How to Save Money on Remodeling and Redesigning Your Home
Wednesday, June 21, 2017, 6:00 AM | Leave Comment
If you’ve been living in the same house for over a decade or two, you may have thought about giving your home a makeover at least once in the past few years.
But while remodeling and redesigning your home may sound like an exciting prospect at first, never forget that it can also be a time consuming and expensive ordeal.
The first thing you’ll want to do is save some cash so that you can afford to pay for all the costs of the renovation.
But what if you’re not willing to break the bank for home upgrade costs?
Don’t worry, because here are six remodeling and redesigning tips that can help you cut costs without necessarily cutting corners:
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Increase effectiveness, not size
When each square foot of your kitchen is used to its maximum advantage, then you may not need to demolish any walls just to increase your floor area.
You can begin by replace those space-hogging shelves with 8-inch wide, cabinet-height pullout drawers with racks for storing canned goods and other items.
Instead of a single horizontal plane, you’re getting three or more in its place.
You may think that several thousand dollars can easily cover the costs of outfitting your cabinets with upgrades such as dividers, lazy Susans, and pull-out pot trays. But you’ll be surprised to know how much more you can save by skipping those expensive additions in favor of these drawers.
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Install new switchplate covers
If you don’t already know, switch plate covers are the plastic shields you see on light switches and electrical outlets. It’ll only cost you $1 for a basic white cover at major home improvement retailers.
Another piece of good news is that they’re surprisingly easy to install.Replacing that old, yellowing cover with a new and clean white one will be less of an eyesore for you and your entire family.
If you’re looking for something more decorative, you can find a wide range of patterned covers online.
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Filter in sunlight without adding windows
Before you go ahead and cut a giant opening in the side of your house and mess with the framing, try to consider some less invasive, and ultimately less expensive, ways of brightening up the spaces in your home.
For example, if you’re looking to bring natural lightinto a windowless bath or hallway, you can install a “light tube,” a device that can be inserted between roof rafters and channels sunlight down into the spaces below.
You can save a generous amount of money by incorporating this handy device instead of going through all the work and hassle of installing a new window.
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Choose shower curtains over custom glass shower doors
When you think about it, glass doors cost at around $1,500, while shower curtains cost next to nothing. Not only are they affordable, you can also change them from time-to-time to give your bathroom a fresh, new look when you feel like it.
One last advantage they have over custom glass shower doors is that you don’t have to go through the hassle of squeegeeing them every time you take a shower.
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Change your lampshades and your doorknobs
Adding inexpensive finishing touches to your interiors can make a world of difference in your home.
Consider performing tasks as simple as changing your lampshades and your doorknobs.
Don’t forget door handles and hinges, too. Adding these minor features definitely won’t break the bank, and the installation is quick and easy.
When you start making little alterations like these, remember to come up with a them to build off of so every detail in your home looks cohesive.
Along the same lines, you may also want to purchase new hardware for the cabinets in your house.
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Opt for long-term costs instead of short-term gains
If you’re thinking about installing clapboard siding, for instance, consider ponying up now for the pre-primed and pre-painted kind instead of deciding to perform the painting jobs later.
While it costs an extra 10 to 20 cents per foot, this will actually allow you to spend less in the long run.
If you opt for the unfinished siding now, you’ll just end up paying for half as many paint jobs down the line.
When you get the pre-primed and pre-painted clapboard siding, it’ll easily be good for another ten years. Why? Because factory finishes are applied on dry wood under controlled conditions.
There’s no harsh sun and no rain to worry about during the manufacturing process.
You don’t need to shell out 5 figures to remodel and redesign your home. With some initiative and resourcefulness, you can get work done at a lower cost, and without compromising quality.
And once you’re done remodeling your home, try a hand at getting a new TV or refrigerator to match the fresh, new environment.
Check out home appliance stores near you to see if they sell models that best suit your needs.
Throw us a like at Facebook.com/doable.financeAuthor Bio
Alyssa is blogger and writer at topreveal.com and she has a passion for writing articles on health care, cooking, home improvement, home appliances etc. Being a mom & consumer advocate she have years of experience testing equipment and recipes.
