Home renovating on the budget

The thought of renovating your home can be both exciting and daunting. If done correctly, renovation can lead to a fresh new look, but it can also be costly. When cost appears to outweigh the benefits, most people opt against all property changes. In reality however, you can accomplish a great deal of improvement without spending much of your funds. All it takes is a little persistence, creativity and of course a dash of handyman tips.

Learn To Do It Yourself

What people do not often realize is that being handy is a skill you learn over time. And with a little thing called the internet, you can learn a wide range of skills. All you need is a bit of free time to practice and you can be a self-proclaimed renovator in no time.

“It is truly surprising how many people dismiss this idea because they consider themselves inept in the realm of handiness when all DIY requires is some time and effort. “ – Bob’s Handyman Service

That’s right: the internet is more than just Daniel Tosh’s personal playground. (Daniel is a famous actor and comedian)

Aside from all of the viral-of-the-week type videos, YouTube is full with free educational step-by-step tutorials—all you need to do is ask and you shall be given!

So what kind of tasks can you learn to complete by yourself?

How about replacing a door?

If your house is out-dated, chances are that most of your doors are made of cheap, flimsy material or low quality MDF.

Think!

• Can you hear your daughter’s TV from down the hall?
• Can you hear your dog rustling in his crate?

If the answer is yes, it is time for a new door.

Don’t worry—spotting a quality door is easier than you think.

• First, make sure that you measure the frame size of your existing door. Nothing is worse than buying something that will not fit.
• Once you have the exact measurements, start knocking on doors—literally! How hollow is this prospective door? Ideally, you want something strong and full bodied; something that can drown out TV, radio, and spontaneous night moves.
• Once you have picked out the door of your dreams, check how to DIY replace a door. If you are willing to put in the time and effort, you will find that changing a door is as simple as following a common cooking recipe: all you need is the right tools!

Get the right set of tools.

In addition to self-doubt, among the main reasons is often the lack of proper tools. This simple problem is what  prevents most from handling their own renovations and repairs. That is why everyone should own a basic tool kit.

With the right instructions, you can complete most projects with a hammer, wrench, a nail gun, or even by simply using a screwdriver.

Try it: Look around your home!

• Do you see anything that looks fixable enough?
• Do you really need to hire a “professional” to change the flapper in your toilet?

The part itself usually costs less than 10 bucks. As long as you have connection to the web along with basic tools –  you can easily prevent that toilet from running all by yourself!

Put the extra effort into learning and You can save yourself some money by doing basic repairs yourself.

Do your own demo work.

Not only are you more than capable of fixing a multitude of fixtures & appliances in your home, but you can also take them apart.

Stick to demolishing outside editions like decks and small sheds. Internal demolitions (like gutting an entire bathroom) should be done to a professional handyman.

While demolishing things can definitely be simple and enjoyable, you need to be mindful of load-bearing walls. These are the walls that support the structure and overall integrity of the property. If you damage one of these improperly, you can risk a collapse.

A layer of fresh paint can be as refreshing as a summer rain.

Repainting is a low-risk, cost effective DIY endeavour that can give your home the modern look that it needs.

When brainstorming color options, remember a thorough painting and decorating guide can only help to keep the theme of the room straight. Will a muted burgundy suit your dining room ? Have you properly prepared your pre-painting stage, the actual repaint and the finish?

Think about the pieces of furniture that will populate the room: Will the prospective color compliment or on the contrary, clash with the rest of items in your home? While painting can sometimes be a bit of a hefty process, its most endearing quality is that it never has to be permanent. If you do not like the color you chose for a room, repaint it with a color that you do like and move forward.

Decorate your walls.

Bare walls lack personality. Try browsing creative websites like A2B Crafts for fresh ideas or even thrift shops or for any of the following—pictures, paintings, tapestries— or any other object that you feel can add flavor to your home.

If you want to take your creativity even further, get in shape with the latest trends in interior and look out for your new favorite pick. There are many emerging trends that will surely inspire you, such as bare brick prints (or even the real deal), creative wall hanging of shelves, mineral inspired textures like cork and the list goes on.

Look around and you will surely find something to fit your cup of tea!

Browse for furniture online.

Buying new units – Why is it the better choice?

When it comes down to interior design, preferences will certainly vary. While men would rather buy brand new traditional furnishing, ladies would go for shabby chic furniture or even retro-inspired units. When you’re about to cause a drastic change in the overall feeling of your interior, consent is a must!

A budget-friendly choice would be flat pack furniture or even replicas, but quality is something you should definitely bear in mind.

Choosing an established seller with thorough history and positive reviews is mandatory. Look out for warranties and money-back guarantees.

A great example would be to renovate your bedroom and the way you rest. To buy a new cozy mattress can be a hefty task and that’s why conscientious companies like Mattressinsider.com will offer you the chance to test and if unhappy – return your newly bought mattress. This is a sure sign that you’ve chosen a reliable company you can trust in the long term.

Buying used units – Mind the risks.

People are always trying to get rid of furniture. Most of the time it is because they are selling their house or apartment. Getting rid of furniture will help them consolidate the influx of things that they have to migrate over to their new home.

Generally, the hardest part about removing furniture is figuring out a way to transport it back home or fix scratches on furniture. That is why a lot of people give out couches and dressers for free to anyone who is willing to pick it up. If you think that people are only giving junk away for free, think again. The internet has given rise to a whole new type of tag-sale, and there is a lot more gold than trash waiting to be added to your treasure chest.

Many websites have free sections filled with quality furniture. Moreover, the fact that it is free means that you do not have to make any kind of commitment. If you locate prospects nearby, then stop by and take a look at it. If you do not like what you see, then leave.

Re-Evaluate Room Space.

No matter how exciting it may have been at first, a room’s layout could get stale. Before you start expanding, think about ways to add space to the room in its current state:

• maybe your bed should face the window instead of the door;
• maybe the garbage can would be better under the sink instead of next to the refrigerator.

If abstract thought is not your cup of tea, relocate everything movable and observe it as a blank slate. Now you can re-place each piece in a new location and thus change how your interior feels and looks like. Look for inspiration. To redecorate your living room CAN be fun!

Try in-door DIY gardening.

Growing herbs at home is growing in popularity. Many start to doubt the origin and quality of in-store products and it is where this trend has emerged from.

Truth is, growing herbs at home is not as difficult as it might sound at first. However, you will have to master the basics of locating plants your plants for optimal lighting, the basics of soil fertilization and etc.

If you are conscientious enough, one day you might even earn a bit from your fresh and organic herbs.

When in need – hire reputable tradesmen with proven history and experience.

While there are a lot of tasks that you can accomplish by yourself, there are definitely situations that will require an experienced tradesman.

Private contractors work for themselves; therefore, they often charge half the hourly rate of a traditional renovation company but they lack the guarantees and dedicated customer support.

Conclusion and takeaways:

One can always renovate on a budget, but nevertheless, any homeowner, landlord or even property developer should carefully pick repairs one can do DIY and those that require professional know-how and gear. Learn new skills and practice what you already know, but never risk to push your chances too far, for you might end up spending more than you have.