By Emma 
Remodeling a home isn’t as easy as many people think. Besides draining you physically, it will also drain you both mentally and financially. The first step is to determine what matters, not just what you want.
The next step is to come up with a budget before you look for ways to finance it, and that’s the most challenging part. Read on to find out how you can become financially prepared for your home remodeling.
Table of Contents
Differentiate Between What You Need and What You Want
You may want to give your home the best look imaginable, but if you are working on a budget, you’ll be forced to cut down on your budget or find other ways of funding the project. If you choose the latter, then you have to prioritize what matters most.
You can come up with a comprehensive list of what you want to be done in your home, and depending on your budget, you can strike out some that you feel can wait.
For example, if your roof, kitchen, and bathroom need remodeling, but you can’t handle them simultaneously, you can start with the one that’s in the worst shape. For instance, if your roof is leaky, then the bathroom can wait.
Consider the Cost and the Value of Each Project
The cost vs. value of a renovation project is more relevant if you plan to sell your home in the future.
So it boils down to the question of return on investment when selecting which project(s) to undertake.
After all, you can’t spend a fortune on renovation if the home does not fetch more than you bought it for.
This means you should concentrate on remodeling projects that will add value to your home.
How Are You Going to Finance the Renovation?
Financing your project is the hardest part of your renovation project. You need to consider what you have in your savings account and ask yourself whether it will cover the renovation costs.
If it can, then you can start looking for a contractor. If not, then you have to borrow money to finance the project. You can go for a home equity loan/line of credit from a credit union in your area.
For example, if you live in Nebraska you might look for the best credit union in Omaha that can provide you credit facilities at competitive rates.
You can also use your credit card to finance your home remodeling project, but you have to member that the interest rates could be higher.
When taking a loan, ensure you can repay it comfortably and use it for the intended purpose.
Look for a Contractor
Once you’ve come up with a list of the renovation projects you want to undertake and have found a way to finance them, the next step is to look for a contractor.
Ensure the project you have identified include both cosmetic and structural changes. For example, when renovating your kitchen, you can rework your kitchen cabinets, installing a ceiling beam, upgrading the countertops, repainting the walls, etc.
If you cannot create a comprehensive list on your own, you may consider hiring a home inspector to help you identify the areas that need renovation, and how you can prioritize them. A comprehensive list will help you get an accurate quote from a contractor. Note that if you want to save money, you can shop for contractors and choose one more experienced that charges fairly. You can bid from up to three contractors to help you pick the best.
You can also save money on contractors by completing some of the work for them or getting your own equipment in, cheaper than they would charge you for it. Small things like painting or breaking down old furniture could be down yourself on a day off so the contractor doesn’t need to do it. You can also look at this dumpster rental firm in your area and rent one of these at the end of the project to clear up the debris yourself, again, saving money compared to if you’d paid the contractor an extra day of work to do it.
Use High-Quality Materials
In a bid to cut costs, many homeowners try to cut corners. Unfortunately, they end up losing their hard-earned money.
Using high-quality materials may appear costly, but it will pay in the long run. You can liaise with your contractor to ensure only tested, and certified materials are used for your home remodeling.
Another great way to go about it is to talk with people who have renovated their homes. They can recommend for you the best contractors and also the best place to source renovation materials.
Final Word
Before you set out to remodel your home, save enough money to finance the project. This is the cheapest way to go about it. If not, you can go for a loan.
Choose a lender with good terms, so you don’t have difficulty repaying the loan. You must also research the trending designs to give your home a modern look.
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