Home renovation often tends to be more expensive than you planned at first. The reason for this is that people don’t plan their renovation to detail, and when they do, they often don’t stick to it. One task leads to some others, and in the end, you’ve fixed more than you actually planned. And that’s fine. You just need to find a way to spend money efficiently and save where you can. For that reason, we created a simple guide that will help you protect your budget as much as you can. Here are some easy hacks that will help you save money on home improvements in Florida. Improve your family home (or vacation rental) the best way possible without breaking a bank!
Before you start…
As we mentioned, one of the main reasons people spend more than necessary is because they don’t stick to a plan. Be sure to go around the house and see what exactly are you going to do about it. Make a list of the projects you want to start and most importantly – do some rough calculations do see if those fit in your budget. If you go over the budget, consider some more affordable home improvements. And finally, after you talk to the contractors and have the estimate, be sure to include a bit more for some surprising tasks that tend to happen.
Have a number of options
Only a contractor can give you an exact estimate of the home renovation you want to do. However, if you want to save money on home improvements in Florida, you need to contact a couple of professionals. Let it be at least three contractors, so you can choose the one with the most attractive bid. But, don’t go for the cheapest option just because it’s cheap. Make sure you’re dealing with a reputable company, so you don’t end up paying much more than the most expensive bid you received. Do some research on contractors in Florida, and go for the one that you heard positive opinions about.
You take care of the materials
To save money on home improvements in Florida you will have to do as many things on your own. One of the best ways to reduce the costs is to get the materials by yourself and avoid the contractor to get it for you. Ask them what exactly you need to buy, so you can go around the stores and find affordable materials.
Bonus tip: when buying the materials, consider getting leftovers from the manufacturers. If you don’t need a lot of material for something, you can find leftovers at a much cheaper price.
DIY to save money on home improvements in Florida
Planning the renovation and saving money for it takes some time. Why not use it to learn how to do something on your own? Maybe you don’t need to pay the contractors for everything that needs to be done around the house. Talk to your neighbors and friends and see what are the things you can do by yourself – or with the help someone you know. However, don’t try something you can’t do on your own because it can cost you more in the end. Think about the tasks done by a home improvement company vs DIY – where you can actually save?
Recycle
One of the best ways to save money on home improvements in Florida is to revamp the things around the house rather than throwing them away and purchasing new ones. This can be applied to renovating your kitchen, for example – it’s much cheaper to paint the kitchen cabinets and change the handles and knobs, rather than buying the whole new kitchen. There are many cheap kitchen improvements to try out. Also, reupholstering, polishing and painting the furniture is a much more affordable option that gives a whole new look to your house.
Don’t wait for the big repairs
On-time maintenance of some minor repairs around the house could save you a lot of money in the future. Even though it seems just like a little leak or crack now, be sure to fix it before it causes some bigger, additional problems. Most of the people want to renovate just for that reason – small problems turning into a bigger one. Be sure to save money on home improvements in Florida before you actually need to improve anything.
After the renovation
It’s time to move in. However, the financial issues don’t stop here – you need to continue looking at your budget before it’s gone.
Plan the moving budget, too
The same way you planned the renovation, you need to plan the moving process, too. Write down all the tasks you need to finish before the moving day and keep track of your process. Also, be sure to estimate your costs – consider preparing your moving budget online and make everything a lot easier.
Hire a reliable moving company
Again, don’t just go with the cheapest option, because a moving scam can cost you a lot more. Be sure to pick someone reliable like promoversmiami.com, and know you can trust them with your items. Find out more about the company you want to hire and pick according to the recommendations.
Save on packing supplies
When you want to save money on home improvements in Florida, you also want to save on packing supplies when moving into the house. There is a number of ways to do that. You can search for packing supplies on sales – if you start your preparations on time. Also, find free moving boxes – ask your friends and family who recently moved, or try at a local liquor store or supermarket and check of leftover boxes. And finally – sue the items you already have in your home. Anything can be used instead of a moving box – your gym bag, a suitcase, drawers, garbage bags, etc. There are plenty of ways to be thrifty during home renovation and moving in, and you should definitely consider trying some of them!