Are you renovating your house and looking for tips to make your place without breaking the bank? We have listed some great ideas to help you on your way. But first things first its always best to keep perspective and know why you are renovating. Your renovating goals to live in a home will be completely different from renovating a house to sell. So before you start; know your budget, educate yourself, Consult professionals and use tools like Pinterest to ensure your design is cohesive from one room to the next.
1. Pay professionals
When you first get into reno mode, you may be full of excitement and adrenaline to tackle the big jobs yourself. But before you do, STOP, take the time to consider DIY disasters. DIY mistakes can cause tremendous headaches and cost you a fortune. If you don’t know your way around the kitchen plumbing, it’s always best to bring in the professionals. For any of the big jobs where you can lean into someone else’s technical knowledge, you will have the peace of mind knowing that it was done right and will be happier with your investment as the years go on.
2. Switch materials
Consider the materials you are using in each area, is it essential that this area has the highest quality option or can you swap out for cheaper materials. Individual items seem insignificant compared to your total budget, but they all stack up when added together. Think about the areas you use the most in your home and invest in these areas to improve your day-to-day life quality. Investing in the right places will help enhance the satisfaction of your renovation and reduce buyers remorse.
3. Reduce Re-use Recycle
The old saying reduce, re-use, recycle rings true in renovations, especially when your budget is tighter than your wildest dreams. If you have more time than financial resources and can work with what is already there, you can save big dollars. Before mentally gutting your entire home, consider if you can re-use anything. If you are happy with your kitchen layout could you reface rather than replace? If there are timeless quality materials in the home already like stone tiles, benchtops and vanities, a professional restoration could bring new life to these surfaces. Contact a stonemason like Marble Everlast in Brisbane for a free quote (You will be surprised at how much you can save vs replacing the floor). You could also opt for a different finish like a flat matt honed surface rather than a high gloss polish. Hardwood floors are also another great area to save on costs as they can be stripped and refinished, saving you a fortune in flooring.
4. Don’t Move Plumbing
When consulting with your local bathroom, laundry and kitchen specialists, it’s important to first consider keeping your plumbing points the same. This will dramatically reduce the headaches and labour costs incurred by moving your sinks and showers.
5. Second-Hand Finds
In an age where second-hand online shopping is at your fingertips through avenues like Facebook marketplace and Gumtree lean into this to shave thousands off the cost of the item new. You can combine new and high-end fittings with cheaper or second-hand items to bring the design appeal you were after. When shopping for new items you can also ask about offcuts, factory seconds and showroom floor items to save big bucks.
6. Make Cosmetic Fixes
If your budget cant fix everything, then don’t! Focus on what your budget can do well and make cosmetic improvements where you can. If you can’t redo the whole bathroom or kitchen, will updating the tap, shower and cabinetry hardware give you a design lift you are happy with for a fraction of the cost?
7. Think Long Term
Keep in mind long term savings when renovating. Save costs on your future electricity bills by ensuring your house has energy-efficient LED lighting. You can also save by reducing air-con running time by insulating the home well and using blinds and awnings to reduce the amount of heat coming through windows. Even think about how you can save on the cost of using your lights by using light coloured walls and floors to reflect light. If you don’t have the budget to replace floors you can always use light coloured furniture and rugs to reflect window light in your living spaces
8. Landscaping – First Appearances Count
The old saying is “first appearances count”, and that’s true! Especially when you think about the way you feel about your house when you come home, have visitors and in resale value. If you aren’t the skilled gardener and kill most of your indoor plants (don’t we all!), talk to your local landscape supplies and garden centre about low maintenance ideas for your yard. Simply returfing the yard and choosing a few hardy plants is all you need and it won’t break the bank.
9. Install Security Systems
When it comes to residential burglaries, most offenders will select the residence that will be the simplest to break into. This means that installing a high-quality home security camera or alarm system will dramatically lower the likelihood that trespassers or burglars will choose your home as a target at random, providing you and your family peace of mind about the security of your home.
