TINY TIPS, DECENT SAVINGS

Reuse as much as possible. Hardwood from roofs or walls can be turned into benchtops or bookshelves. If nothing else, it makes great firewood.

SPECIALIST PLUMBING OR ELECTRICAL STORES MAY CHARGE MORE FOR THE SAME PRODUCT SOLD IN BIGGER HARDWARE STORES, BUT IT MIGHT MEAN THEIR FITTINGS ARE ALWAYS IN STOCK. ON THE FLIPSIDE, SMALLER HARDWARE STORES MAY DO GOOD DEALS ON SOME PRODUCTS OR OFFER A TRADE DISCOUNT.

You’ll spend a lifetime’s supply of rainyday funds on gap fillers, sealants and nail-gun nails. Don’t waste them by letting the nails get wet or the sealant tubes dry out. Pop a screw in the neck of the tube between uses to get the most out of each packet.

CHOOSE ONE TIN OF EXTERIOR SEMI-GLOSS PAINT FOR ALL YOUR TRIMS INSIDE AND OUT. IF A MATERIAL CAN HANDLE THE OUTDOORS, IT’S ROBUST ENOUGH FOR INDOORS.

Offer to do simple jobs yourself. These might be filling nail holes, painting door edges before they’re hung, or cutting and installing insulation. Also, remove waste materials such as old fences, skirting boards or built-ins ahead of time. If you do it, the builder doesn’t, which means you don’t have to pay for their time (when charging by the hour).

If your budget doesn’t stretch to new windows, make over old aluminium styles with white metal spray paint, new architraves and even a windowsill.