13 May 7 tips to save during your home renovations
It’s decided! Renovations are finally on the agenda beginning next month. Everyone is feverish, the kids will have new rooms, the kitchen will be redesigned and the lounge area on the patio will become reality! But your sister-in-law warned you about all the “while you’re at it” expenses. You might end up spending a lot more money than you expected. Here are some ways to save when making renovations.
Plan ahead and make a budget
Obviously, this is the first and most important step of the process. In addition to plan all the expenses you will encounter, you must set goals in time to avoid extra costs. Your plan has to be realistic: one weekend and $500 are not enough to renovate a kitchen! Also, don’t forget to ask yourself why you’re making these renovations. If it’s to sell the house, it’s often unnecessary to invest large sums.
Pick your battles
If you agree to a few compromises, you can save hundreds of dollars. In your bathroom, it might not be essential to change the current location of the sink or toilet. You could work around it with changing other things that are less expensive. At the same time, you could avoid some bad surprises and unplanned extra work that often happen with plumbing!
Do it yourself
Just about everyone is able to paint a wall. You can always find advice and tips on YouTube or on décor blogs. So get to your brushes and save a few hundred dollars! Why not invite friends and family over to give you a hand?
Shop around
You need a professional for certain tasks? Do not hesitate to shop around and get a few submissions, so you know how much it should cost and check references. Afterwards, it’s easier to go back to a worker with the best reputation, and agree on a fair price. To avoid surprises, the final contract and price should be for the whole project, instead of an hourly rate.
Check weekly flyers and sales
If you plan your renovations ahead, you will have time to monitor sale events, and check weekly flyers to buy materials at discounted prices. Also, take the time to visit end of season sales at renovation centers and décor stores, you could find great deals.
Invisible expenses
Coffee? Pizza? Barbecue chicken? During home renovations, it’s too easy to justify eating out or having delivery every day. They might not realise all these small purchases are adding up, and go unnoticed on their credit cards or bank accounts. However, you should have a budget for this part as well, since these invisible expenses are part of the process. You could save a lot of money by cooking and freezing meals, or prepare lunch ideas ahead.
Cash back & reward points, use them!
If you have a cash back credit card, or reward point’s cards, now is the perfect time to finally use them! Many cards allow you to redeem your points against gift cards at various home improvement centers.
For more tips on how to save money and stay within your budget, DMO Credit has many relevant blog posts on their website (French only).