When carrying out a home remodeling project, you want everything to work out according to plan. You want the whole process to be within your budget limits. However, unforeseen costs can come up and throw you off balance financially. So, how do you ensure everything runs smoothly without affecting your pocket? Here are 9 great ways to help stretch your home remodeling budget.
Plan Before Commencing Work
Planning helps you weed out the unnecessary parts of the project. Ask yourself questions and provide answers. What are your family needs, and how are they likely to change in the future? Should you add extra rooms or are the current ones enough? Will the current custom furniture still work once the remodeling is complete? Analyze every aspect of the project and do away with parts that only add to the expenses and not value. You will be surprised at how much you’re able to bring down the project’s cost.
Talk to Your Contractor
Communicating with your contractor helps to avert unknown and unnecessary expenses. Sit down with them and go through the home remodeling process together before they begin working. Make them understand the project from your viewpoint. Get to hear their views or opinions, too. Once both of you see eye to eye regarding the project, you will have taken care of the unknown costs that may have arisen.
Make Use of Existing Plans
Unless your home remodeling is not of the typical or standard style, avoid having a custom drawing made for you. Make use of existing plans which you can easily find with a little bit of research, or even better create plans using software online like Room Sketcher. The internet can be an excellent source of information on remodeling plans and save you money. However, if yours is a unique style, you will have no option but to have a custom plan drawn; which is completely fine, it’s better to spend a bit of extra money to ensure a smooth process, these things can be stressful after all!
Cater for Unexpected Eventualities
Set aside a part of the budget-not more than 20 percent-as contingency. You never know what unexpected costs will arise in the course of the project. It could be parts of the home that are damaged beyond repair and need replacing or pipes that get destroyed because they were not planned for. With money set aside for these unforeseen costs, your budget is not likely to be affected and will run until the end of the project.
Do Away With What’s Beyond Your Reach
Avoid going for what will harm your pocket. Settle for alternatives such as slate backsplash instead of granite. Bring down costs by combining materials. Have some of the rooms fitted with inexpensive floors such as tile and others expensive ones such as hardwood. The idea is to have a successful project without going overboard in terms of finances and if you’ve really got your heart set on something, then compromise for now and plan for it in the future.
Adopt a DIY Style
Do some of the work, especially where expertise is not necessary. Lay tiles or re-paint a wall with a new style. Ensure your work doesn’t interfere with that of your re-modeler, though, or it may end up causing conflict instead of bringing down cost. If you’re a professional in the field, you can even consider overseeing everything instead of giving the task away to a contractor.
Consider Refacing Rather Than Replacing
While replacing tiles and other parts of your home may appear to be the best option, it costs more than if you choose to reface them. Consider a bathroom with worn out tiles, relining it instead of replacing the tiles would be much cheaper. It would also cost less concerning labor since not much work would be involved.
Combine Tasks
Separate chunks of similar tasks cost more than when the work is done as one piece. Have this in mind when offering work to a contractor and have them combine projects that are identical. It’s not only easier for them but also saves you a lot financially allowing you to keep the money for additional projects in the future if things go wrong or even for another essential upgrade somewhere else in the home.
Ensure Permits are Available and Local Laws Followed
Your contractor should have the necessary permits. Without them, you could run into trouble and undergo costs you never anticipated. Home remodeling works have to adhere to set codes, and any deviation could mean you having to bring down all the structural remodeling work you had done. Be aware of this, and ensure the contractor follows what the law says about home remodeling. Ensure, too, that the fees the contractor charges you are inclusive of permit costs.
With these great ways to stretch your home remodeling budget, you’re assured of a successful project. What amount you set apart to cater for the process will likely last to the end. You will have saved yourself the stress of having to look for funds elsewhere to finish a stalled project.