The day after closing on my first home I had a plumber tear out the troubled kitchen sink and install a brand-new model - stainless steel pipes and all. I have never regretted the expense. First-time homeowners purchasing already lived-in property would be wise to stash an extra $500 to $1,000 on top of the sale for similar essential repairs. Left undone, you may find the little problems niggling at your daily consciousness.

FACELIFTS.  For can-wait cosmetic projects, allow yourself time for daydreaming, planning, and budgeting. Experience your space, noting where sunlight flows into rooms at certain times of the day or where interior wallpaper, paneling, or paint remains an eyesore long after visual conditioning kicks in. If (like me) you're not especially handy, you will need to line up labor, best booked months in advance. Choose a block of time compatible with your own schedule. It's also smart to book workers for several projects at once rather than unsettling your abode intermittently.

Two and a half years of ownership elapsed before I treated my home to a minor facelift. Completed this past July (an amenable month for repairing and painting exteriors) by a reliable handywoman, the kitchen, main bathroom, central staircase, and elevated back porch all underwent a nip and tuck. Though the four sections required different repairs overall, each was freshly painted - "a fairly inexpensive way to redecorate your house," the worker told me during planning stages.

PANDORA'S BOX.  Unforeseeable glitches can unleash misery upon a home improvement project, whether due to time or expense. Remaining flexible can be a potent antidote. I tried embracing Buddhahood when the moisture-damaged bathroom ceiling needed a bigger replacement piece of Sheetrock and longer drying time, the staircase required tedious sanding, and bees nests had to be removed and planks replaced on the outdoor porch. Nor did I scrimp on replacing objects not worth fixing. I learned that a sturdy new screen door can improve attitude - at a cost of a mere $42.

REMODELING. For larger projects, such as remodeling a kitchen, you might want a professional opinion before contracting the work. Kitchen consultant David Goldbeck, author and publisher of the groundbreaking book The Smart Kitchen (Ceres Press, 1989), offers what he calls "design reassurance," presented from an ergonomic, environmental viewpoint. He'll look over preliminary sketches and help you make important decisions regarding layout and materials. "Architects aren't particularly interested in doing kitchens," he writes. "Someone who likes working in a kitchen and preparing food might better suit your needs."

FINANCING. Making home improvements a priority in your household budget can ease the stress of the undertaking. You might earmark your income tax return (my strategy), or, with interest rates at an historic low, consider refinancing or taking out a home equity loan to pay for it. If you refinance, debit remodeling and repair expenses to future savings. (The deal I took erased over $90,000 in finance charges over the life of my mortgage.) Meanwhile, some home equity loans continue to hold at 4 to 4.5 percent.