How to Save Money on Home Renovations
When you begin the journey down the long road to home renovations, the costs to complete the job can add up quickly. Once you begin, it’s important to finish, or better not to have begun at all.
How, then, can you minimize your costs while renovating your home, while still achieving results that will knock your socks off? By following these simple tips, you’ll arrive at your final destination with your wallet, and your sanity, intact.
Homemade All the Way
The idea of building something yourself can be quite intimidating. However, while the process can prove challenging at times if you’ve never done it before, building something from scratch, by yourself, can be an incredibly rewarding and fulfilling experience.
Don’t be worried if it takes a little extra time to get the results you want, because you will most likely be saving thousands of dollars over having a pro do the home renovations for you.
Whether it’s a new table or a platform bed, when you are done with the project, and can take a step back to admire the work you’ve done, the results will be worth all the effort that was involved.
Mix ‘n’ Match
Don’t let yourself get caught up in the idea that everything you select to remodel a space has to come from the same price point. For example, if you select ultra-high-end cabinets for your kitchen, you don’t have to select the most expensive countertop material, as well. You can actually use this knowledge to create a premium look in your space for less.
For example, if you want to save money on your bathroom renovation, but still want a high-end look, consider going with an off-the-shelf standard built sink and countertop, but matching it with a custom vanity.
By using different price points for your materials, you will be able to mix and match your styles, ensuring you achieve exactly the look you’re seeking.
A Second Lease on Life
There are many home supply stores that stock surplus building materials that are brand new, but heavily discounted. Just because no one will recognize the name of the store where you purchased your building materials, doesn’t mean they’re of inferior quality.
With the discounts you discover, and the money you save installing the materials yourself, you might find room in your budget for some unexpected splurges as your home renovations project draws to a close.
What’s Old Is New
The saying that “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” is never quite so true as when you’re trying to save money on home renovations.
The fact is, even items that look like they’re beyond hope can be brought back to life with some solid preparation and a few coats of quality paint.
Once you’ve transformed the piece, whether it be a pallet for a living room table, surplus wood for a headboard, or an old lantern for a light fixture, no one will be judging you for dumpster diving, only admiring the beauty and originality of your renovated space.
Keep It Simple
The truth is, many of those complicated and intricate designs that cost a lot of money to create won’t age well. It happens time and again on home shows when people look at a house for sale and see a terribly ugly kitchen, only to have the realtor tell them that it was “once state of the art.”
That may have been true, but the massive investments made by the original homeowners did not pay off in the long run. Keep your designs and decor simple, and not only will it save you money, but the designs will likely also enjoy timeless appeal that won’t have future generations second-guessing your style sense.
The Joneses Have Left the Building
When you embark on a home renovation project, get over the idea that you need to, in some way, “keep up with the Joneses.” the quality of the final results of a renovation are entirely dependent on the level to which those results align with your original vision.
If you allow someone to alter your vision, simply because you’re worried of what someone else might think, you’re likely to end up disappointed with your results, because they’re not, ultimately, your results, but that of someone else’s ideas of what your results should be.
Besides, if your friends are spending more time judging you for your kitchen cabinet choices than they are spending enjoying warm fellowship with you, it might be time to find some new friends.
Category: Home Renovation
