Home Renovation

Renovating Your House on a Budget

Renovating your house can be one of the most rewarding and exciting moments in a homeowner’s life, and for good reason. What was once your house can now truly become your home.

People often get overzealous when it comes to house renovation. They have grand schemes for creating a house like no other, one that will satisfy all of their dreams. The only problem is that they often can�t pay for it. What they think will cover a full-scale renovation often only covers the kitchen. Between materials, construction crew, contractors and miscellaneous problems, the cost of renovating a house adds up quickly.

Here are five tips for renovating your house on a budget:

Look for recycled material

Salvaged materials often get a bad wrap. People don’t want what others have thrown out. They want their precious space to be sparkling new. What many people don’t understand is that salvaged materials are often better quality than anything they would find at a hardware store or supply chain. It’s like getting wood from an antique dresser instead of an IKEA one. Habitat for Humanity runs over 400 ReStores nationwide, which sell materials at half the price of normal renovation stores, and as an added benefit, you can tell people you are saving the world.

Contribute yourself

If you have some extra time to spare, try helping the construction crew with odd jobs that you can preform. It will save you money and most likely entice the crew to work harder, especially if you get to know them. Do your own demolition work, help with the cleanup process or do some plasterwork. You could save up to five percent on the overall cost by just helping out with the dirty work at the end of the day.

Donate trash

If you’re going to throw something away, you might as well donate it. According to Habitat for Humanity, nearly 85 percent of renovation trash is reusable. Most people don’t consider pickup costs when they think about renovation, but these small costs can add up quickly. By donating your trash, you will get a charitable tax credit and save room in a landfill, as well as the peace of mind knowing you helped out other people.

Consider less expensive alternatives

Believe it or not, you might not need that Sub-Zero refrigerator or brand new pine floors. No matter how much money you have, some things will be out of your range. Look at alternatives for materials that are not easily camouflaged, like cheaper wood, which can easily mimic more expensive types. Most people will never know the difference, and if they do, they probably will not look at your house any differently.

Don’t move the plumbing

If you can avoid moving any sort of plumbing, like toilets or sinks, do it. One of the biggest bills that renovators have comes from installing new pipes. You might not like that bathroom where it is right now, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get creative. Turn your bathroom into the kitchen, or figure out a way to expand a half-bath into a full one without moving things around. It will be worth it to you in the long run.

Patrick Rafferty is the marketing assistant for Brahman Systems, a Louisiana based construction company with a patented all-steel enclosed hose and cable protection.

 

If you want to find all your home renovation, you can also try Home Depot.

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