Buying a house at auction or a derelict property to completely renovate offer a lot of design possibilities, often in areas that are popular and typically far outside of your price range. However, just because you have saved on the deed of the property does not mean that you can splash cash left, right, and centre. You need to keep your design as budget-friendly as possible. There is a very good chance that there will be hidden emergencies that will need to be fixed in your fixer-upper, so by using these budget tips, you can keep an emergency fund for those issues and still have a beautifully designed home at the end of it.
Clear Out Your Home Yourselves
Grunt work is perfect to do yourself. You can remove so much, from cupboards and counters to flooring and wallpaper. When doing this, you need to remember to wear protective gear, only remove items that are safe for you to do so, and have a house clearance solution come pick up your rubbish and remove it for you afterward. There are waste removal services that collect and then even recycle what you send them, so you can even do well by the environment while saving money gutting your home to prepare it for a full makeover.
What You Can DIY
There are several things that you can DIY with a fair amount of success. You can add flooring, for example. You can repaint or wallpaper the walls. You can even add character features like skirting or crown moulding. You can ask experts what you can do by yourself and find online tutorials to help you get it right from the start. By doing a lot of these relatively easy jobs yourself, you can save a lot of money in comparison to having them done for you, allowing you to spend more on the materials you use.
Rent Tools to Save
Some tools are universal and will be great to have throughout your life, like hammers and screwdrivers. These are great tools to buy. Others, like tile cutters, are very rarely going to be used again and therefore should be rented. Renting tools is becoming very popular, especially as the DIY renovation market has expanded. You can rent tools for the day, for the week, or however long is necessary. Do cost-compare, however. If you find that renting for the full amount of time you estimate you will use the tool costs more than buying the tool, then buying is better.
Look to Reclamation Yards and Second-Hand
There are a lot of ways that you can save by buying materials second-hand. This includes tools, though you will need them to be certified, meaning they have been checked over and deemed safe. Flooring, tiles, fireplaces, sinks, doors – the list of materials that you can buy from a reclamation yard is endless. While beautiful vintage pieces are costly, there are many budget options that can allow you to add character, reduce your environmental impact, and help you save.
