The perfect home is created over time; it’s not something that you can chance upon unless you’re really lucky and you have enough financial freedom to afford the costs. But if you’re like many other adults who are trying to make do with what they have, then you probably have settled for less because it fits your budget.
Fortunately, nothing is ever set in stone. Your home may not look perfect in your eyes now, but you can make improvements and renovations to make it appear so. Of course, this will take time, effort, and money, therefore, you will need to create certain changes to your lifestyle to make this feat possible.
The first thing that you have to do is research cost-effective upgrades that will also enhance the appearance of your home. It can be tempting to go all out with the renovations because the only limit you’re going to face is your imagination and budget, but always remember to pace yourself.
1. Find Multiple Options for Contractors
Your first option isn’t always the best, so you should never settle until you’ve scoured the market for other choices. It may be time-consuming and exhausting to find multiple options for the contractors you’re going to work with, but this extra mile will allow you to get the best prices in the market.
This doesn’t mean that you should have 10 contractors before you can decide; even two or three options will be enough to give you the big picture just so you won’t have to limit the possibilities of what you can do. Imagine if you’ve already signed a contract with the first contractor you’ve met, but then you saw another that has more experience and offers more reasonable prices for their services.
By giving yourself the freedom to have contractor options, you may be able to save yourself some money as well as headaches in the future. But of course, if you feel like you’ve already found the right contractor for the plans you have in mind, then, by all means, secure them with a contract for good measure.
2. Get Involved in the Purchase of Supplies
Most homeowners will let their contractors decide on the nitty-gritty details during a renovation, mainly because they don’t have enough experience when it comes to those things. However, that can quickly accumulate expenses because some contractors tend to go for the priciest supplies in the market.
Of course, the homeowners will always have the final say when it comes to the decision-making, but if you want to ensure that the contractor you hired is keeping to your budget, it could be wise to get involved. If you don’t have much experience in this field, doing some research can be worth your time.
For instance, if you’re planning to have your carpeting removed because you want smooth concrete floors, you can research what brand of epoxy finishing coat is the best in the market. Then you can suggest that to your contractor and see if you can compromise on getting the best materials that won’t put a hole through your pockets. It’s a small effort, but it can be worth it in the long run.
3. Create a Loose Calendar for the Renovations
Doing everything you’ve planned simultaneously can seem like it will save you time, but you have to take the delays and the unforeseeable into account. Rather than trying to fit all the improvements in a short period, it could be better for you and your wallet to loosely schedule the renovations.
Of course, you should be strategic when it comes to scheduling. You can group the related renovations so that the productivity of your contractors won’t be disturbed just because your schedule is too tight and has no room for adjustments. This can also save you money because you’re reducing the travel time and transportation of equipment.
Arguably the biggest benefit you can get when you create a loose calendar is that you won’t be strapped for money if ever your renovation budget falls short. Placing time in between scheduled renovations will give you enough leeway to move your money around, or even reschedule the appointments if money becomes an issue.
You can’t do any home renovations if you don’t have money to spend. But just because you’re going to spend money doesn’t mean you can’t save money by making wise and strategic decisions. After all, it’s your home on the line, so keep in mind that the choices you will make can affect your future.
