Innovative Ways to Save $$$ When Considering a Room Addition

NJW, your room addition contractors, know that busting the budget is everyone's biggest fear when it comes to a renovation. And with good reason, even if you follow the essential advice that many people hand out:

• Build in a 20 percent cushion to cover the nasty surprises
• Get contractor references and check them
• Remove the words "while you're at it" from your vocabulary
  

It's hard not to end up shelling out more than you want to.

It’s always important to get your dream at a price you can afford, but with some strategic thinking about design, materials, and timing, you can cut costs without cutting corners!  So, maybe with prior planning and maximizing available space you can scale back the project size without forgoing that Viking range.

Here are some great tips to help you save on your next renovation:

1. Increase efficiency, not size.
   You may not need to blow out walls to gain square footage.  Take your kitchen cabinet for instance, it may be feasible to, better and maximize utility under utilized, deep, hard to reach cabinet shelves with rollout/pullout trays for convenience and ease.  Also, consider cabinet door interior mounted rack systems for can goods, spice jars and other smaller items.
2. Bring in natural light without adding windows.
   Before cutting a big hole in the side of your house and rearranging the framing, consider less invasive—and less expensive—ways of capturing light. To brighten up a windowless bath or hallway, for instance, you can install a "light tube," which slips between roof rafters and funnels sunshine down into the living space.
3. Donate your trash.
   Before you begin a remodeling job, consider what materials and fixtures being removed can be donated to the local Habitat for Humanity chapter for later resale. You save space in the landfill, collect a charitable tax credit for the donation, and help a good cause.
4. Consider long–term costs, not just short–term gains.
   If your addition calls for clapboard siding, for instance, you can save more in the long run by paying the expense up front for the pre-primed and pre-painted variety. It costs an extra 10 to 20 cents per foot, but you'll wind up paying for half as many paint jobs down the road.
5. Don't move the kitchen sink.
   Or the toilet, if you can avoid it. That often becomes the biggest part of the plumbing–price increase.
6. Make decisions early.
   Start browsing the aisles at the hardware store or home center long before the wrecking crew shows up. Get a good feeling for what you want in fixtures and appliances and what they cost. If you aren't absolutely specific up front about what you want you may end up spending more in the long run.  Rash and rushed product/fixture decisions can cost you an absorbent amount of money, whether it’s for the product itself or the need to reconstruct areas to accommodate this last minute selection.  Plan ahead and save.

Contact NJW to help you with your next home remodel, we will walk you through the entire process and show you all the areas you might be able to save some money! We currently build in Westerville, Worthington, Whitehall, Upper Arlington, Powell, Pickerington, New Albany, Lancaster, Hilliard, Gahanna, Dublin, Bexley, Columbus and all of Central Ohio.