If you’ve come across this post, the chances are looking to save a few bucks while renovating your house and don’t know how to make that possible. Well, you’ve come to the right place, I’ve successfully guided many people through their renovation journey, and it’s always worked out as a gem.
Renovating your home can seem like a daunting task at first, but it is quite doable if you plan and go down a proper path. Depending on how you get started, you can save a great deal of money along the way. All you need to do is sit down and map things out before you start making decisions.
Mentioned below are six ways to make sure you don’t break the bank when you start renovating your home.
Allocate a budget to each task:
The first thing that you need to do is to determine the total budget that you have. Do you need to make decisions such as are you ready to pay for everything in cash? Or are you going to take out a loan? If so, then what kind of loan are you looking for? And why kind of interest rates are you willing to pay?
These questions are important, and you need to address them before you get started. Once you know the amount you’re willing to spend on the project, you then have to divide that amount amongst rooms or tasks.
Remember that this part of the task is bound to take up some time; you need to be patient and ensure that the financial matters are all taken care of before you get started. I’ve seen many people get started on their renovation project without budgeting and end up in a messed up financial situation halfway through. You wouldn’t want that to happen to you now, would you?
Create a plan of execution:
Once you’ve decided on a specific amount, you then have to create a plan of action. It would be best if you planned which room you’re going to renovate. Once that is done, sit in the room, and write down all the things you need to change.
Then start numbering them in an order that dealing with one does not mess up the other. You wouldn’t want to find out halfway that you messed up the order now, would you?
Pick up some DIY projects:
Another way to save a few bucks is to pick up some DIY projects where you can. Granted that not everything can be done on your own, you should try to take on some tasks such as painting and polishing. While you might not think that you’re up for the task or that you might do it wrong, watch a few YouTube videos, and you’ll be ready.
I know that because I’ve done it, and my walls turned out to be great. Not only did it save me the amount of money I would’ve given to someone else, but it also added a personal element to the room.
You can also get some friends to help you out. All you have to do is buy them some pizza, and you can get some work done without spending too much money.
Try to salvage old things:
You should also try to salvage old things; for example, if you like the old cupboards, try to use them, you can go for old fixtures, you can salvage wood from old furniture, sell things you don’t need on eBay, and use the money, etc. There are thousands of possibilities that you can go for; it all depends on the vibe that you want to have in your house.
Apart from that, it would be best if you kept in mind that you shouldn’t go furniture shopping beforehand. Just because you’re making changes in your house, that doesn’t mean that you have to change all the furniture in one go too.
For example, when I came across a Blue Rhino griddle vs Blackstone griddle post on the internet, I knew I had to get one for my backyard but, I had to decide to wait till the end and see if it can fit in my budget or continue using my old grill for a few more months.
Look for sales:
Another smart thing to do is to look for sales. It would be best if you tried to shop for your renovating essentials in the offseason so you can get great discounts.
Granted that it will mean you’ll have all the essentials in your storage for a few months, but it is worth it; you’ll save half the amount you otherwise would have spent.
Know when to get help:
Last but not least, know when to get help. I’ve seen people get excited and try to do everything independently; in 90% of the cases, it has always ended up in a disaster. While painting and cleaning up might not require certain expertise, plumbing, and structural changes do.
You can’t learn how to do that by watching mall tutorials. So, rather than wasting your money, hire help whenever you think something is hard.
However, make sure that the person you chose has a credible reference and is a trustworthy person. Renovation means that the person will be on your property; you wouldn’t want someone shady on your property now, would you.
Try asking friends and family for recommendations; this is not an expense that you want to make again and again, so choose wisely.
Final thoughts:
Now that you’ve crammed up on a few money-saving tips, I reckon you get started. Know that you are your boss at the end of the day, and you need to keep yourself in check. Granted that sometimes sticking to the budget might seem a little hard, it is for your own sake that you made it in the first place.
You should keep in mind that renovating your home is a serious task, and you need to make sure you are fully committed to it. If you do it properly and with care, renovating your house can pay off, especially if you plan to sell the place down the lane.
Bio: This post is written by Andrea Smith. She loves traveling, home decorating and hanging out with her friends. She is currently a student of Interior Designing at the California Arts School. She regularly writes blogs at https://homeaddons.com/.
