Shave Hundreds of Dollars Off Home Repairs with These Tricks

Shave Hundreds of Dollars Off Home Repairs with These Tricks

Regardless of your budget, you can easily get out of reach the cost of home renovation! So here are some ideas that can help you achieve and maintain a home and budget-friendly renovation. Check out the seven tricks to shave hundreds of dollars off on home repairs

Trick # 1 Creating and maintaining a budget

I wanted to talk about what “Budget Overhaul” entails before we get started. The word “budget” doesn’t mean cheap. If you spend money, it’s a good idea to know how much of you’ll be spending or saving from your total income, whether it’s just a meal out or something large like a new stove. When you plan to do your homework, I recommend that you start with a dollar amount that you can spend before you start making design choices. You can then value fixtures and supplies and start to gain an understanding of what is going to work with your budget and what is not going to work.

I recommend creating a spreadsheet when you start your project and just add everything you wanted to buy. To get quotes for materials and labor, you can make calls and even add taxes to your budget papers. With the development of your spreadsheet, you could easily see what’s taking up a lot of your budget. By then you can make adjustments by selecting less expensive materials and deciding to remove things entirely.

It is a good idea to prepare for unexpected expenses when you make a budget for your project. Some suggest you reserve 10% of your budget for flexibility, but it’s up to you to choose!

Trick # 2 Pay

It may sound simple, but paying for your project with cash that you already have will save you a substantial amount of money that you would end up paying in interest if you take out a loan and put things on a credit card that you can not pay off immediately. If you are renovating to sell your home, it makes financial sense to take out a loan when you know your investment will be returned and the loan will be easily paid off. But in general, it’s the best way to pay in cash. If you can’t afford it now, begin thinking about ways you can trim your household budget to save money for your project.

Trick # 3 Hold your horses

It’s not always a bad thing to wait for the capital to be restored, but time is your friend when planning a renovation! When you have the money, it can be tempting to skip and renovate your home at once, but when you’re factoring in too many things, it can be daunting to make such good and coherent design decisions! You will most likely regret some of the choices you make when you rush things.

I suggest that you start with one or two rooms and finish them before moving to other areas. Prioritize and do the most intensive task, otherwise, it can drag on for years! You won’t have to live in a house full of unfinished rooms if you pressure yourself to complete one plan before starting another. Also, from a budget point of view, starting with just one or two rooms is smart because if you run into unexpected expenses, you can handle them without having to stop working, withdraw a loan or make huge compromises in other areas.

Planning a project is half the fun. So take your time to look at every detail and when you’re unsure about your decisions, you can easily back out and you won’t waste time and money later.

Trick # 4 Do it all by yourself

This is, of course, one of the most effective ways of saving money during a home renovation. If you say, “I’m not smart, so I don’t have this trick.” well, think again! You may not be able to install drywall or even feel comfortable laying tile, but there are some things you can do before a crew arrives to prepare your room.

If you have mild DIY skills, and you want to take it a little bit, now is the time! YouTube is a friend of yours. Your determination is your greatest asset as long as you have the ability to learn a new skill and take your time to do it right. If you don’t have the necessary tools, renting them from a local hardware store will still save you a lot of money, as opposed to paying someone to do the job for you. Furthermore, the dates of the rental tool are great motivators to complete a job!

If you are going to do a lot of work yourself, be mindful that if you are not insured, such as electrical work and moving utility lines, there are things you should not do yourself. If you are sufficiently skilled in a job such as tearing down walls or building load-bearing beams, be sure to get permission. This will prevent you from getting into trouble, as well as protecting your home’s potential occupants.

Trick # 5 Materials recycle

The biggest way to saved money is by reusing cabinetry and some appliances. If you need more than paint and new hardware to be satisfied with your cabinet doors, be mindful that by refacing doors to change the style can still save you a lot of money.

Even if there’s nothing pre-existing in your room that you can recycle, you can purchase furniture and fixtures from salvage yards, Habitat for Humanity ReStores, and even buy material auctions. Don’t forget to buy/sell/trade websites as well! Sometimes people move and need to quickly sell perfectly fine appliances. You might end up finding a load of leftover lumber from the project of someone else.

It can be a lot of fun to look for recycled materials and add so much personality to your project. Plus, in saving money, you are helping the planet!

Trick # 6 High and low-end materials mix

Get the most bang for your buck by spending more on items like quartz countertops or a statement stove, but reserve funds in other less impactful areas. This is a balance that you’re going to have to figure out for yourself, as it varies so much depending on your project and style. 

Find your own balance, but don’t make the mistake of using an appliance to go too fancy just to install cheap Formica countertops. The key is finding equilibrium, not extremes.

Trick # 7 Before making big purchases, wait for sales

These are times of the year that are easier to purchase certain big-ticket items like American home holidays, Black Friday for computers and power tools, and the end of summer for outdoor furniture and lawn care items. Search for the right time to make your purchase, and don’t let your impatience take you away from having a great deal. And don’t forget to buy appliances or floor models for scratch-and-dent!

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