sweat equity

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sweat equity (countable and uncountable, plural sweat equities)

1. (idiomatic, real estate, business) An investment of labour, typically by the owner and often his or her family, usually in a small business or personal residence that increases the value of the business or residence.

   My wife and I have put a lot of sweat equity into our home: I did the renovations and she did the redecorating.

   • 1949, U.S. House of Representatives, Housing amendments of 1949: Hearing before the Committee on Banking and Currency‎, U.S. Govt. Printing Office, page 203:

     Mr. TALLE: His time and his wife's time in that article is called the "sweat equity".
     Mr. GRIGGS: Look at the fun they had doing it.