If you are getting ready to remodel your St. Louis home, you are probably looking for ways to save money. The good news is, there are plenty of ways to cut costs without compromising the result.
Doing Some Of The Work Yourself
Although we don’t suggest doing a lot of the work yourself, there are some things you can do.
Painting, for example, is something you might take on and this will definitely trim your budget. However, if you don’t have painting skills, it may show in the end, so this is something you will have to consider. We will still help you choose the color and the sheen, but if you are unable to use tape or paint a straight line, it might not be worth the amount you might save. If this is the case, you probably won’t be happy with the outcome, and you may end up paying more to have it redone.
Some of the demolition work can be self-directed as well, but we’ll need to go over exactly what it is you’re going to demolish, just to ensure you don’t rip out any wires or damage anything that’s going to cost you down the road.
Some of the demo work you could take on might include removing flooring or taking down cabinets.
Shopping For Bargains
Fixtures are another way you can save a bit. If you know what you want, you can spend some time looking online for knock-offs of expensive fixtures. They give you the same look without the designer price tag. Just make sure you’re purchasing from a reputable brand or vendor.
Coupons and discount codes are another way to save, and many online retailers offer, for example, a 15 percent discount for new customers. You would likely be able to get light fixtures, ceiling fans, mirrors – decorative things, as opposed to flooring.
Reusing Your Older Items
If your overall floor plan or layout works for you, if you do not have to move any electrical or openings, you will have more in the budget to put towards finishes, like cabinets and light fixtures.
Additionally, if you wanted to update some of your old items, like furniture or cabinets, you could work with a refinishing company that can give these things a new look by re-staining or repainting them. If your cabinets are still in good shape and the overall layout works for you, but maybe you don’t like the color, this could be an option, and it would definitely save you a lot of money.
Upcycling Your Furniture
Upcycling is another alternative to purchasing all new fixtures. For example, if you have an old dresser and you are looking for a different use for it, you can turn it into a vanity cabinet by cutting a hole in the top. We don’t do that, but it’s something you see on TV quite a lot.
Saving money by upcycling really depends on what you have to do to make the item usable. You would need to have a little bit of skill where tools and carpentry are concerned, or you could pay someone else to do it, in which case it might not be a money-saver.
For example, we have a client who paid a woodworker to design a vanity cabinet using salvaged baby grand piano legs, and it was not cheap. He refinished the legs and did some custom bent-wood type work with a beautiful veneer. The labor alone was costly but worth it for her to have her dream vanity.
The same woman also refurbished a clawfoot bathtub, and it too was quite expensive to install. A new clawfoot tub could be pricey so gauging the cost difference between a new fixture and reglazing an antique is important. Utilizing an older fixture that has good bones could be ecologically beneficial, however; in other words, it may not save you money, but it will keep things out of the landfill.
Sticking To Your Budget Is Always The Best Strategy
If you want to save money on your remodel, it helps to start with a budget and try to stick to it. In the end, this is what’s going to help you save.
If there is any structural work to be done, and you don’t figure all these things from the start, you run the risk of focusing your budget on fixtures but neglecting the necessary updates for code and safety.
Knowing these necessary changes beforehand, you might choose your finishes a little more carefully and keep yourself in budget. You can always complete some cosmetic items like a backsplash later.
Are you getting ready for a remodel on your St. Louis home? We’d love to show you how we can help. Reach out today, and let’s talk about it!
