Save Money On Home Improvement Projects

Many of us avoid home improvement projects due to their expense.

My Personal Experience

I recently undertook the task of remolding my den and living room areas. I knew what I wanted the final product to be, however I was extremely hesitant to begin the work due to a lack of knowledge, the fear of failure, and/or making damaging, irreparable mistakes. You see, in front of a computer I'm extremely proficient, however with tools and manual labor, I do not have much experience, so naturally I was a bit intimidated.

Two things changed my mind about the whole scenario. I bumped into a long-time friend who was known for his skill with tools and a knack for wood carving. I informed him of my remolding ideas and the underlying fear of the whole task. He laughed and said that what I wanted to do it would not take much in terms of "professional skill" and it would save me about $2,000 in labor costs!

Once he put a price tag on the amount I would be saving, I was immediately intrigued. For me to save $2,000 of my own money, I'll definitely try my hand at these projects. Wouldn't you?

The second influence that helped me take on this task occurred on my first visit to Home Depot (popular hardware store in southern California). I was lucky enough to run into a wonderful, polite, knowledgeable employee who took his time and explained the in's and out's of what I was about to undertake.

One side note, I could not have accomplished what I did without the help of Home Depot. I'm sure other hardware stores have pleasant, knowledgeable staff members also, but since I always went to Home Depot and since I was beginning to learn the locations of the items I needed, I simply stayed with them. Kudos to Home Depot!

Keep in mind that if the store employees are NOT assisting you in a pleasant and courteous manner, LEAVE and don't come back! Don't let their rudeness distract you from your overall goal - that's what's most important, not the personality of an unfriendly person. Go elsewhere if you do not like how they're treating you. Take it from me, someone who had NO IDEA of what he was doing, there will be some employees who will go out of their way to assist you. Once you find someone like this, keep going back to them. That's what I did. I probably went back to my assistant about fifteen times over the three month duration of my project sometimes to buy things, sometimes just to ask a few questions.

Ask For Help When You Need It

There are basically two ways to ask for help - verbally or indirectly. Depending on your personality and how comfortable you are asking "strangers" for help, the verbal method may not be for you.

That's ok! Don't feel bad or downhearted. That's just your personality, nothing to be ashamed of, so don't start thinking you can give up just yet! :-)

Personally, I have no problem talking to anyone about anything. That's just how I am. If you are somewhat similar, then I suggest taking my approach and talking to as many people who have knowledge in what you want to do.

If you would prefer to remain as anonymous as possible, then the Internet and library will be your goldmine of information. The library may be a tad outdated when it comes to the most recent, creative home improvement projects, but check it out just in case. If you do find a book online or at a store that would be perfect for what you need, ask a librarian if they could "purchase this book since your home improvement selections are less than adequate and its important that a library stays atop current trends and events so as not to become obsolete" (or something along those lines ;-)

Also, at Home Depot they have a section of books on literally any home improvement projects you can imagine. They even have chairs where you can sit and read them at your leisure. This would be an excellent starting point for you.

A Look At My Two Biggest Savings

Pergo Style Click-Together Flooring @.49 per square foot X 400 sq ft = $200 Foam Underlay for 400sq ft. = $80 *my biggest saving - found this floor/tile place getting rid of excess stock which was about $4 per foot cheaper than Home Depot! I would've paid in excess of $1600 for this amount)

Sod: St. Augustine @ .59 per square foot: 1500 sq feet *free delivery since purchased through sod.com *second biggest saving - only cost me $885 instead of $2,000+

Handy Tips

Those who are really not concerned about saving money can basically shop anywhere for what they are looking for. However, those of us on a strict budget must put some thought into this if we want our goals to become tangible. For example, when I originally priced Pergo flooring, it was in excess of $4.50 per foot installed. Multiply that by 400 square feet and I have already attained a bill of $1800 (not including tax)!

Immediately I knew this was way out of my budget, but I still wanted to go with a laminate floor. I then started to price locations I found in the yellow pages, Internet, and local PennySaver magazines. I learned that if I were to purchase and install flooring from distributors/wholesalers, I could save more than a thousand dollars! Even better, if I could find a location that had an excess of a particular item in stock, then they would offer this at an unbelievable price (just like the one I found at .49 cents per square foot).

Point is, if you are willing to do a little "digging" and research in order to find the lowest price available on your products, then you will be rewarded BIG TIME (just like I was). However the flip side to that coin, if you are impatient and you want your remodeling to begin tomorrow, then most likely you will have to pay more for what you're looking for. It all depends on both your time and money situations.

Personally, for me, this was not a "must have done in two days" project, so I didn't mind spending two and a half months working on this in my spare time. I did save a ton of money, but it did take me much longer than if a contractor was hired to complete the job. Again, it all depends on your own personal situation. Just keep in mind that saving money on home improvement projects is possible if you are willing to get a little "dirty" :-)

5 Questions To Ask Before Starting Any Home Improvement Project

1. What experience does your contractor have with this type of project?

How much experience does the home improvement contractor have in doing projects like yours? Does s/he specialize in this type of project, or will s/he be using your home as a learning project? Typically, contractors who have done several projects like yours will have a better idea of the actual costs and production issues involved in your project. Remember, however, that every remodeling project is a little different, and it is doubtful that any contractor has ever done a job EXACTLY like yours.

2. Who will be doing the actual work?

Will the individual you're talking to be doing the work himself, or will they be using subcontractors or employees? Each scenario has its own advantages and disadvantages, but make sure you know what to expect on your job. Who will you ask questions once the project begins? Should you talk to the subcontractors, a jobsite manager, or the owner of the business? It is very important you have one person who will consistently answer your questions and not give you the run around.

3. What happens if changes are required to the initial bid?

What is the contractors' process for making changes in the middle of the project? Most times you would like to avoid making changes mid-project but there can be unforeseen obstacles that arrive and it is good to know ahead of time how your contractor will deal with those obstacles. Most contractors use some sort of change order form that details the exact work and cost involved in changes once work has begun.

4. Am I prepared to be flexible when the unexpected arises?

Invariably, every job has something that wasn't planned on come up. Delays due to weather, unforeseen conditions which present themselves once walls are torn down, changes to design or material choices, and problems with employees or subcontractors can all upset the planned flow of the project. Are you prepared to be flexible and work with your contractor to find solutions when these problems arise?

5. How do I feel about working with this contractor?

What is your gut feeling on working with this individual? Do you trust him or her? How do you feel about their design ideas as compared to your own? Can you communicate openly and clearly with this person? If it's a remodeling project, how do you feel about this person being in your house for several days or weeks at a time often when you are not home? This is a really important factor to consider if you don’t trust this person don’t hire them.

Step by Step Guide to Help You Hire a Quality Home Improvement Contractor

Before talking to any contractors the first thing to do is create a budget for the project. Without a budget you will be flying blind and may end up over spending. Having a tight budget will also help you make decisions about what kind of fixtures, and materials to purchase. Most products have a wide price range and having a budget will help keep you in line when making buying decisions.

After you have your budget dialed in get three written estimates from three different contractors. Be sure the estimate is complete; getting a “written” estimate on the back of a business card is not a sign of a good contractor. Getting three estimates will enable you to compare prices from different contractors. Take the time to talk with each contractor and get a feel for which one you will be most comfortable working with and having in your home. Be sure and pay attention to things like who shows up on time and who is prepared to talk about your project. If a contractor shows up late to your appointment chances are they will show up late when working on your project.

While you are in the process of selecting a contractor it is a good idea to make sure they have the proper license, insurance, and bonding. All three of these items are in place to protect homeowners. Working with a contractor who isn’t licensed or doesn’t have the proper insurance might come back to haunt you. A good contractor will show you copies of these documents when they present your written estimate.

The next step is to check the references of the contractor you are leaning towards selecting. Be sure to ask specific questions about their experience with the contractor. “Did the contractor show up on time?” “Did the contractor clean up after themselves?” If you want to be more aggressive you can ask the contractor for the names and numbers of their last three jobs and call those instead of their handpicked references. This will provide a more realistic overview of the contractors daily work habits and skills.