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Presenting Kukun's Home Lending Tool

We have a quick, easy, no-obligation home financing tool, aka a home improvement loan calculator or a renovation loan calculator, that allows you to review your financing options - all at the click of a button and without affecting your credit score!

We understand that the process of getting a loan through a bank can be really tedious. Our home lending tool, based on a home equity loan calculator, is here to speed up the process. After answering just a few qualification questions, generally taking less than four minutes, the home improvement loan calculator or renovation loan calculator will show you available home improvement financing options.

As with all of our tools, we take your security very seriously and have implemented the strictest information security measures when computing results through the home improvement loan calculator or the renovation loan calculator.

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What you need to know about home improvement financing

Home improvement financing helps you pay for your remodeling projects or expensive home repairs. With the required loan funds, you can even pay your remodeling contractor or buy supplies to complete the project.

And, you get to pay the loan off over an agreed-upon loan term, with the best interest rates. That's why, a home improvement loan is a boon if you don't have sufficient cash to pay upfront for any major home improvement expenses.

Keep in mind that making any upgrades to your home is usually a wise investment as it adds to its resale value significantly, apart from enhancing its comfort, style, and looks.

And that's when a home improvement loan comes handy — giving you financial assistance if you're unable to afford big property projects on your own. You can take the help of a good home improvement loan calculator such as Kukun’s free online tool or any other renovation loan calculator, HELOC calculator, or HELOC payment calculator to analyze your exact financial situation.

And, most renovations are pricey. For example, the average kitchen remodel cost across the United States is more than $23,000. The average bathroom remodel cost is around $21,000. And, a 16 x 20-foot wooden deck could cost you more than $14,000.

Your access to the best loans out there depends on your home’s value to a large extent. The more home equity you have, the better your chances to get favorable loans and interest rates. You can utilize a home equity loan calculator to find out what your house is worth.

When you're looking for home improvement financing, the first step is to look for the best loan options by comparing the interest rates, fees, loan terms, and other factors. And, how do you do that? Simple. Through a home improvement loans calculator that comes up with the most appropriate loan options.

A home equity loan, a home equity line of credit (HELOC), or a personal loan are some of the possibilities. A reliable HELOC calculator or a HELOC payment calculator will come in handy to make your decision easier.

Apart from these common types of home improvement loans, there are other options such as a cash out refinance, government-backed loans, funding through credit unions and online loan lenders. You can use a home equity loan calculator to find out the equity you have in your home. This in turn will help you zero in on the loans available to you.

The type of loan you choose depends on your financial situation, the estimated home value, and the scale of your home improvement project. The home equity loan calculator or home improvement loans calculator will help you narrow down the funding choices.

For minor projects such as wall painting, using a credit card might work but for larger projects, you may want to consider the above loan home improvement financing options. The first step is to get reliable results through a home equity loan calculator or a home improvement loans calculator to know your available loan options. You may find similar estimators such as a HELOC calculator or a HELOC payment calculator on the market. It’s best to do your due diligence and find out what works best for you.

A cash out refinance is a type of mortgage refinancing that enables you to cash out your home equity. That is to say, in a cash-our refinance, your current mortgage is replaced by a new one, usually with better terms and conditions.

The new mortgage exceeds the previous mortgage balance, and the excess is paid to you in cash. And hence the name cash out refinance.

The advantage of a cash out refinance is that you might be able to decrease your monthly mortgage payments, lower your interest rate, renegotiate the periodic loan conditions, add or remove borrowers from the loan obligation, and access cash from the equity in your house.

Simply put, you can pay off your current primary mortgage with a cash out refinance and pocket the difference.

Fortunately today, homeowners looking to cover their home improvement costs have a lot of choices. What’s more, the availability of online tools such as a home improvement loan calculator, a HELOC calculator, a personal loan calculator, a HELOC payment calculator, or a renovation loan calculator have made it even easier.

Having said that, we'll help you identify some of the best financing choices that will save you the most money.

Social Finance, SoFi for short, offers personal loans up to $100,000 to those with a good to excellent credit score. This lender also offers easy, no-fee student loans, student loan refinancing, home loans, and even small business financing. The best part is, there are no late fees and co-borrowers are accepted too.

  • Minimum FICO credit score requirement: 680
  • Loan amount range: $5,000 to $100,000
  • Repayment terms: 24 to 84 months
  • Better Business Bureau rating: A

The national online consumer lending division of the SunTrust Bank, LightStream offers a variety of loans and personal loans up to $100,000 at very good interest rates. You can use the funds for nearly any reason. If you're looking for home improvement financing up to $50,000, this online lender is a good option.

  • Minimum FICO credit score requirement: 660
  • Loan amount range: $5,000 to $100,000
  • Repayment terms: 24 to 144 months
  • Better Business Bureau rating: A+

Upgrade is another reliable online lender that offers personal loans and lines of credits across the United States. You can qualify for financing up to $50,000 and complete the entire loan process online.

  • Minimum FICO credit score requirement: Not disclosed
  • Loan amount range: $1,000 to $50,000
  • Repayment terms: 36 to 60 months
  • Better Business Bureau rating: A+

Prosper is a trustworthy peer-to-peer lending marketplace that offers fixed-rate and fixed-term loans. It lends to borrowers with fair to excellent credit scores.

The best part is that you can choose a repayment period of three or five years without worrying about the prepayment penalties because there are none. That's to say that it does not charge any fees for paying off your loan early. What's more, Prosper offers loan pre-approval with a soft credit check. Plus, joint personal loans are also available.

  • Minimum FICO credit score requirement: 640
  • Loan amount range: Smaller loans
  • Repayment terms: 3 or 5 years
  • Better Business Bureau rating: A+

No, it's not. If you have a good credit score, getting a home improvement loan is not such a grueling task. Moreover, an excellent credit score means that you could benefit from lower interest rates and better offers. And, you get to choose how long you want to take to pay back the loan. A borrower can try a good home improvement loans calculator to get the most favorable loan terms and conditions.

Here are a few steps that you can follow to start the loan process:

  • Check your eligibility for the loan you're looking at. Most home improvement lenders require a minimum credit score to approve your loan. The general benchmark is around 620 and above.

  • Review your credit report to check for any errors. Reach out to your credit bureau if you find any.

  • Work on improving your credit score by paying down your debt, before applying for a home improvement loan.

  • Determine the loan amount you need. Factor in some extra money for any errors or sudden expenses in your remodeling budget.

  • Get a good idea of the loan amount you may have access to through a reliable home improvement loan calculator, a renovation loan calculator, a HELOC calculator, or a HELOC payment calculator.

  • Choose your preferred loan term. A home improvement loan can be upto a period of 30 years depending on the amount and project. However, keep in mind that a long-term loan could make sense only if you're financing a large-scale renovation such as a room addition or a roof replacement. You shouldn't take a 30-year loan for minor home renovations such as flooring or kitchen cabinet replacement.

    Having said that, the results from your home improvement loans calculator will give you a better idea of the suitable loan term and rates for your situation.

  • Get prequalified with loan lenders to compare their loan rates and terms. Make sure the lenders only do a soft credit check, not a hard inquiry. It can pull down your credit rating.

  • Finalize the best loan option and get the money. With a personal loan, you can get the funds as quickly as the next business day after accepting the loan terms. A cash out refinance, on the other hand, can take up to 45 days.


The best way to renovate a house without spending much money is to become resourceful and only buy materials that add more value than their cost. That’s when a good home improvement calculator, a HELOC calculator, or a HELOC payment calculator will help you weigh your options.

Keeping the renovation costs low is as crucial for a homeowner as it's for a real estate investor who's flipping homes. The last thing a flipper would want is to go over budget and erode their bottom line.

  • Make changes that will add value to your home
  • Go for DIY projects instead of hiring labor
  • Or, trade and barter for labor
  • Borrow or rent equipment and tools
  • Shop around for the best bargains and deals
  • Buy only what you need, not what you want
  • Opt for second-hand goods

A home improvement loan with bad credit is always more challenging than when you have a flawless score. Most lenders have a minimum credit score requirement — usually of 620 and more. However, government-backed loans such as the 203(k) loans or VA loans have a minimum score requirement of just 500. So, you still stand a chance with a bad credit. Also, there are some bad credit home improvement loans and personal loans available on the market. You just have to do some research and apply for them. A reliable home improvement loans calculator can help you find the best loans available for your situation.

Keep in mind that your loan application may come through more quickly if you have good equity in your home. A home equity loan calculator will make assessing your home value easier.

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Best home renovation loans for 2022

You have a home renovation project on your mind. You've searched for inspiration, created a plan, estimated the cost, and found out the equity you have through a home equity loan calculator.


Now you are ready to set your project budget and check your financing options through a good home improvement loan calculator or a renovation loan calculator.



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