Home renovation projects can be pricey, but there are plenty of ways to lower costs and keep that cash in your wallet. Licensed contractor and host of HGTV’s “Flipping the Block” Josh Temple stopped by Studio 1A to share his constriction tips for saving money with Willie and Tamron.
Don’t always go with the lowest quote from contractors. Just because it’s the lowest price doesn’t mean it’s the best deal, says Temple. “Do your homework,” he said. “Make sure it’s apples to apples.”
Avoid paying a large deposit up front. Temple suggests paying contractors in installments to make sure the work gets done. “That will keep the contractor coming back.” He also suggests always paying the final installment after the last of the work is done to ensure that those odds and ends get tied up.
Consider colder seasons to hire a contractor. With the warmer weather, summertime is typically a contractor’s busiest season, so not only could it be difficult to find one, but they may also charge higher rates because the demand is so big. To save some cash, Temple suggests saving your housework for a colder season, where availability is more open. “You get contractors when they have the time to do it,” he said.
Do the demo yourself. Save costs on demolition by taking care of it yourself. “Get a sledge hammer,” Temple said. “It’s therapeutic.” He does suggest staying away from water and power, but other than that, go at it.
Buy your own fixtures and furnishings. Find the fixtures yourself to avoid paying someone to do it for you. “A lot of this stuff you can do yourself,” he said. “There is information about it everywhere.”
Change out the hardware on your own. Swap out those cabinet handles and other hardware pieces on your own. “That’s a great way to amp up your room with just a couple of cheap fixes,” Temple said.
Refinish the cabinets yourself. New cabinets can be a costly purchase, so if possible, refinish the cabinets that are already installed in your kitchen. “The work is in the prep,” Temple said, so make sure to sand each piece thoroughly, then use a paint with a primer installed for an easy application that will last.
Go green with bamboo. “It’s my favorite thing to tell people to do it themselves,” Temple said. Bamboo has proved itself as a sustainable and quality hard wood, and its ‘snap’ application makes it a great option for home owners to install themselves.