather than one major overhaul.