4 Ways to Save When Remodeling

Remodeling the house is something that everyone dreams of but not everyone can afford. We had some major upgrades recently that could have cost a lot! By being careful, finding amazing ways to save, and finding those freebie services that would have otherwise cost an arm and a leg, we were able to stay within budget.

There are so many stores to look for awesome sales.   Lowes, Home Depot, Lumber Liquidators, and Flooring Supply Shop are great places to start when looking for awesome deals.  

1. Plan as far ahead as possible!

2. Make a List & Divide

3. Free Stuff First

4. Price Matching

Plan Ahead

Planning ahead even if it's just for a few weeks, can save so much money. I love being able to shape my ideas around awesome sales.  We did that with our floors and out porches.

We really shopped around to find the best sales for the products we were looking for. We needed wood and other building supplies. By planning ahead and buying here and there instead of all at once, we were able to save so much!

With the flooring, we were able to save so much because we waited for the flooring we liked to go on sale. For the Pergo flooring, we wanted it was $2.49sf and we saved over half by waiting on the sale! We ended up paying $1.49sf! 

I was so proud of that purchase. What we saved on the flooring alone we were able to buy the paint for the rooms too. 

Make a List 

Making a list of supplies is also very important. First, make the list of "Need" then make the list of "Want". If you find enough of the need products on sale, the want list may be more achievable. 

When doing the updates around the house that I have daydreamed about for the longest time, it's easy to get caught up in the fancy schmancy ideas that are like a brand new hair cut. You know the ones I'm talking about, they look great as soon as it's done but, after the first 2 days, it never looks like that again.

Those are the Pinterest Dreams I love so much. I could spend hours on there getting great ideas but, the expectations vs reality gap is so far apart, I don't try them anymore.

Free Stuff First 

Finding resources like free estimates will save a ton too! I always suggest checking out the prices and what comes with the product instead of just the price of the product alone. That price can be all the difference. What I mean by that is Shop Around! Don't always go to the "Old Trusty" store when someone else is offering the same products. 

When we bought our flooring, it wasn't just the flooring that we got for the sale price. It also came with the padding. We had 2 options.

#1 $.99sf and buy the padding separately at $.80sf

#2  $1.49sf with the padding

We went for #2. 

Consultants are also a great resource and most of the time they are free if you go into the store and ask to speak with a specialist. Having some of that free knowledge is an awesome help. 

Price Matching

 I know this may sound too good to be true but, price matching isn't just for groceries. There are so many stores that offer price matching and that is a wonderful thing.

Price Matching like I mentioned previously is always beneficial. That makes it so much better and convenient when there are so many in-store deals when it comes to building and some stores offer a wider selection of color options. I love Price Matching! 

Just to break that down a little bit more, the cost of kitchen cabinets is going to be $1,000 at the trusty store you always go to. Lowes price matches so you have the same $1,000 cabinets. That might not seem like it really matters but, it really does in the long run. 

Lowes offers a free basic install on specific products like kitchen cabinets as long as you meet the minimum purchase requirement. So, you are buying the $1,000 cabinets, but you are getting a free basic installation with that purchase. Old Trusty doesn't do that. 

Another option is Free Delivery on specific purchases. We didn't know about the delivery options so we had to rent a trailer from the car lot for the afternoon. We only needed it for about an hour but had to pay for the whole day.

 When you purchase at a store , they do a free basic install on the cabinets so you don't have to call a contractor to put them in or have a nervous breakdown trying to figure out how to get them hanging the right way by yourself.

What are your best ideas to save while remodeling?