When you want to remodel your home, you are probably looking to save money wherever possible. Indeed, very few people start tearing down cabinetry and walls without first creating budgets and comparing costs. However, there is a very fine line between saving — a sensible endeavor to reserve resources — and skimping — the attempt at cutting corners and keeping a buck or two.
Skimping during your home remodel could result in thousands of dollars of re-remodels down the line, when your inferior materials degrade and the shoddy craftsmanship starts to fall apart. If you can’t quite tell the difference between skimping and saving, read on to find out when you can afford to search out discounts and deals — and when you will save by paying top dollar.
Countertops: Save
In bathrooms and kitchens, countertops see a lot of wear and tear, but if you can commit yourself to taking good care of your countertops, you don’t need to commit a large portion of your budget to more expensive options. Solid surfacing — also known under the brand name Corian — can be purchased in a variety of colors and patterns, many of which resemble attractive stone like granite. Additionally, solid surfacing is made of plastics like acrylic and polyester, which are durable and non-porous; that means daily washing with soap and water should be enough to make them shine like real stone.
If you have your heart set on a more expensive countertop material like marble, granite, or quartzite, you may be able to find savings by looking in unconventional places. For example, bigger-budget remodels that take advantage of such materials will inevitably have leftover pieces of stone, called remnants. You may be able to find large enough remnants to use in your own space. Alternatively, some excellent home remodelers provide great deals on higher-end countertops if you bundle more renovations with them. If you are lucky enough to find such a service, you should jump at the opportunity. Because countertops in marble, granite, and quartzite are highly desirable, they drastically increase the value of your home.
Under no circumstances should you opt for cheaper countertop materials, like laminates and tile. Both of these are prone to scratching and staining, which are unattractive and lead to dangerous bacterial growth. It is wise to save on countertops, but by skimping, you are asking for heartache and headache.
Flooring: Skimp
The only obligation of flooring is that it is slip-resistant in places where wet floors are common, like the bathroom and kitchen. Besides this one condition, you need only consider your aesthetic requirements for your flooring, and attractive floors come surprisingly cheap if you know where to look.
Before you start investigating styles and comparing prices, you should find out what lies beneath your current flooring. In many older homes, first-rate hardwood lies beneath ragged carpeting, and you can save tons of money by simply restoring what you already have available. Even existing concrete can be painted or stained to make for an exceedingly durable and stylish indoor floor at a fraction of the cost of new carpeting, tile, or wood.
If refurbishing pre-existing flooring isn’t possible during your remodel, you should investigate cheaper flooring options first. Linoleum flooring comes in millions of colors and patterns, and using linoleum in your kitchen or bathroom may provide a fun, retro feel. Laminate floors mimic hardwood almost perfectly, and most guests won’t be able to tell the difference between this fake and the real thing.
Your floors are going to see an incredible amount of use no matter what flooring you opt for, and generally, more expensive styles require more delicate treatment and maintenance to keep looking pretty. Therefore, you might as well skimp.
Cabinets: Splurge
More likely than not, you will be using your cabinets every day — opening and closing doors and drawers, taking and replacing items on shelves — and skimping or saving on them will only result in frustration and discontent. Cheap cabinets look and feel cheap all around, from the way the doors and move to the way the wood and hardware look.
Moreover, inexpensive cabinetry is usually made of particleboard or a comparable material that easily chips, scratches, and breaks down in wet environments like kitchens and bathrooms, so you should expect to replace such cut-rate cabinets in just a few years.
If you like your current cabinets but still want something new, you may be able to stay on budget by restoring them with new paints, stains, or hardware. However, it is typically most budget-savvy to splurge on such important pieces of furniture for your home.
We try not to be lavish, but we make sure not to skimp on remodels and upgrades. We figure out exactly what compromise between form and function we’re comfortable with.
We got a slightly nicer dishwasher than we needed (and it’s purty!) but it was still only mid-range.
We got tile put in when we bought our house. With my husband’s asthma and my allergy to vacuuming, it just made more sense. Plus it keeps us cooler in the AZ summers. Again, the stuff looks nice but it was thoroughly mid-range in price.
As for cabinets, we’re perfectly happy with our cheap ones. They looked terrible when we moved in, but a nice white coat of paint helped. Then I did some decorative paint on the doors and got some (clearanced) funky pulls. It’s the best way to go if you want to skimp on cabinets.