Seven Tips that Will Save you Money on Home Remodels
There are many ways to cut costs and save money when you want to remodel your house without cutting corners. Small savings add up to big money. Here are five tips that will help you save money on your next home remodeling job.
Natural Light
You can bring natural light into your home with “solar tubes” that funnel sunshine into the living space from the roof. These are much more cost effective than adding an expensive window, or lighting fixtures (factor in lifetime energy costs) and are suitable for any décor. They are ideal for windowless bathrooms, pantries and for above workbenches or desks.
Ceramic Tiles
Ceramic tiles can be used for flooring and wall covering. They are fire resistant and durable as well as easy to maintain and look like new for years. They are water-resistant and especially cost effective as flooring in the kitchen or bathroom. Ceramic tiles are less expensive than hardwood but more expensive than carpet. However, their solid surface does not attract dirt, pollen, dust mites and other allergens the way carpets do, so they offer a safer indoor air quality. They are easy to clean with a mop or sponge and add long-term value to the house.
Local Cabinets
It is quite often that you can save money by finding someone who makes and sells cabinets locally as opposed to searching big department stores. You would have to get a quote from the local store, but this could be a way to trim costs especially in kitchen remodels.
Don’t Move the Sink or Toilet
When renovating a kitchen or bathroom, leaving the sink and toilet in the same place cuts plumbing costs to zero. If either one needs to be moved, it gives the opportunity to upgrade the pipes at the same time. This may cost more initially, but it will save money in the long term.
Go Green
When renovating, look for sustainable and energy efficient alternatives such as solar panels, hot water heaters, energy-efficient water fixtures or even a home wind turbine. They need not be used to power the whole home, but, even if they give 30 to 50 percent of the total power, they will greatly reduce your energy bill. If your energy consumption is less that what you produce, you could sell it back to the power company and get a check in the mail instead of a bill.
Prefab
If your remodeling includes adding a new room, you can consider prefabricated construction for the addition. Today, prefab is light-years ahead of its predecessor. It looks good, is strong and energy-efficient. It is recommended to compare the prices of several prefab companies in your area and make sure they know the local building codes, have a good reputation and are cost effective.
In addition to entire rooms, you can also buy prefabricated granite slab instead of custom cut. Since genuine granite is usually through the roof, you can save a TON of money through this prefab option.
Appliances
Usually when it comes to a remodel, the appliances are also going to be updated to fit the new layouts of your various rooms. Some home re-modelers actually forget to seriously calculate this cost into their remodel and end up with a shafted budget as a result of appliance costs. Other home owners will pick out their appliances first without consideration of a floor plan to go around the appliance. It’s important to plan appliance costs ahead of time. You’ll want to consider the initial cost of the appliance the cost over the lifetime of the appliance.
Image Credit: Centura Tile of Edmonton
Category: Home Renovation
