Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Consider Your Budget When You Remodel

By Chester Ebenhart

Everyone wants a dream kitchen, but in today's tight economy, who can afford it? Here are some tips to help you get what you want without breaking the bank.

The trick to budget kitchen remodeling is to plan ahead. Think about exactly how you want your kitchen to look in the long run. Write a list of each thing you need to do to get you there. Keep in mind that it may be a long time before you can get all the work done, but if you have a good idea of how you want your kitchen to look, the finished work will look pulled together.

To get ideas, visit the corporate websites for the "big box" home improvement stores, such as Home Depot. You will find a lot of information to help you determine the best upgrades for your home. These stores also often host seminars to help you do much of the work yourself. You can also often special order products and even hire a contractor.

Next go online to get an idea of how much each part of the remodeling job will cost both in terms of material and in terms of labor.

Now try to plan how you will do the job: which work you will do first, etc. For example, it would be better to paint the walls first before you install new flooring or you will risk having paint splattered on the new floor.

One great way to save money is to do the work yourself. Painting is a fairly easy task that almost anyone can do. In addition to saving money, doing the work yourself is a way for your family to work together on a task, thus bringing you closer together.

However, before you decide to take on a task yourself, consider whether you have the time and the skills. If you work a 60-hour week, you will be too exhausted to install a new heating and cooling system. You also probably would not have the skills to do it right. Instead of bringing your family closer together, the irritation at not getting the work done may drive a wedge among the family. In that case it is worth the cost of hiring a contractor who will be able to get the job done quickly and correctly.

One family I know saves up their money to do their kitchen remodeling bit by bit. Every time they get $200 set aside, they consider if they are ready for another project. By tackling these projects a bit at a time, they are seeing a dramatic improvement in their kitchen.

If you plan ahead, your dream kitchen can become reality, even if you don't have a lot of money. Why not stop dreaming and start working on it today? You'll get there sooner than you think.

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