How to Renovate on a Budget

Renovating your house can be fun and exciting, but it is easy to get carried away and end up with a bigger hole in your wallet than you had planned. How can you avoid this situation? Here are a few helpful tips.

 

Prioritize

The first step, list the renovations to do and analyze them. A leaky roof will have priority over new kitchen cabinets. Start by fixing anything urgent that might compromise the integrity of your house.

 

Shop Around

Once you know what urgent work you need to do, shop around for materials, go to warehouses and liquidation centres. Do not forget to look online. Evaluate the total cost of the work.

 

One Step at a Time

Do not go too fast. Save up for one phase and do it. If an emergency reno comes up, a line of credit or online loan  could do the trick. Do not build up too much debt. Do your renovations one step at the time, and finish paying each phase before starting the next one.

 

At all costs, avoid “As long as we are here, we might as well do this also.” Doing that will only dig your financial grave. Unless absolutely necessary, stick to your list, and your plan.

 

Your Goals

Once the urgent renovations are done, the fun part begins. Determine your goals. What are you hoping to achieve by renovating? Are you looking for more space, more light, more storage or a new look? Go through each room and make a list.

 

Declutter

Start by decluttering the rooms you want to renovate. It will give you a better feel of your home, and you will see more clearly what needs to be done. Sometimes decluttering and finding creative ways to store your belongings can get you close to your goal. Clutter makes a room feel stuffy and makes it look smaller than it is.

 

Be Creative

While keeping your goals in mind, search for alternatives to your first idea. If you want new cabinets because you need more storage and want a fresh look, do you have to start from scratch? Is there a way you could revamp your cabinets and add a buffet or some shelves for extra storage? Look for ideas on the internet. You might be surprised at how many options you have.

 

 

Paint and Accessorize

If all you need is a new look, a fresh coat of paint will mostly do the trick. Add new accessories, some well-placed photo frames and paintings on the walls, and you can achieve that quality you are searching for.

 

DIY

With all the do-it-yourself videos online, it is easy to get your hands-on plans to do almost anything at little costs. From furniture to wall coverings, it is amazing what you can do with old wood pallets and some elbow grease.

 

These are just a few tips among many. Do some research and be creative. Renovating on a budget is easier than you think.