DIY Renovation Guide | How to Transform Used Properties to Your Liking

Purchasing used properties and renovating them through DIY has recently become a major lifestyle trend. While newly built homes cost an average of approximately 36 million yen nationwide, used properties over 30 years old can be purchased for between 5-15 million yen. By adding DIY improvements, more and more people are obtaining their ideal homes for less than half the price of new construction. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism also promotes the circulation of used homes, and local government subsidy programs supporting DIY renovation are expanding. In this article, drawing on my experience supporting over 200 construction projects as a DIY renovation advisor, I will share knowledge to help beginners proceed safely and effectively with DIY renovation.

DIY What You Can and Cannot Do – The Legal and Safety Boundary

The most important aspect of DIY renovation is drawing a clear line between "work you can do yourself" and "work you should leave to professionals." Legally, electrical work (adding or relocating outlets, replacing distribution panels, etc.) requires a licensed electrician. Gas pipe work must only be handled by qualified gas company technicians. Significant changes to water supply and drainage pipes also require hiring a licensed plumber. Additionally, removing structural walls (load-bearing walls) directly impacts building safety and must be consulted with a licensed architect. Conversely, DIY work covers a surprisingly wide range of tasks. Wallpaper replacement, painting (interior walls, ceilings, floors), floating floor installation, custom shelving and countertops, doorknob replacement, tile installation, light fixture replacement (onto screw-mount ceilings), and shoji/sliding door repairs are all tasks beginners can attempt. Wall painting in particular offers excellent cost-effectiveness as DIY work – repainting walls in a 6-tatami room costs 80,000-150,000 yen when done by contractors, but DIY materials run only 10,000-20,000 yen.

Essential Tools and Materials to Start – A 20,000 Yen Starter Kit

Here are the basic tools to acquire when beginning DIY renovation. A cordless drill-driver (5,000-10,000 yen) is absolutely essential. It handles screw fastening, drilling, and mixing (stirring paint) with versatility. Makita or Bosch models are recommended. Next, the "measuring holy trinity" of a tape measure (5.5m), level, and combination square (try square) costs about 2,000 yen total. A utility knife, hammer, handsaw (replaceable blade type is convenient), and sandpaper (#80, #180, #320 grades) cost around 3,000 yen. Painter's tape, masking tape, and blue sheeting cost about 2,000 yen. Together, these items create a complete approximately 20,000 yen starter kit. For material costs, whitewash plaster runs 500-800 yen per square meter, paint finish runs 200-400 yen per square meter, and cushion floor overlay runs 800-1,500 yen per square meter. Getting a home center membership card provides 5-10% discounts, and tool rental services (e.g., circular saw for around 500 yen per day) can further reduce initial investment.

Recommended Work Steps for Beginners – Tackle by Difficulty Level

The secret to successful first-time DIY renovation is progressing through tasks from easiest to hardest. Step 1 is "wall painting." With proper masking, proceed with primer and then two coats of finish paint. Using a roller, you can finish painting a 6-tatami room's walls in half a day. Choosing bright colors like white or gray creates an effect of making the room appear larger. Step 2 is "cushion floor installation." Simply overlaying it on existing flooring makes restoring to original condition easy. Cut to match the room shape and secure with double-sided tape—wood-grain and tile-pattern designs offer abundant options. Step 3 is "custom shelving and storage." Using tension-mount DIY systems like Labrico or Diawall lets you install support columns without drilling wall holes, and placing shelves across creates attractive wall-mounted storage. Cost is roughly 5,000-10,000 yen per section. Step 4 is "wallpaper replacement," which is possible for beginners with pre-pasted wallpaper, but avoiding bubbles and wrinkles requires technique, so starting with smaller areas is recommended.

Subsidies and Support Programs for DIY Renovation

Some local governments offer renovation subsidies for used homes. For example, "vacant home renovation subsidies" are established in many municipalities nationwide, typically providing subsidies of one-half to two-thirds of renovation costs, with upper limits ranging from 500,000 to 2 million yen. Relocation-focused renovation subsidies are particularly generous, with some local governments offering upper limits of 3 million yen. Additionally, home loan tax deductions may apply to combined costs of purchasing and renovating used homes, with 0.7% of year-end loan balance deductible from income tax for up to 13 years. DIY-type rental housing programs are also expanding, where landlords permit DIY in exchange for lower rent and waive restoration obligations upon move-out. Building renovation skills in rental housing first, then progressing to used property purchase once confident, is also a wise choice.

The Right Mindset and Information Gathering to Avoid Failure

The most common failure in DIY renovation is "insufficient planning." Before beginning work, always create completion sketches, calculate material quantities, and confirm work procedures. YouTube and DIY specialty websites offer abundant construction videos—reviewing them repeatedly beforehand helps visualize the work. Home center free DIY classes are excellent opportunities to learn hands-on techniques, with facilities like Cainz's "CAINZ DIY SQUARE" and Kohnan's "DIY Lab" hosting regular beginner-focused workshops. Another important mindset is "aiming for 70% perfection." Demanding professional-quality results can stop you in your tracks. Viewing minor unevenness or gaps as "character" and proceeding with enjoyment is the secret to sustained effort. The beauty of DIY is that mistakes can be corrected—repainting a wall or reinstalling shelving only requires material costs and effort. SOROU.JP shares regional real estate information and living tips, so please use it as a resource from property search through DIY renovation to create your ideal home.