Common Spending Mistakes: Blowing Your Remodeling Budget
Sunday, September 6th, 2009
- Not planning well enough. If you don’t have a budget and a clear idea of what you want to do and how much you’re willing to spend on it, chances are you’ll spend too much.
- Buying all new furniture. Whether you’re tired of the look in a room or the dogs have destroyed the couch, there are few times when you actually need to change every single of furniture in a room. In most cases, you can reupholster some pieces, paint others and add fabrics and linens to brighten up the place. Then buy one or two pieces that will really spruce up the place.
- Changing the floors before exploring options. If you’re hardwood floors are scratched or chipped, you may think it’s time for new flooring. Before you go that route, find out if the damage can be repaired. Paint, wax or even sectional rugs can all cover the damage or at least hide it significantly.
- Hiring a handyman for little repairs. Of course you need a contractor for major structural changes and a handyman to correct electrical or pipe problems. However, there’s no reason why you can’t learn to fix the smaller things yourself. Fixing a small hole on a wall, especially in a place like the garage or the basement, where perfection is not needed, can be done by everybody. The same is true of painting a room, replacing a switchplate or other small house repairs.
