My family and I have lived in our current house for a little over 10 years and it's time to freshen it up a little bit. The primary suite is where we spend a lot of time. It's where my wife and I sleep, but it's also where I read, where we fold laundry, and where we play card games with the kids. It's also low-hanging fruit for some improvements.

We don't want to spend a ton of money on renovations. The houses in our neighborhood are all of pretty consistent value. If we plow a lot of money into renovations, we are unlikely to get it back in the future. However, money isn't the only return here, there's also the enjoyment of living in a pleasant environment.

To keep costs low, I want to do a lot of the work myself, including the design and construction. I'll defer to the experts on electrical and plumbing, but I think I can do the rest myself. Using a contractor to just get things done isn't off the table though.

To renovate the primary suite and the hallway leading to it (which is, technically, in the primary suite). Things that are out of scope for this project include renovating the attached bathroom and the walk-in closet.