Remodeling your kitchen, bathroom, basement, or other room of your home is a great way to freshen up your space and make it suit your tastes perfectly. It’s also a great way to spend a bunch of money—unless you follow these tips!
1. Plan, Plan, Plan
It’s so exciting to start remodeling! You just can’t wait to rip down those cabinets from the 60’s and that awful linoleum floor, right? But one of the easiest ways to save money when remodeling is to hold your (saw)horses and plan first.
What arrangement of cabinets, countertops, and fixtures will work best in your space? What materials do you like – and will you still like a few years down the road? Which materials are the most durable to meet your needs while still maintaining aesthetics? What is the best order for the work to be done in while causing minimal inconvenience to you during the process? If you don’t know the answers to these questions, it’s best to unplug your power drill and talk to a professional.
Working with experienced contractors like DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen of Springfield can ensure that you’ve thought everything through before you start your project. Our friendly designers work with you to determine your needs and wishes, and then provide 3D renderings so you know how the design will look before you start purchasing (and demolishing) things.
2. Optimize the Space You Have
Knocking down walls and moving plumbing are some of the most expensive parts of remodeling. Sometimes they’re necessary, but many times they can be avoided with a creative design. A professional can see things in your space that you might not be able to and can help you achieve your vision with fewer changes to your existing floorplan.
For example, maybe your bathroom vanity is too small so you’re thinking of moving the toilet to make room for a larger vanity. Changing the plumbing could cost thousands of dollars more, but finding niches, nooks, wall cavities and other creative spaces could be the solution to more storage.
3. Talk It Out
Even with a well-designed plan, changes can arise. What’s going on behind the walls is unknown until demo time. An unseen water leak can rot subfloor over time or a vent stack may have been placed in an odd and unforeseen location. These small problems can turn into big problems if they aren’t addressed immediately, so you’ll want to work with a contractor who communicates honestly and often about budget and any changes to the scope of the project.
4. Nothing Beats First-Hand Knowledge
No matter how many books you read or YouTube tutorials you watch, nothing beats first-hand experience. And unless you’re a professional, you’re not likely to have much remodeling experience under your toolbelt! Even if you’ve done a little spackling here and paint touch-ups there, kitchen and bathroom remodeling is an entirely different game.
Working with a contractor who has experience in the exact project you’re doing – kitchen remodel, bathroom remodel, or basement remodel – means they’ve encountered the same types of issues and surprises before, which means it won’t actually be a surprise to them. They’ll be able to anticipate most problems before they arise and will be able to address any others quickly, saving time and money.
And don’t forget about permits! You’ll want to be sure everything you’re doing is above-board and up to code, and this is something the professionals can handle, no sweat.
5. Have One Impact Piece and Go Budget on the Rest
You might not want to limit yourself to just one impact piece – a handful could be OK, depending on your budget – but you definitely want to focus your efforts on the things that matter most to you, then consider going easier on the other items. Maybe you splash out on a fancy backsplash and that special faucet you’ve had your eye on, then go with vinyl tile floors (versus hardwood) to balance out the expense. Or maybe you splurge on quartz or granite countertops and then reface your existing cabinets instead of completely replacing them.
These decisions can be tough to make! An experienced designer will help you find the areas that will give you the biggest “wow” factor, as well as the places you can get the biggest bang for your buck.
At DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen of Springfield, our team of experienced designers and contractors is ready to help you remodel your kitchen, bathroom, or basement. Give us a call today or stop by our Design Center to see how we can make your dreams a reality – all while keeping your budget in mind.
