It feels liberating to renovate your home to your style for family and friends. However, it can get expensive with everything you need to do before, during, and after the renovation. You might be working with a shoe-string budget, but that shouldn’t stop you from changing some things in your house. Here are some tips to help you renovate your home within your means.
Prioritize What Needs to Be Done First
When you make a plan, think about the first things you want to get done to the home. You might have bought a new property through a Santa Monica realtor or from a friend and decided to get a fresh start by doing your renovations right after the purchase.
It’s good to prioritize what to do to help you prepare a proper renovation plan to schedule things correctly. You might want to remodel your bathroom or do something to the kitchen to make it feel more like home. It can make it more manageable for your plans to find a few places to renovate first.
Additionally, you can get experience with taking on a remodeling project. You find out what you did right and what needs to go back to the drawing board. Help save money by working on a few things first to pace yourself.
Make Small Changes
You might not have the budget to build another bathroom or redo your kitchen or existing bathroom from floor to ceiling. However, you can make slight alterations throughout the house to give it that gloss. Even giving some rooms a fresh coat of wall paint can work wonders. But, just make sure to choose the right shade of wall paint for your home. As the wall colour plays a crucial role in enhancing the looks and ambience.
Just a pop of colour can change the mood of your room. You might work with a blank board to help you take the next step to create a stellar design within your means. Paint is not the only affordable change you make to your house.
Maybe you add new drawer pulls or knobs to give your home a modern edge. It doesn’t have to cost thousands of dollars to help you feel good about your house. Take some small steps to update your house and still have money left over for your other obligations.
Go to Second-Hand Stores
It’s a good idea to go to some second-hand stores. Some of them sell quality items for a lower price. While it might seem like you’re getting hand-me-downs, you do yourself a service by saving in places that could help you stay on budget.
Additionally, you might be able to work out a long-term deal that can help you with multiple small projects around the house. It’s better than buying all new stuff that you might pay a premium price for your home. Do some research on the things you need to help you find stores that have the ideal supplies.
You don’t have to spend a fortune on furniture or anything else you need if the quality matches your tastes.
Get Help from Friends and Family
Never be afraid to ask for help. That’s what your friends and family are there to do when you have to navigate this challenge. Some of your friends might be an expert in fixing things around the house. Use their expertise to help make this transition more feasible.
You can get their advice on where to locate quality material from flooring, paint, and other items that you need to help your renovation be more successful. Also, they can help you with the labor part of the renovation. Two heads are better than one when it comes to these projects.
Give them some cash as an incentive for lightening the load. If you can’t afford a professional, this could be the next best thing when you have friends who know their way around some tools. Some may do it for free, so offer them a gift after completing your renovations. Gestures like this go a long way.
Additionally, this is a great way to keep building a bond by working together.
Sell and Exchange Your Items
Another good tactic to help you get some extra cash is to sell off your old items. You can sell them on Craigslist or another place to get some more money. It can help you feel more comfortable because you have a small safety net in case you have to go over your budget.
Additionally, you can exchange your old items for new ones. Get some store credit by exchanging multiple items you’ve kept in good condition. It can help you build some leverage and go after a couple of new things you need for your home.
Another good thing about getting rid of your old items is that you start to free up space in your home. Sometimes that’s what you need outside of remodelling. You have more room to help you get creative in arranging different elements in your interior and exterior.
Do Things Early
An early start can help you make the project more manageable. When you stick to a tight deadline, it can stress you out. It’s easier to make mistakes that can cost you thousands of dollars.
Also, having more time can help you secure different things you need to make it easier to keep your home in good standing. Whether you need to get to a family emergency or other things delay your project, you have some room to breathe by getting to the project earlier.
Hire a Professional for the Complicated Stuff
Some areas of your home need an expert eye. You might need a professional home renovator to swap things out. It seems more expensive, but it can save you money in the long haul.
The more technical aspects of your home renovation need that expertise to help keep your home from getting damaged and your family members safe. You don’t want an accident to happen to you or your loved ones while renovating the house. Even with a small budget, you can still renovate some parts of your home. Just be clear on the priority areas first to help you make things less stressful.