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When a renovation is in order, it’s time to plan the project. If you want to stay on your budget, you need to take just a few steps first. Read on!
It’s human nature to want to update your home. Regardless of how much you might love the house and how many memories are poured into it, style and utility fade and eventually need to be updated. The problem is, most of us can’t afford to renovate a kitchen or bathroom on a moment’s whim- and a long and drawn out construction project could ruin the utility of important rooms. Here are some steps any homeowner should take to ensure their renovation goes on without a hitch!
Save As Much As You Can Ahead of Time
Money is the primary driver here. If you can’t afford to make the renovations yet, don’t start anything. It might feel like you’re making a positive step forward by taping off areas you want to paint or by removing wallpaper or tile that you don’t want anymore, but what you’re doing is creating a project, a mess, that you’re going to be stuck in for a while. Instead of trapping yourself in the almost-project limbo that haunts so many homeowners, you should stand by and save your money. Until you can afford to do the whole project, don’t start it.
You may feel like any step forward is a good step, but living in an unfinished mess could seriously tamper with your mental health. We renovate to create a space for comfort that we’re excited to come home to — make sure you stick to that.
Constantly Shop Deals
The good thing about saving money to start the project is that you have time to wait for good deals to come your way! Keep an eye out for a style of tile or flooring you love, and shop around. Although there might not be deals now, you’re more likely to find reasonable prices and discounts by waiting it out. April and May are the best times to buy things like vacuums, ovens, and refrigerators since the new models come out during the summer. You can also find better deals during Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, but these may be extremely limited, and you should plan for where and how to buy during these deals.
Don’t be afraid to buy tile or paint early and store them until it’s time. Buying piece by piece will allow you to work on getting ready for this without having to save a significant nest egg.
Schedule a Goal
Don’t leave your plans open-ended! Make a reachable goal for yourself within the next two years. If you’re saving up fifteen thousand for a kitchen remodel, you can schedule out your remodel by a couple of years, and then you have to save up just a hundred and thirty-five dollars a week to reach it. This idea might sound pricy, which is why you should still be shopping for deals to cut that price even lower.
Ask for Help From Family and Friends
This plan is another excellent way to save some extra money. Instead of hiring a ton of professionals, you can replace some of them with the help and handiwork of friends and family. Often people will help those they love for free, and you can offer to help with any home changes they have when they need it.
This effort can cut down the cost of hiring painters, tile laying, and installing appliances as long as you know the right people. It’s okay to ask for help; make sure they know how thankful you are for their assistance.
Give Yourself Some Slack
If you miss a goal, or it’s taking you too long to complete a project — go easy on yourself! Home renovation is a complicated and frustrating thing to get used to, and many people have to spend years perfecting it. If you’re not sure what the next step is, and you’re getting frustrated, there are tons of online forums like Reddit or Quora where people are eager to help. Asking for help is a huge step that will allow you to know when you’re in too deep.
Don’t Skimp On Professional Advice
Although you should save money where you can- don’t short yourself on professional help. If you’ve never laid tile before, and neither has anybody helping you, you should talk to a professional or hire them on. It’s good to save money, but cutting corners with big projects could end with you losing more money than you could have saved by avoiding a pro. Some may even be able to show you how they complete a project so that you can learn from it for your next renovation.
Schedule the Steps
If you’re renovating an entire room, like a kitchen, bathroom, or bedroom, and you know, you can’t complete it all at once- schedule it in a comparable period. For instance, with a kitchen, you should plan a weekend for cabinets, a weekend for tiles, and then a day for paint and finishing touches. This planning will keep you from feeling overwhelmed and flustered with things to do and will give you a clear projection of when things will be completed. Scheduling like this will also allow you to find time to work around not using a sink or stove and decide where to be during that period.
Your home is the heart of your life; it’s the place where you sleep, spend time with family, and enjoy your hobbies and interests. It’s an incredible idea to put your time and energy into making this place feel fresh and new even when it’s an older building- so don’t short yourself on this! Take the steps you need to budget, schedule, and carry out your renovations. You deserve the updates!
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