Home Renovation on a Budget

Whether big or small, home renovation costs can quickly get out of control. Here’s how you can keep your renovation on budget.

Creating and sticking to a budget

Create a spreadsheet or a list on a piece of paper and include the costs of all the works that need to be done. Request free quotes from professionals to get an exact idea of the amount of money you’ll spend on re-tiling the bathroom floor or adding cabinets in the kitchen. It is only after making up the list will you see areas that are eating up a lot of your budget. Make adjustments on expensive materials, and if necessary, cut out items altogether.

First things first – be realistic.

Make a realistic plan or list of work that has to be done and honestly decide which one is for DIY and which ones are to be handled by professionals. For instance, hiring a pro for light demolition like taking down unwanted cabinets, appliances or tile work is not necessary. Unless you’re not really into DIY, take care of these little tasks yourself.

Don’t rush through things

Take your time to carefully and meticulously plan everything! Wait for that additional paycheck that is due next month before starting to buy materials. If you are aware of any future sales promotion on any essential construction materials, then hold back until the items are on a discounted price.

A step by step process

When renovating on a budget, it is always wise to tackle one room at a time. If you have started with the kitchen, don’t start work on another room before finishing. Even if you have to wait one more month to start work on a new room, do it. Proceeding step by step will prevent you from living in a house with unfinished rooms for months.

Reusing whatever can be reused

A practical way to save money is reusing old furniture, cabinetry and some appliances. Give them a touch of fresh paint or have them repaired by professionals before buying new ones. Items like kitchen cabinets and book shelves can be renovated on a budget. You can also look for used items on the internet to buy from people who are moving and want to get rid of their old, but still usable, materials.

Ask for help

Don’t hesitate to ask friends to help. If you know someone in the trading professional services, ask for their help and see if they can give you a discount or a package of all the work they can perform.