How To Save On Home Renovations and Extensions

It’s a common perception that remodeling or renovating your home is a seriously expensive undertaking. But it actually doesn’t have to be. With some clever planning, you can find ways to get a good quality home renovation or extension without having to blow your budget. Check out our list of tips to get you saving while improving your home.

Create a renovation wish list

The first thing you need to do ensure you can stick to your renovation budget is to have a clear renovation wish list. Start by writing everything and anything you want to do to or change about your home. This can include big changes, like adding rooms or renovating your kitchen, to smaller changes like updating fixtures and fittings.

Once you have this master list written, you can then categorise each item into either a must-have work or a want. A must-have is something that will not only improve your enjoyment of your home but is needed to make or keep your home suitable for you and your family. For instance, adding an additional room could be a want if you’d like to have extra space for guests to stay, but it could also be a must-have if you are expecting a child and need a bedroom for them.

With your list categorised, you can then start to fit the tasks to your budget. Estimate how much you think you’ll need for each task and see how it compares to your budget. You may only be able to complete must-haves or you might have some money for a few needs as well. By following this system though, you can make sure that you use your money wisely and avoid picking a want over a need.

Don’t forget as you consider your budget though, you need to put some money aside for permits, labour and additional expenses. If not, you might find yourself over budget unexpectedly.

• Pick more economical materials

With strong market competition, there are lots of great looking and good quality materials that are less expensive than other options. This can be a way to save money without having to compromise on quality. For instance, you could use engineered marble or laminate to create the same look as marble without the big price tag.

• Don’t change the plumbing layout

If possible, avoid having to replumb your home. This means sticking to the existing plumbing layout. It can be very expensive to replumb an existing home. This may mean you need to be creative about how you renovate a bathroom, for instance, but there are ways that you can get the bathroom of your dreams without needing to change the plumbing around.

For instance, you may just need to update the fixtures or add in additional bench and storage space. Play around with ideas to see what you can come up with.

• Bear in mind long-term savings

Remember that spending a little more today can mean big savings down the road. For instance, green design can mean that you save energy for many years to come, which can then reduce your everyday expenses. This can include solar panels, rainwater tanks and even just LED lights.

• Structural versus cosmetic changes

If your budget is particularly tight, it’s often to best to go for a cosmetic fix rather than a structural space. This can be a more cost-effective way to give new life to the space. For example, you could replace the flooring in your living room from tired carpet to fresh floorboards and you may find that the space is now just what you wanted. Doing so is far less expensive than a structural change, like extending the room or opening it up to other spaces.

Think about what cosmetic changes could be what you need rather than a structural change.

• DIY for simple job

While you should leave the complicated and specialist jobs for the professionals, there are jobs that you and your friends can tackle over a few days or a weekend. This can include painting, fencing and landscaping.

By doing the work yourself, you only need to pay for materials and not for labour. This can mean significant savings for you that you can then use for other parts of your renovations.

• Improve space efficiency, not size

Extending you home isn’t always the solution to a cramped space. Before you try to increase the size of a space, take some time to improve the space’s efficiency. This is far cheaper and can be just as effective.

For instance, if your kitchen feels cramped, there are lots of ways you can use small spaces for storage, like have sliding racks between the fridge and the wall.

• Small investment for a quality makeover!

Renovations and extensions don’t have to be as expensive as you may think. Whatever your budget, use the tips above to get the most out of your money and get the renovations you want.