6 Tips for a Budget-Friendly Renovation

When it comes to renovating your home, we all have a budget. The only difference is that some people are larger than others.

Obviously, the more money you have in your coffers the more you can spend to makeover your home exactly the way you want to. However, if your budget is on the low side you are going to have to get creative.

But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered!

Here are six tips for a budget-friendly renovation that will give your home the kind of ‘wow’ factor people will think you’ve spent tens of thousands of dollars on.

1. Do the cheap fixes first

Within your home, there are plenty of inexpensive fixes you can do that will significantly enhance the overall look and feel of your property. Therefore, it is a good idea to do them first before concentrating on bigger jobs.

Some of these jobs include repainting a room in a vibrant modern colour, putting down laminate hardwood flooring and changing up your light fixtures. You could also try replacing the door handles on your kitchen and bathroom cabinetry, updating old skirting boards and adding crown moulding to the ceiling.

Doing all these things will kickstart your renovation process. As it won’t involve too big of an outlay, you’ll also be able to divert most of your budget to other projects.

2. Organise a working bee for the easier jobs

Having identified the easier jobs, a good idea to save labour costs is to host a working bee.

For the price of a BBQ and a few beers, you could get quite a lot of work done on your house in a short space of time, assuming you can enlist the help of your mates.

As well as the cheap fixes outlined above, you might also be able to have a fence put in, floorboard polished or stripped, a flat packed kitchen assembled, simple tiling or even landscaping done.

You might have to repay the favour later (which you should). But hosting a working bee is an excellent way to draw upon the DIY talents of your mates.

3. Try to find cheap or free materials

To save money on your renovation project, it is a wise idea to try and find cheap or free materials to use.

You might already have plenty you can upcycle laying around your home. But if you can’t it is a good idea to visit your nearest architectural salvage store or salvage yard. If you are lucky, you could score antique fixtures, reclaimed wood or other things you can use.

If you don’t have salvage yards near where you live, try shopping around at online auctions. Doing this can save you thousands of dollars overall.

4. Pay the professionals to do specialist jobs

People understandably think they could save a lot of money by doing as much of the renovation work as possible themselves. However, there are some jobs you should leave to the professionals because if you mess them up, it could end up costing you a lot more in repairs.

Unless you are a qualified tradie in these disciplines, get the professionals in to help you with the plumbing, electrical and structural work. They will be able to do it quicker than you and ensure it is up to code, which can save you a lot of money down the line.

5. Focus on main bathroom and kitchen

If your budget is limited, you might not be able to do the renovation that you want to at the present time. Therefore, it is a good idea to focus on the main bathroom and kitchen.

These are two of the most used parts of the house by everyone who lives in it. So, by channelling your resources into renovating them, you will not only make your house more functional but also add significant value to it, which will come in handy should you ever decide to sell.

6. Dispose of your rubbish responsibly

One often overlooked cost of renovations is the price of disposing of your rubbish. Depending on the nature of the work you are doing you might need to remove hazardous materials including paint cans and batteries, as well rubble from walls you’ve knocked down, old bits of scrap metal and garden waste.

This could end up costing you a lot of time and money, especially in fines if you don’t dispose of the rubbish ethically.

For this reason, you should employ Sydney rubbish removal services or a similar company to dispose of it for you.

See more of my DIY posts here!

Becky

Meet the award-nominated UK lifestyle blogger behind Spirited Puddle Jumper – a mum of three living in South East London! Becky shares the real ups and downs of family life, parenting tips, and lifestyle inspiration, proving that being a mum doesn’t mean you stop being fun or having other interests! Follow along for honest insights into UK family life and opinions on a whole range of topics, from travel and food, to beauty reviews, home and DIY, business and health and wellness.