DIY projects have that funny habit of always ending up WAY more expensive than you first thought. Our playhouse makeover didn’t get completely out of hand – but it was more than I had estimated.
Today we’re breaking down the true cost of this fun cedar playhouse hack.
$250: The Playhouse
Obviously this can swing your budget quite a bit. On one end, you have the Timberlake for $150, and other options go up from there. I’ve seen some outdoor houses with swings that can be more than $2,000! We’re assuming a standard playhouse in our budget, at about $250.
Tip: We suggested the playhouse as a shared Christmas gift from our family. We all chipped in a little and that’s what she “opened” on Christmas morning instead of gifts from grandparents.
$100: Paint
We purchased two gallons of BEHR Exterior Paint + Primer, one white and one black, for $35 each. I also picked up three cans of spray paint (gold, black, and white) and a can of sealer for $6 each.
You can save a lot by painting the playhouse all one color or skipping the spray paint on the kitchen things (honestly, we still haven’t gotten around to painting the kitchen pieces ourselves!). Painting the door would only take a quart of paint, so your total would be $55 for 1 gallon + 1 quart.
$50: Painting supplies
Our garage renovation was happening at the same time and I didn’t want to dig in storage for our brushes and drop clothes so I purchased new. We love these reusable drop clothes ($18) so much more than plastic. I also picked up a new brush ($11) and a half roller with four extra roll covers ($13). Two basins to pour paint in were another $2 each. If you had these supplies on hand, you could skip this entire part.
After spending about 2 hours brush painting the playhouse, I swapped to a paint sprayer and wow, never going back! My father-in-law graciously let us borrow his; we’ve since purchased our own for less than $100.
Our total came to $400, plus accessories – but most of the paint supplies (including the paint itself – we have a half gallon of each left) still have more uses in them.
Planning your own playhouse makeover?
We’ve got a round-up of the 5 Best Playhouses for your Playhouse Makeover, or you can read more about our project in our Playhouse Makeover archives.
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