20
Sep

Trying To Remodel On a Budget? Here Are Some Tips

Remodeling your home is a good investment, especially if you intend to sell it. Data from reputable flooring companies and bathroom remodelers show that bathroom remodeling, for example, offers an 86% return on investment.

However, while home remodeling is great, sometimes costs can seem prohibitive. This is especially true if you are trying to do it on a budget.

If you desire to remodel your house but can’t raise the entire amount as quoted, you can reduce the cost by being more involved in the work. Maybe you will even have some fun by getting into the thick of the remodeling process rather than leaving it all to the hired contractors.

If you would like to achieve any or both of the above ends, you need to use a combination of professional services and some DIY ingenuity. A caveat here is that you should be sure you have the necessary skills to do your part lest you mess up the work. The following are ways you can achieve this.

Have a Plan of Action

Much as we would like to save money and have fun, it is vital to admit that some things are beyond our ability. One of those things is producing a work plan that will give you a professional outcome. This kind of program usually comes through the collaboration of yourself, your flooring company, and a designer.

You have the idea of what you want your house to look like at the end of the process, but you may not know how to get there. The designer, on the other hand, knows how to do the design, but they may not have the hands-on experience to establish what is practical. A collaboration between the three of you will ensure that ultimately you get what you desire. Flooring companies, especially those that also offer kitchen and bathroom remodeling usually employ good designers. Even if there isn’t a designer in-house, companies often have connections with experienced designers.

Renovate, Don’t Replace

You should check through your house and agree with your contractor on what you don’t necessarily need to replace. If, for example, your kitchen cabinets are still sturdy, you may decide to unmount and paint them before reinstalling. This simple process will save you money that can be directed to other areas such as the counters.

Take the Painting Jobs

Once you have agreed with your designer and contractor on what you need to do, you can take the painting jobs and do them yourself. Most flooring companies prefer that the walls are painted before they begin working on the floor. This prevents the new floor from getting paint stains. For example, you can paint the walls of your kitchen as per the agreed design and inform the contractor when you are done. The contractor would then come and continue with the kitchen floor as you move on to start painting the bathroom walls.

Shop Around For Materials That The Contractor Doesn’t Offer

When people are too busy or unwilling to get too involved, they leave shopping for unavailable materials to flooring companies. This arrangement may turn out to be considerably more expensive than when the owner does the shopping.

You shopping for them, however, may save money. As the homeowner, you may look for the unavailable materials in places where a contractor wouldn’t have time to look. You may also know someone that had bought excess materials for their remodeling and you can buy from them at a discount.

If you are staying at home to supervise the remodeling of your kitchen and bathroom, it would be prudent to spend that time doing something constructive. Splitting some of the work with the contractor would be an excellent way to spend that time. You may be surprised at the amount of money you end up saving in the process.