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If you have just moved into your new house with thoughts of making it a dream home, then one of the first things you will need to do is to renovate and redecorate it to how you want it to be. Depending on the type of house you bought, this might take a lot of work to complete. However, one thing that will be a constant is your budget for the project. However, even if you are going to be tight on your budget, that doesn’t mean that you can’t still design and build your dream home, but you might need to think of creative ways to achieve it.
Picture below: our cottage builder-basic kitchen. It would be wasteful to replace all the functional albeit very basic appliances with higher-end ones. For the time being, I decided to go for a lower-cost yet more impactful subway tile backsplash which extends all the way to the beginning of the vaulted ceiling. That brings people's attention up and away from those ugly appliances.
Get a Professional to Assess Your Home
Hopefully, you will have already had this done
before you bought the house, as big problems can be expensive to fix and a deal
breaker. However, if you didn’t, then you will need to ask a professional to
come in and assess what areas of the house need to be fixed and their urgency. For example, if they find that there is
a problem with toxic mold, then this will need to be a priority. You can read more here about mold and its effects. As well as the
professional report, you should also be discussing with each other what you
want the house to look like when it's
finished. Write down the jobs you need to do so you can tick them off when they
are completed.
Get Builders to do the Important Jobs
Unless you are a builder
yourself, there are some jobs that you should leave to them to do rather than
try to do them yourself. You can always get some quotes to see what the best
prices are but bear in mind that doesn’t
guarantee quality work. Qualified builders or building companies will also have
access to the right tools to do the job, so you won’t need to worry about
buying additional things to do the job yourself. If you are lucky, you might
have a friend or family member in the trade that can help you at a reduced
rate.
Ask Family and Friends to Help
There will be many small
jobs around the house that you might be able to ask friends or family to help
complete. These jobs include painting,
gardening, stripping and polishing or perhaps general cleaning up. You can even
make it a special event and have a party after all the jobs are complete for the day. You can unpack the
BBQ and have some snacks and drinks available for everyone. The good thing is
that older kids can also help out which will keep them busy.
Learn to do the Basic Tasks
To be good at DIY, it is important that you at least learn the basics first. If you have never tackled DIY before,
then there will be many tips that you can learn to make the job easier for you.
You can start by looking at some online videos where people show you how to lay
flooring or paint a ceiling. You can even start taking some evening classes to
learn practical examples and expand your knowledge. As well as this, there are
also many DIY forums on the internet with experts that can answer your
questions. You will be surprised how a little knowledge can be such a great
help.
Find Bargains at Auctions
If you are looking for
furniture for your home, then this can put the budget up, especially for large
items such as a bed and dining table. However, there are ways that you can save
some money by going to auctions instead of buying them new. There are furniture
and other household auctions all over the country. All you need to do
is find the one closest to you and see what they have to offer. It is important
to check how much they would be to buy new before you start bidding as you
don’t want to spend more than you should. It is also a good idea to have a list
of things you want to buy, and not be tempted by anything else while you are
there. It can quickly become an expensive trip if you get too engrossed in
other things.
Look to do Things That Will Save You Money
If you are considering
renovating your home, then it is a sensible time to think about adding cost-saving items as well. For example, you
could think about adding an energy efficient boiler system and water saving taps and shower heads.
You could also ensure that all the lights use energy saving bulbs and that you
use motion sensors to turn the lights off if there is no movement. Other
features that can save you money are solar panels, good quality insulation, and rainwater tanks for toilet use and watering
the garden.
Think About Reusing Existing Features
As you are renovating, look
at what features the house already has and see if there are any that you can
reuse. For example, if you have a nice stone floor in the kitchen, then
consider keeping it and giving it a polish to bring it back to its best.
Another area that can have some good natural features is the garden. If it
doesn’t need a lot of work, then think about leaving it as it is, at least for
now. You can always think about changing the layout at a later date.
Spread Out the Renovation
A good way to keep yourself
within budget is to spread the renovation work out over a year or so. It will
give you the time to save in between parts of the project, and it will mean
less disruption to your lives as well. If you can put up with a little delay,
then this is a good option for you.
Having to stick to a restricted
budget can be tough, but, with some work and planning, you can start to turn
your house into the home you have always wanted.
