Home Improvements: Top Projects Under $500

These home improvement projects may not be the most expensive, but it doesn't make them less important. Often, projects that cost less than $500 involve work that maintains and protects a larger home system worth tens of thousands of dollars. Unfortunately, these projects are also the ones that are most commonly neglected by homeowners, who imagine that they have plenty of time to get things done. Don't assume that inexpensive projects lack urgency.

Here are our top picks for home improvement projects under $500: