Published by Leonardo Calcagno
Home upgrade costs can inflate your budget if not well managed. That said, carefully planning your renovation could help save money. Whether you are making major or minor improvements, your project must enhance the value of your home without breaking the bank. Here are a few actionable tips to cut your home renovation costs.
- Have a plan and create a reasonable budget
Consider drawing a detailed plan for the remodeling exercise to control your budget. You may want to define the project’s scope and stick with those parameters. This way, you will accomplish a project that comes at manageable costs. Make a sound budget, and understand what percentage of your savings or total income would go into the project. You’ll find it helpful to do this
before you think about design choices. Additionally, accounting for unexpected expenses is also necessary when planning a home improvement budget. Experts recommend you reserve at least 10% of your budget for this purpose.
2. Pay with cash
Paying for your renovation project with cash is cost-effective as it helps you save a substantial amount of money; interest rates may increase if you go for a loan you can’t pay off in time. However, in case you’re renovating the property to sell it, taking out a loan might make financial sense, especially if the returns on investment are good. To increase your financial capability to pay in cash, you may want to trim your household budget and save enough money for the project.
3. DIY
This is one of the best strategies to cut home renovation costs. Homeowners who are not handy may be unable to erect drywall or lay tiles, but still, there are several tasks they can do to upgrade their properties. Painting, scraping off mastic on the floor, swiping up bathroom faucets, and upgrading the kitchen cabinets are a few things homeowners can DIY. Enhance your home renovation skills by using online resources like YouTube to learn new tips. If you lack the
right tools for the project, consider renting equipment from a local hardware store.
4. Increase the kitchen efficiency, not size
You don’t have to blow out your walls to increase the square footage when you can simply reorganize and modernize the kitchen for maximum utility. Prioritizing functionality over size will help save money. For example, consider replacing space-intensive shelves with cabinet-height pullout drawers with racks for canned goods. This will significantly increase horizontal planes for storage, saving money on needless additions.
5. Secure permits
Ignoring permits can prove an expensive home renovation mistake. Correcting design flaws can be overwhelming and financially demanding. If your renovation project doesn’t comply with local building codes, inspectors may force you to pull it down and start from scratch, which can increase costs.
Renovating your home is beneficial, but it is not without its costs. The last thing you want is to spend more than necessary and strain your finances. Therefore, take the right steps to reduce costs while embarking on this project. Hopefully, you’ll consider those discussed above for the best outcome.