Ways to Cut Budget on a Remodeling Project

For most homeowners, money is a powerful motivator. Unfortunately, financial realities often dictate whether or not it’s feasible to complete a remodeling project of a certain size and scope. If you’ve thought about updating your kitchen, finishing your basement, or adding a new office or play space above your garage, chances are good that you’ve thought long and hard about making sacrifices in exchange.

Then again, you might not need to make major sacrifices to keep your remodeling project on budget. Instead, finding multiple small ways to trim down your budget might enable you to make all of the big purchases that your vision demands. As you get deeper into your remodel, be sure to keep the following budget-cutting tips in mind.

1. Take Advantage of Sales

It’s important to note that there’s a clear difference between thriftiness and cheapness. In fact, many a remodeling project has been derailed by budget-minded homeowners who skimped on quality materials. As you take steps to control your project’s cost, be sure not to cut the wrong corners by buying second-rate materials.

That said, it’s entirely appropriate to take advantage of clearance or going-out-of-business sales at your local hardware or home improvement store. If you can get high-quality materials and tools at a fraction of their regular cost, you’ll do yourself a huge favor and make it far easier to afford the centerpieces of your remodeling project.

2. Don’t Overextend Yourself

While you might naturally want to save money by tackling your entire remodeling project on your own, don’t do so in a way that jeopardizes its success. If you’re merely installing a new row of shelves and cabinets in your playroom, you may be able to avoid hiring a professional. However, a project that involves complex electrical or plumbing work will undoubtedly require a professional plumber or electrician. You might also want to seek professional help before knocking down any structural walls. Although this might cost more in the short term, it will save you from having to deal with a costly emergency midway through your project.

3. Re-Appropriate Old Furnishings

While you shouldn’t leave an outmoded cabinet set in a kitchen that you’re trying to modernize, you can certainly use old fixtures and furniture in new places. For instance, use an old kitchen cabinet to create a new base for your sink. Since it has a built-in storage space and plenty of room in which to install the proper plumbing equipment, you’ll kill two birds with one stone. Of course, don’t forget to finish the wood and install a fashionable sink basin.

4. Use Original Wood

This is an easy and fun way to save a boatload of money. Instead of chucking your old doors and window frames, use them as the raw materials for new fixtures and furniture. For instance, you can turn an old window into a coffee table and transform a door into a picture frame or piece of wall art. In fact, there’s so much that you can do with old windows and doors that we’ve devoted entire blog posts to the subject.

Whether you’re tackling just one wall of a single room or an entire floor of your house, your remodeling project is likely to encounter at least a few snags before its completion. By making sensible budget cuts and stretching you dollars further, you’ll ensure that you’re prepared to deal with these issues as they arise. The end result will be a rewarding, professional-looking remodeling job that will leave your home looking better than ever before.