No matter if you’re in Texas or anywhere else, remodeling your home is something that can be rather pricey. 

Even if you follow essential advice – like getting an affordable loan in San Antonio, building a financial cushion to cover unforeseen surprises, obtaining and checking contractor references, etc. – it can be difficult not to end up paying more than you should. 

Don’t worry, we’re here to help. 

If you can manage to keep your home in tip-top shape and can think strategically about timing, materials, and design, you’ll be able to cut your costs while not needing to cut corners. We’ll show you how in the following paragraphs.

Here’s a quick look at a few ways you can make your project a bit more affordable.  

Increase Efficiency

There are many ways to increase your home’s value during a remodel, and increasing the efficiency of the spaces is one of them. For example, if you can equip and reorganize the kitchen so that there’s maximum utility, you might not necessarily need to knock those walls down for more square footage. You might spend a lot on things like new, more efficient cabinets with pull-out pot trays, dividers, and lazy Susans, but you’ll save even more by skipping that expensive addition. 

Natural Light

You can bring more natural light into your home without adding more windows. Before you cut a massive hole into the side of your home and rearranging the framing, why not think about a less expensive or invasive method of capturing that light you’re craving. Why not consider installing a light tube. It slips right between the rafters in the roof to funnel light into your home. It also costs about a third as much as having a new window installed.

Recycling

People looking to remodel on a budget can find massive savings using lightly used or even recycled building materials and fixtures. There are about 400 ReStores (operated by Habitat for Humanity) across the country, offering materials that have been salvaged at about half the price charged by more traditional home centers. This is a great option if you are the DIY sort, especially since many contractors refuse to work with salvaged materials.

Donate

Before beginning to remodel, invite your local Habitat for Humanity to come and get fixtures and materials that they’ll resell at a later date. They can take down the entirety of your remodel or cherry-pick and take out things like sinks, tubs, and cabinets. By doing this, you save landfill space, get charitable credit on your taxes, and help a good cause.

Do the Demo

Knocking your own home apart doesn’t tend to cost as much as rebuilding it does. That said, you can still shave off quite a few dollars if you do a bit of the demolition yourself, as long as you’re careful. For example, if you’re replacing or upgrading a deck, go ahead and tear up the old one. However, if what you’re remodeling is inside the home, you may want to leave it to the pros unless you’ve done that sort of thing before. If you don’t know what you’re doing, you could take out a wall that’s load-bearing or cut into plumbing or wiring.

Remember that every little thing you do, or omit to do, can add up quickly when it comes to home improvement. That’s why it’s critical to consider whether or not to do a simple remodel or to demo and begin anew.