At a point in time, there might come a need to do some renovation in your home.
The need to renovate comes about for various reasons, a new look, family expansion, or even a lifestyle change.
To get this done, you can either call in an architect or interior designer after which they would give you a quote.
However, if you’re quite handy and you’ve got an idea of exactly what you want, you might as well join the team yourself.
Furthermore, this would help to save some money and you would derive maximum pleasure from transforming your home.
To help you along, here are 13 tips to renovate your home on a budget:
Get a Working Team
Your team would typically consist of an architect, a builder, and an interior designer. These professionals play major roles in the renovation process and this is where you shouldn’t cut down on cost.
This doesn’t imply that you should spend unreasonably, however, it would be wise to go with seasoned professionals.
Matter of fact, they might
end up helping you save money on unnecessary purchases or correct impractical
calls on your end.
A Clear Mental Picture
Before beginning to renovate, you need to have a clear mental picture of what the new space is going to look like.
If you picked your ideas out of a magazine or the television, that works just as well.
However, a clear mental
picture is vital as it would go a long way in determining your budget, required
exercise/workforce as well as the duration of time for which you would be
unable to access your home (in cases of extensive renovation).
Budget!
This is a no-brainer because to renovate on a budget, you need a budget first of all.
Once you’ve got the figures that you’re willing to part with, then you can begin to find ways to maximize the sum.
With a budget to guide you, you can easily get the job done without going out of your financial boundaries.
Your working team would
typically let you know what your renovation
project would cost.
Do Your Research
After getting quotes from the professionals, you want to engage, the onus would be on you to ensure that you’re not being charged excessively for materials.
Also, your research should include knowing what would be going where as well as finding the most durable versions of these materials.
If you’ve got the
time, you can always do this.
Figure Out the Work Scope
After you have come up with a realistic and made your findings, the next step is to determine what happens and exactly when it would.
It is around this time that you need to put your foot down regarding the things you need and others that are plain wants.
For wants, you can
relegate them to the bottom of the list until needs are met. Next, the work
involved should be scheduled in a manner that helps you cut excessive spending
best.
Start Early
Once you’ve got your professionals in place as well as the money required for supplies, have them get to work immediately.
There is no point dragging feet, hoping to cut one corner or the other and cut down on cost in the process.
And the earlier you start,
the faster they would complete their jobs and you would be able to go back into
your masterpiece.
Temporary Housing
If you would be doing a great deal of renovation, getting alternative accommodation for that period is advisable.
There would be a lot of noise with the comings and goings of the workers as well as dust and fumes and other substances that may constitute a health hazard.
Exposing yourself to this
is in no way a good idea and so you should probably budget for this as
well.
Some DIY
You can get some things done by yourself and this would help you cut costs. You'd be getting some hands-on practical experience too.
Time to get your hands
dirty!
Cutting Costs
If you want to stick to a budget and not exceed planned expenses, there might be some need for this.
No doubt you can do without certain materials or fixtures and this is where cutting costs comes in.
Consulting your professionals to know what doesn’t have to be bought should be done at this point.
However, ensure that you buy all the vital materials and you do not compromise on quality.
That’s the most
essential.
Reuse Materials
Renovation doesn’t imply that you should throw out every single piece of stuff that you previously had.
If you’re switching to an entirely different theme, there are still certain materials that would fit into this new scheme.
Provided they are durable,
and still functional, then you can integrate them with the new and save some
money in the process.
Sell Off the Old Stuff
Materials that might have to come off with the renovation and you would have normally thrown away can be sold to get some extra bucks.
Sites such as Craigslist or OfferUp are platforms that would allow you to get this done easily. This way, you have extra cash to include in your budget and you don’t have a clutter of stuff that you’re not using lying around.
And this implies more
space for new stuff.
Earn Rewards On Purchases
This tip is dependent on whether you use reward credit cards. If you do, use them to pay for materials and then pay off the debt immediately with your cash in hand.
This way you earn rewards without getting in debt.
Another innovative way to
put this rewards tip into practice is to buy gift cards from grocery stores
that give rewards for spending, such as a discount on future grocery purchases
or fuel.
Act As Project Manager
It is your project, so,
act as the manager. It comes with perks like deciding labor and purchases, so,
you’re fully in charge.
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