How To Reduce Your Home Improvement Costs [Infographic]

Most Australians believe that home improvement renovations are a good strategy to increase the value of their property. It’s, therefore, no surprise that home improvement has become a huge market in Australia, with Australians spending an average of $47,984 per renovation.

However, home improvement doesn’t need to be a costly affair; there are some simple ways to reduce your home improvement costs, no matter if you want to upgrade your home, want to make it more comfortable or increase the value of your property. Here are a few tips on how to reduce your home improvement costs courtesy of Renovation Kingdom.

Plan Your Budget

– Before you start any renovations in your home, you need to make sure that you have studied the cost of materials, appliances, fixtures and labor, and plan your budget accordingly. Recent studies show that 35% of people don’t prepare a budget, don’t be one of them! When planning your budget, shop around for prices, but don’t always go for the cheapest materials, as they are not always the best.

– Around one-third of the budget will go towards labor, so plan accordingly. Some simple DIY will help keep the costs down, and when you need a professional, make sure to hire someone based on their references and rely on word of mouth.

Set Your Priorities

– Setting a budget before starting your renovation means that you will need to make a few sacrifices. Make a list of your needs and a separate list of your wants, and make sure your needs are covered by your budget. If there is anything left over, then prioritize your list of wants, and remove anything you can’t afford.

Minimize Major Changes

– The two rooms that are most commonly renovated in home improvements are the bathroom and the kitchen, but they can be saddled with unnecessary expenses, such as structural, electrical and plumbing changes.

– To upgrade your home without running up huge bills, opt for DIY whenever possible, and keep things simple. Opt for cheaper swaps such as vinyl flooring and acrylic splashbacks instead of their more expensive counterparts. This will give your home the facelift you want while staying within your budget.

Shop Locally

– Whenever possible, shop for your materials locally, as bathroom accessories, kitchen fixtures and paint will be the cheapest in your local stores, and you can find great deals on renovation materials.

Recycle And Upcycle

– When you choose to recycle or upcycle renovation materials and fixtures, this significantly reduces the cost of your home improvement project.

– Recycling means that you break down existing materials such as glass, paper, plastic or metal, and use them to create a new material, item or fixture.

– Upcycling focuses on giving discarded materials a new life by taking the materials and transforming them into something creative or useful.

– A modern green building material is reclaimed wood, and you can use it in everything from decking to furniture to floors. Reclaimed wood is a lot cheaper than purchasing new wood, and it’s weathered and worn look can be used for some very creative uses.

Bringing down the costs of your renovation is simple with the utilization of a little creativity and a good budget planning.

For more home improvement tips here on Bit Rebels, click here!

Clever Tips On How To Reduce Your Home Improvement Costs

IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK / INFOGRAPHIC: RENOVATION KINGDOM