Many people have been working on home improvement projects throughout the pandemic to make their homes a better place to be. However, with the increasing cost of living, some projects are being put on hold due to the cost. Many projects that aren’t necessary, including kitchens, bathrooms, and attic extensions are being put on hold. However – there are still some projects that you should pay attention to save you money in the long run. Below we’ve listed a number of projects that are low-cost but will have a big impact in the long run.
Keep On Top Of Maintenance Around The House
If you keep a clean and organized house, it will extend the life of your furniture, appliances, and floors. One important place to focus is in the kitchen. This could mean cleaning the faucets and basin regularly, using the cooking hood so that fat and grease do not build up on the walls and cabinets, and making sure that your kettle is not underneath the cabinets before boiling. All of these things will extend the life of your kitchen cabinets and surfaces.
The bathroom is also a good place to pay attention. Make sure to keep tile grout clean, mop up any wet spots on the floor after showers and try to avoid carpet in the bathroom as it traps dampness and mildew – all things that will reduce the lifespan of your bathroom.
Keeping your kitchen appliances clean and working well will also extend their lifetime usage.
Go Bargain Hunting If You’re Not In A Rush
If you can wait till the end of a season sale then you’re more likely to find discounts on appliances, furniture, and even whole kitchen suites. Peak sale periods include Easter, after Christmas, and through the summer. However other deals do pop up so keep an eye out – especially if you have your eyes on something specific.
Make sure to get quotes from multiple suppliers so that you have a good baseline of costs before doing or buying anything. This means that you will be ready to move when what you want comes on sale. This is especially important if you’re buying a whole kitchen – you’ll want to know when it will be delivered so that you can plan for installation.
Make Sure You Plan Your Purchases Carefully
Making a solid plan both in terms of time and cost is important to make sure that you don’t spend more than you want. If you are looking to renovate your kitchen you could do the following
- Repurpose existing elements – Repaint cabinets or add a new countertop to existing cabinets .
- Look for cheaper materials or appliances – For example you might repaint the cabinets but then spend money on good handles for them. This is a good balance because you’ll be able to tell the handles are quality when using them. Or you could use soft-close hinges but keep the same doors. Get creative.
- Buy in bulk – if you buy a whole kitchen, you’re more likely to get a better deal than if you buy it piecemeal.
- Find what you want in-store and then buy it online – you’re more likely to find a good deal by searching for what you want after identifying exactly what you want in-store
- Do the work yourself – if you have the skills.
- Agree costs upfront – If you’re working with a builder then make sure that you agree on cost and timeline ahead of time with the builder. Should have clear terms and conditions and include all costs for the project. Knowing the full cost upfront will help keep things realistic and in-check.
Look At Easier Refurbishments First
You might want to refurbish your whole kitchen – but what if a fresh coat of paint could get you 80% of the way there? By painting your kitchen cabinets and changing the handles you could change the whole look of your kitchen without spending more than a couple of hundred dollars.
There are many guides online about how to refurb a kitchen quickly and cheaply. This might be a good way to live with an existing kitchen for a couple of years before you have money in your budget to do a full refurbishment.
This might also make sense if you’re looking to sell the house – if you put in a new kitchen, then the next tenants might have different taste and tear it out. By spending a minimum amount of money now you know that you’ll get a good return on investment.
Start with small projects first so that you don’t get in over your head early on.
Can You Do Some Of The Work Yourself?
If you’re fitting a whole new kitchen, you might not be able to do this work yourself, but if you do decide to paint the cabinets, then you might be able to. A huge amount of the cost of renovations is labor – if you can learn some of these skills it will save you money in the short-term and the long term because you’ll be able to do more work in the future.
