A home remodel is one of the hardest but most rewarding endeavours for any homeowner. It gives property owners the wonderful opportunity to upgrade, improve, and modernise their residences, and build their ideal homes that suit their needs and specific desires. All of this, without having to relocate.
And though home remodels help homeowners to avoid the rising costs of real estate, stamp duties, and other increasingly expensive costs of moving houses; they too, are not cheap.
That doesn’t mean that home remodels are not possible or should be avoided. Smart solutions that help you to create the desired effect within your specific budget are aplenty. And some of the best and simplest ways to save money while creating affordable home remodels are given below:
1. Plan ahead-
A good portion of unnecessary and avoidable expenses can be attributed to inadequate planning. Creating a comprehensive plan for the home remodel design, and the budget, along with a detailed timeline allows you to anticipate for the different aspects related to the renovation.
When creating a budget, remember to take into account:
- Costs of building materials
- Labour costs
- Specialists fees
- Additional fittings and fixtures
Similarly, your timeline should make allowances for the time taken to secure the requisite approvals from the local council and your contractor’s schedule. Ensure that all the building materials and fittings are on-site before the builders arrive to allow for a more efficient build.
It is equally important to allow yourself some leeway with regard to the budget and timeline in order to compensate for any unforeseen delays and expenses.
2. Keep it simple-
Though seemingly obvious, it is often harder than you may imagine. This is because it is very easy to get caught up in the latest trends and designs, making it harder to resist the lure of expensive and even hard-to-source materials.
Try to opt for readily available materials and designs instead of customised options. Similarly, choose manufactured materials such as laminate countertops and floor boards instead of their natural, and more expensive counterparts.
A clean, simple design, with emphasis on reorganising the existing space, can drastically cut down the need for additional items, fittings, and appliances.
3. Avoid replacing the existing furniture-
New furniture is, more often than not, an avoidable expense in home remodels. The versatility and resilience of most pieces of furniture allows you the option of reusing or even repurposing them.
As a general rule, if the furniture is in good condition, keep it! A coat of paint or polish can go a long way in giving older furniture a fresh look.
4. Sell what you don’t need-
Remodels are also good opportunities to reorganise your home and create more space. The urge to store old items and fittings in the hopes of using them in the future can be strong. But it can cost you in terms of expense as well as storage space.
Instead, selling what you don’t need on trade sites or even to scrap yards; or even donating salvaged items to organisations such as Habitat for Humanity, can help you create some much-needed space and even help cut costs that would otherwise be spent on storage.
5. Pay attention to the details as much as to the big picture-
It is easy to get caught up in the exciting design aspects of the remodel that allow you to play around with different colours and interior concepts. But at the same time, the basic structural framework of the remodel must not be forgotten.
Make sure the core aspects of the remodel such as the heating, wiring, and plumbing, are well-thought out and planned. These factors will eventually form the foundations of your interior design.
For example, the placement of the switches and sockets determines the location of many appliances, and therefore, could impact the efficiency and flow of how a room is used.
It’s also best to not alter the positions of any major fixtures like the toilets and sinks, as these will require a change in the positions of the plumbing lines as well. And this could significantly increase the cost of the project.
Similarly, reconsider breaking down any load-bearing walls to avoid additional expenses such as the installation of load-bearing beams.
And make sure you measure twice and even thrice! A single appliance jutting-out from its predetermined location could be the undoing of a months-long remodel.
6. Focus on energy efficiency-
Though the initial expenditure for a smarter, and more energy-efficient home can be significant, the savings in the long run can help offset these costs.
Some of the simplest ways to do this is by increasing your home’s insulation, replacing energy-draining appliances, and installing additional energy sources such as solar panels.
All of which help cut down on your overall energy bills. And over the years, could lead to substantial savings.
7. Hire the professionals-
As tempting as it may be to DIY a home remodel, particularly when looking for cost-effective solutions, it never pays to overlook the experts.
Simply put, the costs of revising any design flaws and basic structural errors that may be made, is far more expensive than the cost of hiring the professionals.
Not only that. The best ideas to cut costs and save on unnecessary expenses come from the experts! Their extensive knowledge and experience mean that they have invaluable titbits of information such as the best materials to be used, from where they can be sourced, the most efficient placement of fittings and fixtures, and much, much more.
Hiring a professional team allows you access to this trove of information that could ultimately be the difference between a successful remodel or an expensive mistake.
Conclusion
A home remodel is a significant undertaking which can drastically improve the quality and value of your home. However, there are still many homeowners who view home remodels as costly projects.
This need not be the case. Home remodels and refurbishments can be done cost-effectively while still maintaining the quality of the build. This is because there are several methods and approaches by which property owners can upgrade their homes, without compromising on the beauty and integrity of the structure.
And fortunately, most builders and architects are well-versed in creating truly incredible remodels within specific budgets. This makes home renovations valuable investments, which are well worth the cost.
Dreaming of the perfect remodel? Worried about staying within budget? Contact the incredible team at Good Design and Build today!
We specialise in creating the best remodels and the ultimate renovations that come backed by warranties. Best of all? We even offer free itemised quotations, and easy payment plans to make sure that there is nothing stopping you from designing and creating your ideal home remodel.
