It’s no secret that the cost of living is rising. And while some people may be able to weather the storm, others are feeling the pinch – especially when it comes to renovating their homes or making necessary maintenance adjustments.
Construction workers have been hit particularly hard by the inflation crisis, and many are finding it difficult to get work. So, if you’re thinking about renovating in the near future, it is important to be aware of these challenges and plan ahead.
In this blog post, we’ll give you some top tips on how to avoid overspending when renovating on a budget. Keep reading to learn more!
Be Strict
One of the most important things to remember is that you need to be realistic about what you can afford. If your income has decreased or even stayed the same in this cost of living crisis, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to afford the same level of renovations as you could have a few years ago.
It’s also important to keep in mind that the cost of materials and labour has increased significantly in recent years. This means that even if you are able to find cheaper options for your renovating project, the overall cost of outsourcing is still likely to be higher than you expect.
Before starting any renovation project, it is essential to sit down and create a strict budget. Once you know how much you can realistically afford to spend, you can start looking for ways to cut costs without compromising on quality.
Do Your Research
When it comes to renovating on a budget, knowledge is power. If you’re not sure where to start, we recommend doing some research online or speaking to friends and family who have recently completed similar projects.
We’d always recommend getting at least three quotes for any work you need done by labourers. Even after asking around – it is worth looking into a variety of companies and seeing whether they have any offers or packages they could provide you with to cut costs further.
We know you are going to want reliability and proof of excellence, so feedback from friends and family can be a perfect way of ensuring you hire someone you can trust. However, we are also fully aware that we are going through a cost-of-living crisis. So your recommendations might not always be the most budget-friendly.
That’s why it is important to do your own research as well. Once you have a list of potential contractors, take the time to read online reviews and see what other people are saying about their experiences. This will help you narrow down your options and find someone who can provide you with the quality service you need at a price you can afford.
Being honest with your builders will ensure you can compromise on an achievable project at the most suitable price.
Shop Around
We know that renovating can be an exciting process. But it’s important to remember that not every detail needs to be complete at once. It might take some extra time to get everything right at the best price.
So, while it may take a little more time and effort, hunting around yourself for the finishing touches such as fixtures, fittings and small details can save you a lot of cash.
For example, if you’re renovating your kitchen, you might be tempted to splurge on high-end flooring or countertops. However, this isn’t always necessary. There are plenty of ways to get the look you want without breaking the bank.
One way to do this is by shopping around for second-hand items. You’d be surprised at what you can find if you’re willing to put in a little extra effort. Instead of opting for an all-in-one renovation or off the shelf kitchen, splitting the costs and doing a little DIY work can make renovating on a budget much simpler.
Allow the labourers to do the heavy lifting, but remember you don’t need to rely on one company to provide everything you need.
Reuse And Recycle
One of the best ways to renovate more cheaply is by reusing and recycling items you already have. This could be anything from furniture to building materials.
If you’re fixing the roofing, for example, you might be tempted to get rid of your old tiles and replace them with shiny new ones. However, this isn’t always necessary. With the right expertise, your builders should be able to tell you what proportion of your roof is actually broken or faulty.
That way you can utilise the good tiles and cut unnecessary costs by only approaching the sections you need to.
The same goes for anywhere on the property. If you’re not looking to make significant design changes or start from scratch, try to work with what you have and save on purchasing new materials.
How We Can Help When Renovating on a Budget
Pricey overruns have become somewhat of an expectation for a lot of scaffolding projects. Whether it be residential maintenance that gets postponed due to bad weather, or a large commercial build where project managers miscalculated the materials needed – it happens often.
Despite the fact we see it a lot, overrunning projects should not be taken lightly. They can seriously eat into a renovation budget and before you know it, you are looking at spending money you can’t afford.
In order to try and prevent this as best we can, here are a few things we do at Tigon Scaffolding to help avoid costly overruns.
Understand Your Timeline
Firstly, organisation is key to any project we attend. We will always plan ahead to ensure we understand your deadlines, budgets and time constraints that may affect any work being carried out.
Before anything begins, it’s recommended that you have a strategy in place to prioritise jobs and ensure work is being done in an order that makes sense to you and the builders. This way, there is likely to be fewer hold-ups as people try to navigate each other and figure out who belongs where.
Always On-Call
We operate a 24 hours a day call-out service. This means that whenever an issue arises, one of our team is ready to attend.
Avoiding overruns is down to being prepared and jumping in whenever possible to keep the project running smoothly. We know that sometimes things can’t be helped – so we are more than happy to attend and ensure the site is fully prepared and ready for construction workers to continue the job and meet the deadlines.
Discuss Options
Despite what many people think, scaffolding is not a one size fits all industry. There are many different types of scaffolding available and each varies in price with its own benefits.
If you’re renovating on a budget, we understand that it is more important than ever to discuss options with you before any work begins. We can offer alternatives that may be more cost-effective or take less time to put up/take down – saving you money in the long run.
Offer An Experienced Team
At Tigon Scaffolding, we pride ourselves on having a team of experts who are passionate about their work.
We understand the importance of cost and always aim to be as efficient as possible without compromising on quality or safety. Furthermore, utilising an experienced company will ensure you do not have to worry about delayed insurance costs or fixes for sub-par quality work
If you’re renovating your home or business and need scaffolding services, get in touch with us today to see how we can help you.
Renovating On A Budget
We understand that carrying out necessary work when money is tight can be difficult, but we hope these tips help make the process a little easier for you.
Don’t forget that while you may want to get the project over and done with – spending a little more time and effort finding the right company, doing some DIY work and hunting for bargains could be the reason you cut your budget in half!
Alternatively, if we think we can offer you any alternatives to our usual services – we will always consider the options and discuss them with you before carrying out any work. We’re all feeling the strain at the moment and so it is important to make these adjustments where possible.
If you have any questions or would like to discuss your scaffolding options with us, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. Our team is always available and happy to help!
