Collaborative Post¦ As many of you know, I recently moved house. Unfortunately, when we moved in we found problem after problem! As such, a lot of our budget for decorating has gone on things like a new water tank, fixing plumbing and rewiring the house. To get as much done as possible, we have had to think about how to save money on home improvements. Here are some tips based on my experiences.
Do it yourself!
One of the best ways you can cut costs is by doing work yourself, rather than paying tradespeople to do it. If you’re not sure how to do something, why not ask friends or family for help? When I bought my first house, my Dad taught me how to hang wallpaper and lay laminate flooring. Not only was it a great bonding experience, I learned a lot and it saved a lot of money.
If there’s a gap of knowledge amongst those you know, the internet is another resource you can turn to. YouTube is a great place to find tutorials for all sorts of things.
Set a budget
One of the best ways to save money is always to set a budget. Of course, some things do go over budget sometimes. It can’t be helped, but by being as strict as possible with it you’ll still save money. Although you may be tempted by really expensive hand crafted tiles, for instance, do you really need them? Instead, there is likely to be a cheaper option that will still look great and give the desired effect without breaking the bank. If you need an additional budget, make some extra money by selling your old mobile phones, gadgets, or whatever else you can. You can find the best price by comparing current market prices.
Be choosy
You can save lots of money by being choosy and only shopping where you know prices are going to be competitive. For example, Designer Carpet sell carpets at great prices. They also sell off-cuts of carpet in their ‘remnants’ section, so not only are you helping your bank balance you’re helping the environment too!
If you are upgrading the flooring in your home and are wary of committing to a purchase before making sure that it’s right, plenty of affordable online retails now offer free sample services, so you can get an in-person look at your new style before it arrives. Leading UK brand Carpet Warehouse also offer a room visualiser tool, allowing you to take a simple snap of your chosen room in order to get an instant look at what it will look like with your chosen new floor installed.
Get quotes
If you do need to get a tradesperson in, ever ever settle for the first quote. A good rule of thumb is generally to get three quotes and go from there. It is also a good idea to ask people you know for recommendations. It’s also wise to use a website such as Check a Trade to make sure they’re legitimate.
Buy secondhand
Facebook Marketplace, local Facebook groups, Gumtree, Freecycle, eBay and charity shops are all good places to get either freebies or things cheaply. You can pick up all sorts of things, from garden paving slabs to sofas. Sometimes they may not even have been used!
You can also make huge savings on buying ex-display kitchens from websites such as Used Kitchen Exchange.
Be creative
If you’re a creative person, you can save money by using what you already have. Instead of buying new furniture, why not pick up a paintbrush and get out the sewing machine to upcycle it?
Pick your timings
You can save money depending on when you shop and decide to do work on your home. In our old house, we had new patio doors put in just before Christmas. Because it was an unpopular time of year to have it done, the price was lower than it would have been. It was a freezing day below 0 degrees, but the savings we made were worth it. It was just a case of wearing coats and jumpers indoors for a few hours!
You can’t do it all
As you’re reading this, I’m going to assume you’re not a millionaire who can afford to do everything! As such, remember that you can’t do everything! Pick things that are bothering you the most and amend those first.
Disclosure: This is a collaborative post.