How to Save Money on Home Improvements

Many Kiwis want to improve their home before summer kicks into gear and the renovations get pricier. It could be a small DIY project or something big that needs more money and time. Every little thing adds up in renovations. If you strategically plan the layout, materials and time involved, you could easily cut costs and save money without cutting corners.

Slashing your home improvement bill isn’t that hard. To help you with it, we’ve rounded up the following tips:

1. Research and plan in advance

Planning and listing every detail comes in handy once you start remodelling as the costs can quickly add up. Look online or walk around home improvement stores for ideas and inspiration on the layouts. Take advantage of any free advice or samples from home renovation consultants to research and plan for your project. This research is key to minimise the chance of you underestimating your costs.

2. Do it yourself

To save money you could do parts of the task yourself; like demolition, tearing down or any DIY task needed on your home improvement project. Simple tasks like painting, hanging wallpaper or site clean-ups which if done by you could save you some money. If you teach yourself how, taking on even bigger DIY renovation projects like installing new lights, plumbing or laminating floors, could also be an option.

3. Hire a professional

Do your maths, if you don’t have time to do it by yourself or are unable to learn the required skill or need any specialised tools, it is best to hire a contractor or a tradesman for the job.

Hire an interior designer or a consultant who could offer professional home improvement advice, even if it’s for a couple of hours. This will help you to make the best choices straight away as the wrong choice of paint colour can add up the costs if you have to paint twice!

4. Increase efficiency

If you sometimes rearrange your existing set up, you may not need to tear down the walls to create more space.

Before you finalise and dive into your renovation plan you should consider the resale value of your efforts. You’ll have to make sure that the project increases the value of your house to get you the best return on your investment.

5. Long-term costs

Use sustainable ways and think through the long-term costs. Fixing recessed lights would cost more, if you consider to use natural light where possible, you could keep your power bill low in the future. Sun tunnels, light tubes or skylights are less expensive and sustainable ways of capturing the natural light. Using solar energy equipment would also reap more benefits in the long run.

6. Buy materials beforehand

As you look around for inspiration and prices, there could be a possibility to find something wonderful. If you spot the item you want that’s on sale, you should consider purchasing them. Even if your project is months away, it’s worth buying things on sale to save money. If you buy the supplies at auction, during off season, or at an end of season clearance sale, you could end up with massive savings.

7. Recycling centre

Hit your local recycling centre to find second hand supplies. Many Kiwis donate or sell their excess materials, you could check with your neighbours, go to yard sales or look online at Trade Me, Neighbourly and other social media platforms.

What tips do you have for saving money on home improvements? Share your thoughts with our readers.