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Five Keys to Remodeling on a Budget
by Pamela Cole Harris
We would all love to remodel our home. The evidence? Just look
at the profusion of new programs dealing with remodeling rooms, houses, or yards
by neighbors, mothers, complete strangers or your Uncle Mort on a $1000, $500 or
$1.98 budget. If you, upon viewing one too many episodes of Trading Spaces, have
decided to take the plunge, here are a few tips to ensure your remodeling
project is completed under budget.
1. Prioritize your needs and wants. Write down the top ten items
you need, then write down the top ten items you want. Put your money towards
your needs first, then you can use any extra money for things that you want.
2. So you want granite countertops and hardwood floors? You want
wall-to-wall ceramic tile in the bath? Try alternative materials to give you the
look you want for a lot less money. Try laminated stone countertops made with
thin slabs of bonded granite and laminate flooring to resemble hardwoods or
tile.
3. Do as much of the work as you can yourself. There are plenty
of websites on the internet that will give you instructions and tips and your
local home improvement store will be happy to advise you (especially if you are
buying supplies from them!). If you use a contractor, you can save money by
removing the old cabinets or flooring yourself.
4. If possible, try not to knock down walls or make other
structural changes. Working with existing plumbing, electrical wiring and walls
will dramatically reduce the cost of the project.
5 Take your time and have a plan. Taking it slow is the
remodeling equivalent of "measuring twice and cutting once." Anything you have
to re-do just adds to your total cost.
If you plan your project, take it slow and resist knocking down
walls, you should have no problem staying under budget. On the other hand, if
you wake up with the overwhelming urge to remodel that bathroom today and an
irresistible itch to use a sledgehammer, prepare to open the checkbook and kiss
your budget goodbye!
Pamela Cole Harris is an editor, writer, eco-decorator and the author of "
100+ Wildly Imaginative Ways to Create Your Own Coffee Table (available at
http://www.lulu.com/pamelacoleharris
). Visit her website,
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