9 Ways to Cut Home Remodeling Costs

Remodeling your home can be very expensive. Even if you save up enough money to cover all of your projected expenses, you may face some additional costs. Once you start researching how much it would cost you to renovate your kitchen or bathroom, you’ll most likely be shocked when you see the average price homeowners pay. Nevertheless, it’s important to remember that this is just the average price and that are plenty of ways to cut home remodeling costs.

Make Decisions Early

It’s important to do proper planning early, since it will help you avoid headaches in the long run. Make sure to find out how much you’re going to spend on fixtures, appliances, and material costs. Doing this will allow you where you can save as well as where you can afford to splurge.

Get Multiple Bids from Contractors

Finding the right contractor is very important if you want to save some money on home remodeling costs. Instead of going with the first good contractor you find, you should request bids from multiple professionals. One good way to find a reliable contractor is to ask your friends and family members who’ve recently remodeled their homes for a recommendation. You can also search for professionals online. Thankfully, this is not hard to do thanks to websites like Serviz, which allow you to find and book contractors near you very easily.

Increase Efficiency

If you’re thinking of knocking down some walls to give your kitchen a few extra square feet, then you’re likely going to spend more than you should. Instead of increasing the size, you should focus on utilizing the available space as much as possible.

Ask the Contractor for Leftover Material

One of the best ways to save money on materials is to ask your contractor whether he has any unused materials from one of his previous jobs. You never know what you may end up getting at a lower price. Contractors often have leftover tiles and paint. In some cases, they even have hardwood flooring. Buying leftover material will not only save you money but time as well.

Ask for Discounts

Sometimes, the only thing you’ll have to do in order to cut home remodeling costs is to ask. Although many refrain from doing this because they think it isn’t an appropriate question, keep in mind that contractors often give you discounts if you ask. If the contractor needs the job, he will probably be happy to reduce the total cost by 5 or 10 percent.

Take Matters into Your Own Hands

If you think that you would be able to do a DIY demo yourself, you will be able to save thousands of dollars. However, keep in mind that some jobs are better left to professionals. For example, it’s better to hire a demolition team instead of knocking down walls yourself. This will not only ensure that the job is done properly, but it will also help you avoid any structural or electrical incidents.

Do Remodeling During the Winter or Fall

Due to the specific nature of the housing market, home remodeling projects will cost you more if you do them over the spring or summer. This is when most people choose to remodel their homes. Keep in mind that during the spring, the price for any type of remodeling project can go up by as much as 10 percent. In order to save money, simply wait until fall or winter to start with your project.

Revamp Instead of Remodel

Instead of throwing out things you don’t need, you can refurbish and repurpose it. For example, if you were thinking about getting a new door, you can turn your old one into a table. Keep in mind that you probably have a lot of different materials that can be refurbished and repurposed.

Clean Up Yourself

Instead of paying the construction crew to clean up at the end of each day, you can simply do it yourself to save some money. However, know that some companies won’t let you do this for liability reasons.

Adam Richards

About Adam Richards

Adam Richards is a semi-retired business professional originally from Bangor, Maine. He spent the majority of his career in sales and marketing where he rose to the marketing lead of a Fortune 1000 company. He then moved on to helping people as a career counselor that specifically helped bring families to self-sufficiency through finding them rewarding careers. He has now returned to Bangor for his retirement and spends his free time writing. This blog will be about everything he learned throughout his career. He'll write on career, workplace, education and technology issues as well as on trends, changes, and advice for the Maine job market and its employers.