You’re dreaming of updating your home, but home renovations seem so expensive. With the average kitchen remodel costing $25,047, who can afford to start renovating?
While it’s true that home repairs and updates are expensive, there are plenty of ways you can save money with budget renovations. If you’re willing to do some of the work yourself, and you’re careful about the contractors you hire and the materials you buy, you can save a fortune.
Ready to learn more? If so, keep reading to find nine of the best ways you can save money on your home renovation projects.
1. First, Set a Firm Renovation Budget and Track as You Go
One of the main reasons we blow our renovation budgets is getting caught up in the excitement of the project. From upgrading materials on a whim to purchasing all-new furniture, costs can easily sneak up on you.
For this reason, we recommend setting a firm relocation budget and a spreadsheet that you can use to track all of your expenses as they come in. This helps you visualize how much you’ve spent and how much is left, which can help prevent overspending.
2. Do Your Own Demolition
If you don’t mind getting a little dirty, you can save some money by doing your own demolitions. It can help with your DIY renovations on a budget, since you won’t need to pay for a demo crew to come out and do the job.
However, always take extreme care if attempting to DIY this aspect of the job, as you don’t want to accidentally remove any load-bearing walls or damage any wiring or plumbing.
3. If You Can’t Add Size, Add Storage
If you’re thinking of a reno project, you might be thinking about adding square footage to your home. However, this can be much more expensive than simply remodeling your additional home.
As an alternative, think smarter, not bigger. If you can’t add size, try to reimagine the space you have, making it work more efficiently for your family.
Adding more storage, moving around walls, or adding more cabinets can give you a budget kitchen renovation that you’ll love, without breaking the bank.
4. Repurpose Old Items
Instead of purchasing all new benchtops, fixtures, and lighting, see if you can repurpose old items. You can browse thrift shops, see what you have in your garage, or even get creative.
There are plenty of ways to save money—for example, you can convert old pieces of marble or wood into a kitchen benchtop, which will be much cheaper than purchasing something from a home store.
Browsing garage or estate sales can help you find cheap second-hand materials too.
5. Connect With Your Contractor
When renovating, don’t forget to tap into the power of your contractor. They’re sure to have extensive networks in the renovation space and might know a supply store closing down, selling off their stock, or other special deals.
Or, they might have cut-offs—materials leftover from a previous project they worked on. Instead of buying new, they can use materials they already have, saving you money.
6. Brush Up on Your DIY Skills
Before trying any DIY projects, make sure you know what you’re doing! Home renovation and flipping reality shows can make home projects look easy, but the truth is that plenty of skill is required.
Many hardware stores offer weekend DIY classes, helping you learn the skills you need to complete your project safely. If you’re not able to do a class, do plenty of research online so you know how to get started.
This will help you prevent expensive mistakes and can also help reduce accidental injury to yourself.
7. Consider Hardwood Alternatives
For your renovation, you might be imagining gorgeous hardwood floors or cabinets, but this can be incredibly expensive.
However, the good news is that you can find plenty of alternatives to hardware, for a fraction of the price. Synthetic materials are just as beautiful and long-lasting, but much cheaper.
You can find vinyl, tile, or laminate floorings that look exactly the same as wood.
8. Don’t Relocate Items That Require Plumbing
One top tip is to avoid relocating fixtures that require plumbing, such as sinks and toilets. This will require huge amounts of plumbing work, at a high cost.
For a kitchen remodel, replacing your faucet and sink is a great alternative to moving it elsewhere. Check out either an undermount or a drop in sink, as they’re gorgeous and also add more functionality to your kitchen.
9. Search for Building Supply Auctions
A little-known way to find cheap materials is via building supply auctions. Auctions help you find amazing materials, such as overstocks, dented materials, or unwanted custom orders—they’re all in great condition, but much cheaper than retail prices.
Your contractor might be able to recommend upcoming local auctions.
Save on Budget Renovations With These Easy Tips
If you’re ready to transform your home into a modern, gorgeous spot, use these budget renovations tips to get started. With some creativity, you can update your home with the help of the right contractors, architects, and some DIY elbow grease.
Remember, always shop around first before buying supplies or hiring contractors, as you want to be sure to get the best possible price. Soon, you’ll be on your way to enjoying your gorgeous new home!
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