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No one likes to cut a budget, especially when it's their own. But
when it comes to planning a remodeling project, Pittsburgh
homeowners must establish a realistic budget . . . and manage it.
Preparing for a remodeling project is a lot like preparing to buy a
car. You may know the room and style you want, but the options you
choose may drive the price higher than you can reasonably afford.
But there are ways to stretch the remodeling budget and end up with
a stylish room within budget.
Below are NARI members' top ways to stretch a budget:
Getting Started
The most important step is
finding a professional remodeling contractor for your job.
 Find
a NARI Pro for a contractor near you.
Hire
a
professional contractor who is familiar with the building codes
in your area. Replacing work that does not meet code can be
extremely expensive.
A
well-written contract can prevent costly mistakes or additions to
the scope of your project. It is a critical step in maintaining your
budget.
Save
money by planning ahead. Go through the design process first and
choose everything you want to include
in the new room(s), from appliances to light fixtures. This will
define your budget and prevent hasty (and costly) decisions later in
the project. Be sure to include all your product and material
selections in the contract to avoid confusion and unnecessary change
orders. Include the model, size, color, and other specifications. It
is also wise to save 10-20 percent of your budget to allow for items
added to the scope of work.
Product choice is the number one way to decrease the cost of your
remodeling project. In addition, pay attention to how labor
intensive some design features may be, for example laying ceramic
tile on
kitchen countertops and the backsplash.
Compare products and their prices carefully before you make final
decisions. And keep an open mind when you discuss product and design
ideas with your contractor.
Make
decisions based on value and quality, not just price.
Think about staging the work being done to minimize the initial
financial impact. It is often easier to create a more manageable
budget by starting small and adding to the project at a later date.
This will break the work into several jobs instead of one large
project. The down side of staging a remodel is that you may end up
paying more in the long run.
General Remodeling Tips
Be creative. There are often multiple solutions to accomplish a
design objective, some more expensive than others. Discuss various
options with your contractor.
Make
the most amount of changes with paint if all the room really needs
is a facelift, as opposed to structural changes. Changing the color
of a room can revitalize it. This is the best cost-saving technique
to bring life to a room. It is also inexpensive, effective, and one
of the oldest tricks in the business.
Heavy or textured wallpaper can work wonders as well. You can save
money by wallpapering a slightly damaged wall rather than replacing
it. If the wall has grass cloth wallpaper on it, consider
whitewashing it for a totally new look. Several layers of whitewash
(in various shades of white) produces a clean, sophisticated look in
any room. Faux finish painting or other textured decorative painting
techniques also can hide minor damage or irregularities that flat
paint won't.
Attempt to keep
existing window locations during any remodeling project. Moving
windows is not a cost-saving endeavor.
Finding Space
Creating more space can be a big budget buster. Once you
add
square footage to your Pittsburgh home, the price increases
significantly. One alternative is to steal space from a neighboring
room (called space reconfiguration). A great place to steal
space for a bathroom expansion is from the linen closet. You can
make up some of the lost storage by finding small spaces in between
wall studs for small niches or built-in shelves.
Try
stealing space with optical illusions. There are many ways to make a
small room appear larger. To
transform a small bath, install a bow window or a skylight.
Vaulted ceilings are a nice touch too.
If
you are going to
expand outside the existing home, consider a small bump out of
two to four feet. This may allow you to cantilever the floor joists
and eliminate the need for excavation and foundation. If possible,
be careful not to
extend beyond the roof line which would add a new roof to your
job.
Whenever you are adding on new space to a home, have a
heating contractor determine whether your existing heating
system can accommodate and heat the extra space. You don't want to
damage your existing heating system and be forced to replace the
entire unit.
In the Kitchen
Reuse existing appliances, if at all possible, and build your new
cabinets around them. This could save you from $1500-5000 easily.
However, be aware that appliances, like anything electrical, are
sensitive to change and may develop problems if they are moved.
Should you decide to avoid potential appliance "burn-out" and
purchase new appliances, choose energy conscious models for a
reduction in your utility bills.
Maintain present location of major fixtures, appliances and
utilities relative to the plumbing, gas and electrical outlets. This
could even apply to the location of the telephone. Moving plumbing,
wiring and jacks can be extremely expensive.
The
faucet can be a costly item. The least expensive selection is
chrome. Even a high-end chrome faucet is considerably less than a
mid-range brass or porcelain version. A standard two handle faucet
generally cost less than single handle. Faucets and handles are sold
separately, so you may want to choose a chrome faucet with brass or
porcelain handles for a different look. Faucet Caution: The price
variances in faucets reflect the various internal and external
features.
Always choose a faucet with replacement internal parts. You
won't want to have to replace the entire faucet if it breaks—it's
simply not cost-effective.
Choose neutral colors in fixtures, appliances and laminates. They
are less expensive initially and wont look dated when the color
trends change. White and almond sinks are much cheaper than color
varieties. And neutral laminate colors for countertops are less than
custom colors or textures.
Good
floor covering is important. It ties one room to another and
provides visual consistency. Familiarize yourself with the prices of
the various flooring materials to make the best decision for your
home. To get you started, vinyl ot laminate flooring is less
expensive than wood, tile or slate.
Use
the existing floor covering if it is still in good condition. If the
kitchen has
old vinyl flooring, there may be a hardwood floor underneath
which could be sanded and refinished, avoiding the need for a new
floor entirely.
If
you currently have a vinyl floor covering and wish to update with a
newer version, you can install synthetic floor leveler material over
the existing vinyl floor and lay the new vinyl flooring on top,
rather than tearing the old flooring off to install the new.
Consider your cabinet options carefully. Those choices will drive
the overall price. You can add some options at a later date to
defray some of the initial cost. Some that are easy to add include
tilt front doors, spice racks and slide out wire baskets. However,
if you decide to wait, make certain that the option you want will be
available and can be added after installation. Note of Caution:
Waiting will cost you more in the long run.
Adding new cabinets often requires installing a new floor. Refacing
existing cabinets not only eliminates the need for new flooring,
countertops and appliances altogether, it is a major savings in any
kitchen remodel.
Go
with a simple design in the kitchen employing single height wall
cabinets, blind corner cabinets rather than those with Lazy Susans,
and other standard options. Watch your upgrades.
Use
standard cabinetry instead of custom cabinets, or use a combination
of the two if they are compatible.
—Choose cabinets that can be operated without the addition of
hardware (those that are finger-pulled).
—Install cabinets without soffits to decrease the labor cost. Also
consider cabinets without trim moldings or with simple trim.
If
you are going to put in new wood trim (in your crown molding, trims,
and door casings) to match the
new cabinets, order pre-finished trim instead of having the
painting or staining done on-site. This will decrease labor cost.
Ordering finger-jointed vs. clear vertical grain also will save you
money.
Consider stenciling on the backsplash instead of using tile.
Laminate countertops are the least expensive choice among solid
surfacing, tile and granite. You can dress it up with wood or tile
trim for a more innovative look.
Connect fluorescent light fixtures to the existing ceiling fixture
box instead of installing new recessed lighting, which may require a
new ceiling because of the recessed features.
In the Bathroom
Consider reglazing a tub instead of replacing it, especially if it
is still in relatively good condition. This can save you more than
half the cost of a
tub replacement—and minimize the dust at the same time!
Cultured marble sheets are a good choice for tub surrounds, instead
of ceramic tile. You will save considerably on labor costs and the
marble sheets are much easier to clean. Fiberglass surrounds are
also less costly than tile.
Examine how you are utilizing space. You may be able to steal some
space from a neighboring room or closet. If your overall space is
limited, purchase a
jetted tub and shower combination or install a pedestal lavatory
instead of a vanity cabinet with a sink.
Understand that, while pedestal lavatories do eliminate the need for
vanities and save space, some models may cost more than a separate
vanity cabinet and sink. Look at all your options before making a
decision.
Cultured marble lavatories can be a great budget choice since it is
an integrated sink bowl and countertop sold in one easily installed
unit.
Define what is truly needed in the bathroom. Sometimes an extra bath
is planned when installing a double sink in an existing bath would
meet the need.
If
you are going to add a large jetted tub to your project, consider
adding a water heater dedicated to that tub. A large jetted tub can
hold up to an average of 75 gallons or more, which can easily
overextend your existing water heater and cause problems down the
road.
Be sure to learn about lead dust hazards before you
"do it yourself" or
hire a professional remodeler.
Reprinted with permission of (NARI) the
National Association of the Remodeling
Industry.
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