Contributed post
If you’re thinking about renovating your home, you may be put off by how expensive it can be. After all, everything has to be done properly, you have to purchase the building supplies, and it can take over your life and your finances for quite some time. However, there are many ways that you can renovate your home without splashing the big bucks, and these simple tips should help you to say hello to your brand new home interiors, and goodbye to those worries about money. Read on if you’re looking for a new lease of life for your home, on a budget!
Try your hand at a bit of DIY
There are many home renovations that you can do that don’t cost you a lot of money, because you don’t need to bring any professionals in to do the work. When it comes to things like painting, this is certainly a job that you could do yourself, and it can actually prove quite therapeutic to spend a few days doing up your home with a trusty paintbrush. Every time that you walk past the walls that you’ve painted, you’ll be admiring your handy work, and it enables you to feel like you’ve really contributed something to the look of your space. If you want to save the cash, you need to learn a few new skills, and put them to good use.
No need to throw out the old…
Another thing that we so often believe about home renovation is that we have to throw out our old things, and that there is nothing that we can do about this as we feel like we never want to see them again. However, there are things that you can do with this furniture (and other interior items) such as painting them a different, and lighter color, and giving them a new lease of life. For example, why not try to polish up your floor tiles and work surfaces, instead of throwing them away?
Sell your old things
If you really want to get rid of those things in your house that you’re not too fond of anymore in order to make room for your new renovations, why not try to sell them instead of just throwing them out? They could prove useful to somebody who is looking to renovate their own home on a budget, so don’t think that they won’t fetch you a bit of cash just because they’re not to your taste anymore! You can list them on sites such as eBay, and set the postage to collection only if they’re large objects that couldn’t be posted. This will be a great way to get your savings pot up and running for your new renovations, so make sure that you try this out!
Buy second hand
In the same context, buying second hand items could help to save you a fortune when it comes to your renovations. Some people are super quick to change up their interior decor, and will sell of things like kitchens and couches after only having them for a few years. Many people also sell things because they are moving house, and don’t want to take the furniture with them, so look into what is out there in your local area for you to purchase second hand. If you’re really on a budget, look at websites such as Freecycle, as you could manage to get something for your renovation without even spending a dollar! Check these things out, and find some bargains.
Compare prices
If you’re thinking of employing some workmen to come in and help you with the renovation, you need to compare the prices of a few of them, and get a multitude of quotes from different companies so you know that you’re not paying out unnecessarily. The same rule applies when it comes to supplies and furniture, so don’t just fork out for something without knowing that it is the cheapest possible price out there. The key here is to research, research, and research again, and make sure that what you’re paying out isn’t going to lead you to regret your spending at a later date, so make sure you do this with all parts of your renovation.
Set a budget
The most important thing that you can do to make sure that your renovation is a success (and isn’t half finished) is to set a budget for the entire thing, and make sure that you stick to it. This way, you can ensure that you can actually afford to do it, and that your finances will be under control from the moment that you begin the work. If you go into this blind and don’t plan everything out in detail, you’ll be regretting it when that unexpected cost hits you. Speak to your builders about this if you’re not sure what a suitable budget is, as you don’t want to make these decisions without the relevant information, either!
Don’t take on a job that you can’t actually do
Whilst DIY will be an essential part of your renovation, you’d be making a mistake by taking on a task that you don’t actually have the skills to complete. For example, if you think that you can fit your own kitchen and you make a mistake with it, you could end up saddling yourself with extra costs as a result, so don’t try to do something unless you’re certain that you know what you’re doing. Sometimes, you just have to pay a professional to do things, and whilst it can be costly, it’s better than having a poor quality renovation done by somebody who doesn’t really know the score. Be reasonable, and make sure that the person doing the job is well-suited to it.
So, try out these money saving tips in your renovation, and enjoy your beautiful new home!