Exhausting renovation budgets is one of the top concerns homeowners have when starting new home remodeling projects. Finding the sweet spot that lies in between the delicate balancing act of sanding down costs without sacrificing construction quality requires knowledge, a bit of elbow grease, and the willingness to be hands-on. The good news is that the ten helpful ideas below will help homeowners hack remodeling costs.

Compare at Least 3 Different Estimates

The desire to get home remodeling projects over and done with as soon as possible is natural but taking the time to find a highly skilled contractor for the best price is worth the wait. Reaching out to people in your network is an excellent place to start.  Also, seeking out at least three different estimates will allow you to test the waters enough to see what the underlying price will be. Keep in mind that estimates only reflect a base price.  Therefore, as a rule, you should add 20 percent above the estimate to your budget as a cushion.

Become Your Own General Contractor

Depending on the complexity of the remodeling project, homeowners could potentially act as their own general contractors. Doing so means that it will be the homeowner’s responsibility to find and hire different specialists needed for the project. This includes such people as a plumber, electrician, carpenter, and anyone else that may be required. General contractors often add a premium to the amount you’ll pay the subcontractors used for the project.  Therefore, going directly to the individuals wanted for each part of your remodeling project cuts expenses.

Bargain Shop for Building Supplies

Auctions, recycling centers, tapping into leftover construction materials, and rummage sales are only a few of the myriad of places where you can find low-cost building materials that can be utilized for home remodeling projects. For homeowners who decide to work with a general contractor, make sure to ask if they have any extra materials they’d be willing to part with. Leftover materials from finished jobs are often thrown away. Therefore,  be prepared not only to ask but swiftly pick up any extra items you come across.

Keep in Mind That Everything Doesn’t Have to be New

It’s no surprise that everyone likes to have new things, but buying all new furniture can be costly. Looking for ways to refresh existing pieces will help to moderate your furnishing spend, and refurbishing, upholstering, or applying a coat of paint to cabinets, doors, and furniture can quickly bring them back to life. If you have an itch for new pieces that you can not just scratch with refurbishing, shopping estate sales, and thrift stores will help open the door to unique items that won’t compromise your budget.

Picking up and Storing Your Supplies Can Save You, Dough

Omitting delivery fees and storage costs by picking up your own materials is an easy way to save money. If you don’t have a big enough vehicle to do so, crunch the numbers to see if renting a pickup truck or trailer to tow behind your vehicle is worthwhile. Remember to safeguard building materials and never leave them out in the open. Burglars can spot high-value goods and will snatch them if they can.  Therefore, make sure to securely store materials when you do not use them.

Use Design Concepts as a Tool to Cut Costs

Using design as a tool to make your space more efficient will help homeowners save in the long run. Incorporating natural lighting, weatherproofing, and swapping out bulky storage systems for leaner models are all ways to cut construction costs and reduce utility bills even after you have done your project. Homeowners that decide to focus on bringing more lighting into a remodeled space should consider light tubing and leaner window framing. These are good ways to pump an area full of sunshine versus cutting a new window.

Install Your Own Fixtures

For those with moderate to minimal construction expertise, involvement in your remodeling project should be optimized for it to pay off. Taking over the project at the end by adding final touches on your own is the perfect phase to jump into that will not disrupt bigger parts of the project. Tackling the purchase and installation of fixtures, doing your own cleanup, painting, sanding, and patching duties all reduce labor costs, and doing these tasks yourself will pay off.

Have a Painting Party

Doing your own painting and turning it into a fun experience for friends and family is a creative way to make your remodeling more economical. It also makes big jobs far less ominous when you have a more hands-on deck. In order to keep the spirit of fun at your gathering, get things such as priming out of the way. This allows your guests to surround themselves with color instead of boring painting tasks. Also, don’t forget to supply plenty of food and beverages to make it a true party.

Tackle Your Own Tiling and Flooring

Laying tiles and installing flooring are simple duties that can be quickly learned. Installing your own flooring and tiles can save you hundreds in labor costs. It is also a fun way to connect with your new environment. A few basic hand tools, grout, and caulk are all you need to create a professional-looking tile floor or mosaic. Installing wood flooring is also a simple task. Indeed, you can flawlessly do it after just a bit of practice and a great set of precise instructions.

Be Ready to Change What You Want

You may need calls for new plumbing, extensive electrical, or a grandiose amount of work. In such a case, you may need to lean out your design expectations. For example, moving a sink to another part of a room or changing where your toilet is, needs massive plumbing efforts that will spike costs. Instead, design new areas around where existing light and plumbing fixtures are, and you can even update fixtures themselves. Doing so will make home remodeling projects less daunting, less invasive, and less expensive.

Author’s Bio:

Abigail Baker is a writer for Happy Writers.