6 Ways To Save Money On Your Remodel
6 Ways to Save Money On Your Remodel
As we experience more hot summer days and long weekends, one thing is definitely clear-we’re right in the middle of remodel season and most everyone is trying to take advantage of this time to make their home improvements before fall. At the warehouse, we get asked a lot about great ways to save money on remodels so we’ve decided to put together the following list of tips for you to use. Hope these help!
1. Plan ahead. This sounds like an obvious one but you’d be surprised at how many people fail to do this and how costs can pile up as a result. The simple act of planning your remodel in advance, including the materials to use, the design you want, the plan and setup for everything will end up being the single biggest factor in how cost effective your remodel is. The worst thing a person can do is to be thrifty on the purchases they make for their home improvements and then wind up having to replace some of it because of poor planning. We’ve all heard a story about someone who got a great deal on something, brought it home, and then realized it wouldn’t fit in their house or work with their existing design scheme. This huge mistake ends up costing money, plus all the time and energy to take it home and then try to return it back to the store, or even worse, have to get rid of it completely.
Planning in advance will give you a better idea of what will fit in your house, fit your taste, and fit your budget! Prior planning has a huge payoff and requires little time.
2. Measure Carefully. Related to our first point, measuring carefully is absolutely crucial to remodel success and one of the biggest areas where people can make mistakes. While a lot of people don’t realize it, being even one inch off in measuring your kitchen can hugely effect the kitchen layout and whether or not your cabinetry, countertops, and even appliances will fit. Ensure that you measure carefully and then double check your measurements for accuracy. This is essential in any remodel and one of the most common areas where we see people make mistakes. Take the time to measure meticulously because having correct measurements will save you time, money, and energy throughout your project. If you don’t feel comfortable doing the measuring yourself, ask your kitchen store (or your contractor, if you’re using one) to measure it for you so you can rest assured knowing you have accurate measurements when shopping for your home.
3. Buy standard sizes. It can be tempting to have everything in your house custom cut and custom fit but this is truly an area where costs can add up quickly. Custom sizes will typically cost significantly more than standardized sizing, are often more difficult to install, and are more expensive to replace down the road.
For example, if you are considering a bath remodel, using standard sizes for your bathroom vanity, for instance, can mean getting a granite vanity top and a vanity base cabinet for a great price and with a wide assortment of colors, styles, and patterns to choose from. Many home improvement stores (including this one) buy vanity tops and vanity cabinets in bulk, passing the savings on to their customers, and keep these items in stock. Being able to buy items in stock instead of having to wait for special orders can be a huge relief and is invaluable when dealing with the time constraints that often accompany a remodel.
This is like driving a Honda which you can get parts for anywhere vs. owning a specialty luxury care where you can only get parts and service in certain areas. The specialty car will almost always cost more and be more of a hassle to maintain. Avoid the temptation of going custom and save big by buying standard sizes!
4. Buy Quality. While it may sound counter-intuitive to spend a little more on the front end, cost-wise it will pay for itself many times over. For example, to tile a shower, choosing a porous ceramic tile would be cheaper on the front end but would cost more over time compared to porcelain. This is because ceramic would allow water vapor to seep into the walls and floor, eventually leading to mold and decay. Ceramic is also a softer material than porcelain, which means it can chip, scratch, or break much more easily. Porcelain, by contrast, is is a much stronger barrier against water and better protects against future mold and decay in a shower area. It also is stronger than granite and holds up against high traffic and heavy wear.
5. Choose items that you know how to care for and are effortless to maintain. This is an easy area to overlook and one where costs can pile up very quickly. As such, it’s important to choose materials that are easy to live with and that you have a rudimentary understanding of how to take care of. For example, when replacing the flooring in a high traffic area such as an entryway, many people will naturally lean toward carpet. Unfortunately, most carpet typically only lasts 7-10 years in a high traffic environment, will require professional installation, and must be professionally cleaned every year in order to uphold the product warranty. Laminate flooring, by contrast, will last up to 25 years in the same high traffic area, can be installed easily, and is effortless to keep clean via sweeping or dry mopping. Additionally, laminate is hypoallergenic as it does not trap dust and dirt the same way carpet does, making it a good choice for people with pets, airborne allergies, or even asthma. Researching first and choosing products that are easy to maintain will save countless time and money over the life of the product and make your home environment more comfortable and stress free!
A big part of planning ahead is knowing how to take care of what you put into your home. Just having a basic understanding of how to take care of what you’re putting into your house will play a huge role in maximizing its lifespan. For example, certain types of carpet, such as high twist frieze, should not be vacuumed like standard carpet. The beater bar in a standard vacuum can damage the tip long, high twist carpet and cause it to untwist, causing it to lose luster and look fuzzy over time. To care for this carpet, it should be vacuumed on the hardwood floor setting of your vacuum with the beater bar disengaged as this provides the suction needed to clean the carpet while also protecting the structure of the carpet and ensuring a long lifespan.
6. Be resourceful and buy remnants and closeout items of first quality goods. If you’re willing to do the hunting, this is an area where you can take advantage of huge savings on everything from carpet remnants to leftover tile to surplus cabinets. It can be challenging to find large quantities of a certain remnant, but these can be very useful if you’re willing to be resourceful. Carpet remnants work great for bedrooms, closets, and even storage areas. Tile remnants work great for entryways and bathrooms as well as backsplashes for bathrooms and kitchens. Laminate, wood, and vinyl remnants work great for entryways, staircases, and any other high traffic area. Cabinet remnants are great for garages, laundry rooms, and home offices. The list is endless and the opportunities to save money are huge if you’re willing to do a bit of digging and use your creativity!
Let us know how these work for you & what other money saving tips you use when you’re remodeling 🙂
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