Home Renovation Costs

• When working out home renovation costs you will invariably need to get a quote by a qualified tradesperson do specific jobs. When you do this it is always better to get 4 quotes instead of the usual 3. This is because generally 1 of the tradespeople will either not bother to turn up to inspect what needs to be done, forget to actually give you the quote or be so busy that the final quote's costs are exorbitant and not realistic. When this happens you will still be left with 3 reasonable quotes from which to choose from and you won't have to waste time looking for more tradesman or money by paying more than the job is actually worth.
• If you undertake tasks yourself to keep down home renovation costs then you may require specific tools in order to complete the job. In this situation consider hiring the tool instead of buying it. This will save you a lot of money, especially for large tools that you are not likely to use in the future for any other purpose.
• One of the best ways to save money when doing cheap renovations is to take advantage of the wide selection of good quality building materials available at auction clearance centres. You can usually get everything from tiles and bathroom fixtures right through to entire kitchens and appliances. These auction houses generally sell items that are either brand new, ex-display or end of line items so you get excellent home renovation materials on the cheap.
• As an owner builder or home handyman try getting a contractor discount on home improvement products. Many hardware and building suppliers offer a 5, 10 or even 15 percent discount to tradespeople so mention that you are an owner builder or drop the name of your tradesman if you are buying new fixtures for them to install.
• When you are purchasing home renovation materials make sure that you choose in-stock items. Retailers would prefer to empty their warehouses and therefore they are much more likely to give you cheap prices for their in-stock goods than if they have to specifically order in new stock.
• When it comes to finishing products like paint, cornice or tiles always buy good quality items and don't try and save a few dollars. Otherwise you could end up with a inferiour finish that actually looks cheap or, worst still, having to do it again costing you lots more money in the long run.
• To reduce your home renovation costs choose materials that will save you money like white coloured tiles, glass benchtops instead of caeserstone, polyurethane instead of timber and other mid priced fittings that still look good but don't cost the earth.
• Buy building materials from auction houses (which have second hand, factory seconds and surplus stock) and online websites where you can salvage a bargain that someone else is removing from their own renovation. Another way to keep renovations cheap is to attend swap meets and exchange home renovation materials with other people.