Home renovations are expensive and often go above the budget due to the human tendency to desire the best. Money is no object, unfortunately, to a few. Many have to work on a restricted budget.
Careful planning culminated by intelligent choices is the only way to save money during your home renovation significantly. Below are a few tips on the ways to achieve this.
1. Plan for the Renovation
Coming up with a home renovation budget is the first thing that you should do—the amount you allocate for the renovation determines your budget. Next, make your design choices and compile a list of the fixtures and materials required for your entire renovation. Then, proceed and attach a cost to the same. Get different quotes from the different suppliers you engage.
If need be, adjust with cheaper materials and fixtures to fit your budget. Cater for any unforeseen or unexpected expenses.
Do not forget to budget for alternative accommodation during the renovation. Allocate yourself a room within the house and work on it last. By doing so, you minimize the cost of alternative accommodation.
Stick to your budget to avoid spending money that you do not have.
2. Make Cash Payments
Decisions to renovate your home are often thought of over time. Plan and save well in advance before the commencement of the renovation. Loans and credit cards are usually expensive in the long run as you pay interest on them.
If you have to consider loans for your financing, go for cheap loans with a fast approval process and few requirements, such as personal loans.
3. Be Patient
Time plays in your favor—no need to rush. The best decision is the one that is well thought over. Do your renovation in stages. If you holistically do the renovation, you will have many design decisions to consider, and you might miss out on something that might eventually cost you.
Imagine having to dig up on a wall just because your brain was too preoccupied that you forgot on that lighting point. You will have lost money on materials, person-hours both for digging it up and fixing it again.
Working on a room or two will give you total concentration, minimizing mistakes. However, you are likely to experience challenges that will make you come up with ideas for improving on the other rooms. In case of financial emergencies, you will still be able to run the project with slight strain when you do it in stages rather than when you run it as a whole.
4. Be Hands-On
Wake up in the morning and clean up the place; remember that you must pay both skilled and unskilled labor you engage. Save on money by doing anything that you are competent on. Ensure you oversee the entire renovation, as employing a project manager comes at a cost. Use your project to gain more skills; trust me, they will come in handy at some point in your life.
Be careful not to get into problems with the authorities. Some tasks require certified professionals, e.g., electrical installations, installing load beams, etc. Don’t hesitate to hire an engineer, architect, or electrician
5. Re-use Materials
Instead of buying new items, save by re-using. Most of the materials you remove can still be modified or improved on and used; for example, you can reface and paint the doors to give them a new look.
Also, seek cheap second-hand materials from architectural salvage yards, auction yards, sell/buy/trade websites, and from people who recently renovated their houses. Check with factories for appliances with minor defects, scratches, and dents since they usually are cheap.
6. Target on Discounts
Research on times of the year when the organizations give discounts, offers, and gifts. Be patient and make your purchases during such times. You will end up making a deal and saving significantly.
7. Research Before Engaging Professionals
Before engaging a professional, compare from a number. Look at the rates and reviews and settle on one with a good deal. Also, compare the cost that comes with hiring a contractor versus hiring a professional for particular tasks. Go for the cheaper option.
Know when to sow and when to harvest; professionals are very costly and unavailable during summer as they are engaged in more significant projects. Engage them during winter when they are in plenty and have favorable rates.
8. Maintain Your Home’s Footprint
Try and do your house a minor surgery instead of a major one. Maintain the outline walls of your home unless space is of significant essence. Interfering with the walls comes at a hefty cost; for example, you must hire a professional, electricals and plumbing must be redone, add a beam or two, and so on.
Consider focusing on the wall finishes or the electrical and plumbing fitting to give the house a new look, making it cheaper for you.
9. Carefully Manage The Waste
Disposing of waste comes at a cost. Avoid unnecessary excavations as you will have to pay for the landfill lorries. If unavoidable, use the soil for landscaping your garden. Take your old fixtures, such as the kitchen cabinets, appliances, doors, hardware, etc., to the architectural salvage yards and auction yards from sell/buy/trade websites and sell them. Remember, you also benefited from them. You can sell unused metal parts to scrap yards.
Conclusion
Your home renovation journey should be an exciting one with sweet lifetime memories. But, avoid the bad memories by getting to your destination as planned. Avoid detours. Your budget is your guide; it will measure your success or failure at the journey’s end.
