How to Save Money When Renovating a Home

Renovating a home can be many things. On the one hand, it’s exciting and full of promise. On the other, it can be expensive and challenging. Fortunately, you can take a great deal of the expense out of home renovations by knowing how and when to cut corners. While nobody is advocating producing a cheap remodel that puts your safety or resale value at risk, these simple tips can make it easy to save some dough on your remodel and put it towards something more exciting.

5 Tips to Save Money While Renovating a Home

Regardless of whether your renovations are large or small, these money-saving tips can help them be more affordable right off the bat:

1. Make the Renovation More Efficient

If you can renovate smarter, not harder, you’ll save time and money. By completing related projects at the same time, having several crews work at once, and DIYing the things you can safely handle on your own, it’ll be much easier to create a cost-efficient remodel that doesn’t break the bank.

2. Find Recycled Items

In addition to being trendy and modern, sourcing recycled materials for your remodel is an excellent way to make it more cost-effective and efficient. Look for local recycling centers in your area or contact contractors or warehouses to look for “damaged” or off-market items that they’ll sell at a discounted price. Not only will these recycled or repurposed items add some character to your renovation, but they’ll also save you some money!

3. Consider How You’ll Save Money in the Long-Term

Renovating a home requires that you think about both the long- and the short-term. By considering when and where you can swap out short-term gains for long-term savings (think energy-efficient appliances, for example, or passive solar heating arrangements), you can save thousands over the time that you own the home.

4. Use Contractor and Designer Discounts

Contractors and designers typically have access to industry discounts that can save you some serious money on your renovation. Don’t be afraid to ask if your professional has these perks and, if so, if they’d be willing to share them with you.

5. Put in Some Sweat Equity

The more you can do yourself, the more money you’ll save. With this in mind, consider tackling your demolition or schlepping your garbage back and forth to the dump. Every small job you can take over saves you from paying someone else to do it and makes you more invested in your remodel.

Renovating a Home on a Budget

While renovating a home can be expensive, it doesn’t have to be. By learning how to cut corners without sacrificing the outcome or stability of your renovations, you can save money throughout the remodel process and learn some new things at the same time!