Tips for Renovating Your House on a Budget
Maybe your house-hunting was successful and you found your dream home but now you still have to make renovations before you can move in? Or you have been living in your home for quite a while and it’s time for renovations but you don’t have that much to spend. No worries – we’ve got you covered with this list of helpful tips for renovating your house on a budget. These suggestions will not only help to increase the market value of your house but will also make it a much more comfortable place to live in.
- Draw up a Fixed Budget – Be Realistic
It is important that you draw up a budget before you start renovating and stick to it. You should make a realistic estimate – try not to over or underestimate it. Try to make a middle-of-the-road estimate instead of the most affordable options.
The budget is to help you feel well-prepared and comfortable during the entire renovation process. If you draw up a realistic budget and realize the amount is too expensive, you can always hold off on renovations until you have saved enough money.
- Think about the Big Picture
Before you start, consider which renovation will make the greatest impact. This could be painting the walls, replacing flooring, lighting or appliances and furniture.
In addition, you should also think about which smaller changes can make a big difference. For instance, replacing the rugs and curtains can entirely change the look of a room without the need for remodeling. Changing or painting the surfaces of cabinets can entirely change the look of your kitchen. Try to make repairs instead of replacing items around your house as long as it makes sense in terms of time and materials.
- Research Low-Cost Options
Take advantage of classified sites like Locanto. Make the most of online shopping, thrift stores, and second-hand furniture shops to cut down on costs. If you take your time and shop around you can find the same or similar articles for better prices. This can save you a considerable amount of money, especially for your kitchen and bathroom.
If you need some bigger tools just for some of the tasks, it might make sense to just rent the tools for the duration of your renovation project.
- Hire Professionals for the Important Jobs
Maybe you think you can save a lot of money by doing all the necessary electrical, plastering, plumbing and structural work yourself. But unless you are really skilled and qualified in these trades you should know your limitations – the risks far outweigh the rewards. Get at least three different quotes from professionals and ask around in your circle of friends if they know a good expert.
- Invite Friends and Family over for the Easy Jobs
Why not invite over some of your loved ones, have a few drinks and pizza and then get cracking on the renovations. Here are some ideas which can easily be done with a group of people:
- Painting
- Fencing
- Landscaping
- Stripping and polishing the floorboards
- Simple tiling work
- Setting up a flat pack kitchen
- Brush up on your DIY Skills
To get started with DIY (do it yourself) you only need practical knowledge and some basic tools. Both of which can be picked up from any good hardware store. You can check online if there are upcoming courses in your community.
There are also plenty of DIY resources on the internet, such as how-to-guides, forums, YouTube videos and more. If you have someone in your circle of friends who is into DIY or even qualified in a trade you should ask them if they could give you a few pointers.
- Look into Renovations that can Yield Long-Term Savings
When pressed for time and resources you should always consider to look into renovations that preserve energy and cut down on costs, leading to possible long-term savings. These include:
- Solar panels
- LED lights
- Rainwater tanks
- Good insulation
Here, the goal is to spend your money in a way that you have a high return on investment.
- Reuse Old Materials
If you do some major renovation work involving demolition, then chances are good that you will end up with some old bricks, roof tiles and slates. If they are still in good condition you can certainly reuse them. This will also help the new construction to blend in with the old.
We hope that you found these tips useful. When it comes to renovating your house on a budget it’s important to go into it with a clear plan and budget in mind. Consider what will make the biggest impact to give you the greatest return on investment. When looking for tools, materials and furniture, take your time to shop around and find the best deals from classified sites, thrift stores, online shopping and second-hand furniture stores. While you can do many easier tasks with the help of friends and family you should definitely hire professionals for the more critical tasks such as electrical, plastering, plumbing and structural work. Brush up on your DIY skills – take a few courses or asks friends if they can give you some advice. Think about renovations that will help you preserve energy and cut down on costs and try to reuse old materials, when able. We hope you will have a great success with your renovation projects.
About the Author
Eduard Lerperger is a Marketing and Communications Specialist for askalo – the free classifieds search engine. He writes about jobs, homes and cars and helps his readers to make life’s big decisions easier.
