Home improvement is always a costly endeavor. However, if you plan ahead, you can save yourself some money, and a couple of headaches along the way.

1. Plan ahead. The more prepared you are, the less likely you are to make hasty—and costly—decisions down the road. Choose the time of year you want to start your project and do your research on the best professionals for the job.

You may also want to pursue your home improvement in stages, if you can’t afford to pay for the entire project at once. If your construction project is large, try isolating construction areas so you can avoid long hotel stays or too many take-out meals while the kitchen is being revamped.

2. Create a realistic budget. Decide on the items and materials you would like to have in a room. Then, choose less expensive products that will help you achieve the look you’re trying to obtain.

3. Scrutinize your design. To save costs, avoid labor intensive design features, such as tiled floors. You can also do some prep work or detailing yourself, like trim work when painting. This will save the money you would have to pay for a professional to do the job

4. Leave room for the unexpected. The experts suggest setting aside 10-20 percent of your budget to cover unforeseen problems and miscellaneous charges. While this may seem like a hefty percent, you will appreciate the wiggle room when that material you have your heart set on rises in price.

5. Find discounted material. When possible, purchase surplus, secondhand, or discounted materials from other contractors, warehouses or classified websites like www.build.recylce.net to reduce costs.

As a Member of the Top 5 in Real Estate Network®, I have a wealth of real estate and homeownership information that may be of help to you. Feel free to contact me any time to learn more about this important information, and be sure to forward this article on to any friends or family that may be interested as well.

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