There will likely come a time in the length of your home ownership where certain renovations need to take place. Regardless of whether you’re trying to save money by doing minimal upgrades, if something breaks or needs repairing, you’ve just got to bite the bullet and get it done. Luckily, there are ways that you can make beautiful renovations to your home without spending an arm and a leg. To show you how, here are three ways to save money on basic home renovations.
Use Recycled Items
One of the best ways you can save money is to look for used or recycled items that you can now bring into your home. There are many places where you can get materials or other features that have been previously used but are still completely functional. With a little flexibility and the right distributer, this could be a great option for making a renovation on a tight budget. However, James Glave, a contributor to This Old House, shares that many contractors won’t work with recycled materials because of the potential liability. So if you want to go this route, you might have to complete the work yourself.
Forget About Size
When many people think about renovations, they imagine a space getting instantly bigger and creating more room. However, this isn’t necessary for many types of renovations, especially in the more expensive areas of your home. According to Sarah Lonsdale, a contributor to Remodelista.com, you can save money by choosing functionality over size when it comes to your kitchen and bathrooms. Often knocking out walls to create extra space can be very pricey. Since it not only requires the destruction of the walls, it also entails garbage collection like eagledumpster rental, which can easily cost additional dollars depending on how large the dumpster needs.But by simply reimagining the space with a focus on functionality, you can produce a great remodel without the hefty price tag of doing major work.
Plan Around Your Current Infrastructure
The renovation that will create the most expense is if you have to add or move plumbing or electrical work. According to Angela Colley, a contributor to Money Talks News, simply moving your kitchen sink to a new part of the kitchen can cost upwards of $2,000. Knowing this, working with what your home already has going for it with regards to plumbing and electric can save you a lot of money on your projects. But if you absolutely need to move the plumbing or get electrical rewired somewhere else in your home, be sure you call in a professional who can take care of this potentially dangerous work for you. While it might cost more upfront, it will save you from having to have the work redone if you don’t complete it correctly or get injured.
If you need to make some renovations but don’t want to spend a lot of money, use the tips mentioned above to help you figure out the best way to do this.