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When you plan to remodel your home, the first thing you should do is create a budget for everything you plan to do. Your budget should be inflated by 20% to account for unexpected costs since remodeling projects rarely go exactly as planned. Your budget will allow you to get everything done without running out of money too soon. Additionally, you can keep your overall remodeling costs down by using these money-saving tips.
Less is More
When remodeling a room in your home, you may be tempted to knock out some walls or replace the standard door size with more oversized doors. Instead of making the room more extensive, look for ways to increase the efficiency and storage in the room. For example, replacing shelves with rolling cabinets will give you more depth for storing more items out of sight. You can also use dividers and lazy Susans to increase the amount of storage space in any room, leading to a remodeled room that’s still the same size but looks much more spacious.
Add More Natural Lighting
The first inclination in adding more light to your home may involve knocking out a wall to add new windows. However, that’s a much more complex process than you may think because it requires working around support beams. You’ll have to do much less construction by adding a light tube to the room. This involves slipping a light tube between the rafters in your roof and running it down to a hole in the ceiling for the room you want to remodel. Once you add a glass face to the ends of the tube, you’ll have a great source of natural light without taking on a larger construction project.
Visit Recycling Centers First
When you’re ready to start buying materials for your home remodel, visit area recycling centers before you shop at big box hardware stores. If you can find one of the 400 ReStores that Habitat for Humanity operates, you may be able to cut your spending in half. They sell leftover windows, doors, and other remodeling materials for up to half of what those items would cost in a traditional retail store. You can also find great deals at thrift stores and flea markets. These are great places to check out when you’re looking for rare historical moldings or fixtures.
Don’t Rely on Deliveries
If you own an SUV or pickup truck, you can buy a small trailer for about $400, which is at least half of the cost of paying to have all of your remodeling materials delivered. Just a few trips will have the trailer paying for itself, and you’ll get to keep the trailer for future needs. This is another hidden remodeling cost that you can significantly reduce with a bit of preparation. If you don’t own a truck of any type, talk to your mechanic about adding a trailer hitch to another vehicle you own. Just be sure not to exceed the vehicle’s towing capacity to avoid damaging the frame and suspension of your car.
Don’t Leave Everything Up to the Contractor
In figuring out your remodeling budget, you’ll have to account for labor, and that can be as much or more than the cost of your materials. There are some tasks that you can only trust professionals, and those tasks will probably make up the bulk of the work you’re having done.
However, there are some things you can do yourself to cut down those labor costs. For example, if you’re knocking down a wall and knowing how to do it safely, go ahead and get that done before the contractors show up. You can probably do the painting and other finishing touches yourself after the heavy work has been completed.
Doing some of the work on the front and back ends of the project can save you quite a bit on your overall remodeling budget.
You can also save money by talking to your contractor. Many people feel embarrassed about talking money with a contractor that they have hired. However, asking your contractor for tips on cutting costs can be beneficial. They may have leftover materials that they can give to you or sell you at a reduced cost. Talking openly with your contractor can help you save thousands on your remodeling project.