How are you customizing your house on a budget?
Skyangel23
10 years ago
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William222
10 years agolast modified: 9 years agomushcreek
10 years agolast modified: 9 years agoRelated Discussions
How To Decorate Your Home on a Budget Continued... Skip Diving...
Comments (1)This thread might do better on the Money Saving Tips forum....See MoreThose building custom homes - Where did you order your:
Comments (9)Kohler tub/shower module for the master has built-in grab bars and its own walls and ceilings (for old age and easy care). Lasco tub/shower module without the grab bars and lesser quality for the guest bath which will get less use. Toto toilets (see Terry Love's plumbing website and learn about them; they're among the best; prices vary) Kohler faucets throughout the house (ratings usually higher than Moen; less pricey than Hahns Grohe, etc). Look for quality construction: solid brass innards with ceramic disc valves. The rest is styling and finishes. Chrome is most durable finish with PVD still unproven over the long haul but expected to rival or exceed chrome. Trying to stick to one manufacturer for simplicity and possible better discounts. Avoid Price Pfister due to reliability problems....See Morehow do you come up with a budget for your project ?
Comments (17)Good question! I think it is so hard. First, we personally always look at the cost of the home, resale value, what we'd get out of it and what we are putting in. We will never put in more than we can get out. You have to research local real estate for that. If you've lived in a home for a while, you may be out of the loop of what things are really selling for, especially what you feel they may be worth. As a homeowner who has done some big (IMO) remodeling projects in the past, I anticipate future projects based on the past costs, and also my DH experience as he is quite handy and has done many hands on projects. Examples of hired work and some DIY: Installing central air and extending ducting into a home, moving a furnace, soffits and drywall for ducting, rebuilding a large cement and brick front porch requiring a structural engineer, redoing a kitchen (DIY via IKEA) and hiring an electrian (good friends' husband) to fix electrical. Painting. Framing and drywalling an office, redoing a small master bath with marble, laying laminate flooring. Laying decking, fencing, gazebos and landscape. Installing and boring out doors. Building decks and boardwalks. Refinishing wood floors. Etc. These past experiences give us a baseline. Before I had a baseline, I relied on a three quote system to judge what a realistic cost was for what I wanted to achieve. Most people that I know, have a budget, and then adjust design and materials accordingly. Others with very open pocketbooks may operate differently. Most people I know, if they come into a very outdated situation, come up with a plan for updating immediately. They may save for some big things, but basic cosmetic change up is usually a must. For most people I know, they either: 1) Save for a project 2) Set a budget, and then shop it out 3) Yes it usually goes over a little due to splurges. I can only speak for us, we have a set amount of money we want to spend. We prioritized where to spend it based on our past experience of cost, and what was most important. We set a budget for each area (hardwood floors, kitchen, master suite, siding, windows). At this point we play the see saw game of we go over here, so where can we cut, and what can we live with. Just my experience. It's hard. If you have been out of it a while, costs do rise....See MoreCustom built homes - when did you get your move in/completion date?
Comments (9)We worked closely with our builder because we accepted a contract to sell the previous house and would have to move. The date kept changing by 2-6 weeks, until we said we are writing this date into the contract, and now we are locked. We gave ourselves a 2 week window just in case; we only needed one week of it. We also were in the final stages of the build, and didn't forsee any major reasons we wouldn't have a certificate of occupancy....See Moreautumn.4
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