Home improvements can make a house into a home by adding warmth, excitement, or comfort. The transformative quality of upgrades means that economy should never be your primary concern. However, there are ways to pare down the cost of almost any renovation and still have a high-quality result.

A great way to save yourself unnecessary expense is to do your own footwork, organize and prioritize your projects, find the best contractor for your job, if you're using one, and acquire your own materials.

Prioritize

The first step to saving money on renovations is to consider, in as much detail as possible, which upgrades to make. Sometimes you can combine a renovation with a repair to save on time and money. For instance, if it's time for a new water heater, you might want to schedule upgrade of the flooring in the room at the same time.

If your goal is to improve a particular room, list the projects you're considering, how expensive they'll be, and whether you can do them yourself.

Consider which might have the greatest impact for the cost.

For example:

Upgrade                                     Relative Cost                        Do it Myself?
Simple interior painting               Inexpensive                            Yes
Window treatments                     Moderate                                Maybe
New flooring                                Expensive                               No

When you've selected the improvements you're going to make, list the materials you'll need. If you are going to paint, decide whether you want a high-quality paint or one that is less expensive. If you're renovating a bathroom and a hand-held showerhead is important, but a multiple spray nozzle is not, write it down. When it comes time to decide on a new bath faucet, you won't spend money on features you don't need.

Clip Coupons for Contractors

Local contractors and home improvement specialists advertise. Check your local paper and coupon books to see if licensed professionals are running first-time buyers' specials or are offering dollars-off specials for services you need.

Even if contractors don't advertise specials, ask if there are ways to save on their services. They might welcome the opportunity to have you do some of the prep work; good contractors are always busy. Offer to pick up materials, move your furniture, or be flexible with their work time in exchange for shaving dollars off their bill.

Make sure the professional you choose has the proper licenses and ask for a list of customers who'll give referrals for previous work. And, unless you get a strong recommendation from someone you trust, don't respond to penny-saver ads for weekend handymen to do anything but the simplest work. The quality of your improvements is important. If work needs to be redone, it’s frustrating and expensive.

Bargains on Materials

Many returned products, such as unused paint, sinks, and tile make it to clearance bins. These bargains are great if what’s on sale is what you’re looking for.

Large hardware and home improvement stores usually run ads or include weekly supplements in your the Sunday paper. Keep an eye out for bargains that are on your renovation list. But if it's not exactly what you want, don't settle. Art-deco style is not an adequate substitute when Victorian is what you want, no matter how inexpensive it is.

A number of websites are dedicated to helping you find the best flooring, countertops, and other home improvement supplies. Sites range from eBay auctions to high-end artists creating unique, quality home furnishings. If you're looking for a one-of-a-kind chrome kitchen faucet at the best possible price, look online and you might be rewarded with an Internet-only special offer.

Are Painting Parties in Your Past?

If you're planning a large-scale project, don't turn it into a personal project unless you have the skill and time to get the outstanding results you and your family deserve. It's less expensive to rely on a professional from the start than to hire someone to redo sloppy work or replace materials that have been poorly installed.

Here's a short list of jobs to help you decide what to take on and what to leave for a professional.

Do it Yourself                                            Hire a Professional
Simple interior painting                                Electrical work
Replacing a sink faucet                                Roofing
Replacing interior doors                               Room additions
Replacing light fixtures                                 Resurfacing floors
Installing shelving                                         Replacing kitchen countertops
Adding basic window treatments                  Installing windows

Celebrate Beautiful Results

No matter what type of renovations you're planning to make, preplanning the project is the best way to save money and time. Prioritize your improvements carefully, think about the details and whether you can do it yourself, and track down discounted materials at sales and online.

After all of the improvements are completed, and you have the changes you want, you'll be able to revel in your new environment knowing your hard work and preplanning paid off.

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