‘First Time Fixer’ Reveals 5 Cheap Upgrades That Add $1M in Value to a Home

‘First Time Fixer’ Reveals 5 Cheap Upgrades That Add $1M in Value to a Home

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Chip and Joanna Gaines‘ Magnolia Network has just kicked off Season 3 of “First Time Fixer.” This time, we get to see what happens when novice flippers go pro.

In the episode “Third Time Fixer,” flippers Brittany Baker and Annie Hawkins return to the show to tackle a client’s investment property in Deer Valley, UT. Location-wise, this 1980s condo is the perfect ski getaway, but the decor looks dated and dark.

Hawkins and Baker’s clients have bought this home for $830,000 and plan to spend $150,000 on the renovation. Find out which upgrades Baker and Hawkins choose to add major value to this property, some of which you might be inspired to try yourself!

1. Never place seating in a dark awkward space

This home has a long entryway, and before renovations start, Baker and Hawkins find a large couch in one corner of this dark, awkward space.

“This makes no sense because all the views are in this other space,” Baker says, referring to the big windows in the living room. “No one wants to sit in the hallway.”

The flippers decide to replace this sitting area with a bar, complete with open shelving and a quartz countertop.

When the house is done, the feature looks great and it adds a lot of function to the entry.

“We wanted to make this a really purposeful, beautiful space,” Hawkins tells real estate agent Kevin when he tours the finished home. “And so we thought it’d be cool to do a dry bar. They can come in, leave their shoes, grab a drink, and then continue into the great room.”

2. Tile floors can look just like hardwood

While this home had some hardwood, it featured some carpet as well, so Baker and Hawkins decide to replace it all. They put down brand-new tile that looks like hardwood.

“We chose a tile because it’s really durable and it can withstand wear and tear from winters here in Utah,” Hawkins says.

The tile costs a pricey $25,000, but once installed, it’s clearly well worth the cost. This flooring will last for decades and makes the space look fresh and modern— and you’d never know it’s not real wood!

3. Quartzite/marble countertops offer durability and style

While the kitchen is undoubtedly dated, Hawkins and Baker realize that they don’t have the budget to get rid of everything. So they keep the cabinets and pick out new quartzite countertops with pieces of marble within. Although pure marble looks amazing, it isn’t ideal for a countertop since it can crack under a hot pot. Adding quartzite to the marbles makes it much more durable.

When the kitchen is done, the room looks more modern and natural thanks to the updated countertops.

“Bringing all those natural elements inside, that’s what we were going for,” Baker says.

4. Dark light fixtures add depth to a bright space

To finish the kitchen design, Baker and Hawkins install pendant lights above the peninsula. However, when they open the box, the lights aren’t the color they expected.

“This turned into a happy accident because we actually decided to paint them a different color anyway,” Hawkins says.

They spray-paint the pendants black, easily adding some contrast to this light and bright kitchen.

5. Paint, rather than replace, a stone fireplace

When it comes to the old fireplace, Baker and Hawkins would have liked to replace the dated stone, but they end up painting it white.

“We wanted to tear this down, but the trim was cut to accommodate all this rock,” Baker says, pointing to the molding on the ceiling. “This is a project where we have to be creative with what’s already existing and make it look like a million bucks. Literally.”

In the end, it’s a good thing these flippers kept the rock. The stone adds some texture to the room, and the new color brightens up the space. Baker and Hawkins save a lot of money by working with this old feature.

While Baker and Hawkins end up going $7,000 over their $150,000 budget, the place looks lovely. Real estate agent Kevin even estimates this home will sell for an impressive $1,800,000 to $1,850,000. Since the home was purchased for a mere $830,000, that’s a million-dollar upgrade—not too shabby for Hawkins and Baker’s first big professional flip!

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