Do you have an eye for style but a zero in your remodeling budget? You're not alone. When Amy Funk, right, became the owner of a ranch-style home that needed a little TLC, she didn't have much extra cash, but she began a whole-house makeover-saving up for and completing one project at a time.

Amy has spent an average of $10,000 each year. "The value of my house has practically doubled," she notes, "but I have not put twice my investment into it." Read on for her advice about working on a house over the long haul.