What costs should you consider when renovating?

If you’ve got some prior experience and you’re comfortable that your expectations won’t get in the way of your abilities, fair enough, but there’s a reason people choose this job as a profession.

HERE’S a little secret for you: With some careful planning and a little bit of compromise, saving a few dollars during your renovation may be easier than you think.

First up, if you’re in the early planning phases of your renovation, have a good look online and compare the prices of new items versus pre-loved pieces: Think aluminium and timber window sets, new entry doors and more.

How to hunt a bargain

For new pieces, I recommend you check out appliance sales at the end of the financial year, and make sure you purchase new furniture at the Boxing Day or EOFY sales – you’re likely to find retailers offloading good-quality stock at a fraction of the price.

You’ll also be surprised at what will show up in a Google search for door hardware, plumbing fixtures and fittings, tiles and more. I’m telling you: It’s worth a look even if budget isn’t a constraint.

We live in such a weird and wonderful world these days, and the things people are willing to get rid of will never cease to amaze me.

It’s scary how often you may find something in great condition that’s almost being given away.

But instead of thinking you’re being ‘tight’, why not think of using something pre-owned as an opportunity to reduce your project’s carbon footprint? Here’s a perfect example:

It pains me to say this, but I’m halfway through a project and I’ve now been asked to update all of the aluminium doors with timber.

The aluminium suites are in great condition and all the elements in good working order. It looks like I’ll have to throw out a three door bi-fold, a set of double French doors and two single-entry doors.

I consider myself an environmentalist, so this predicament really puts me in a bind – and if I’m one builder of some 100,000 in Australia, how many are also faced with this situation?

What are the top-line costs?

It’s well known that the kitchen is the heart of any inviting home, so you’re right to assume the bulk of renovation costs are usually related to kitchens.

On another building project I’m working on, the cabinets and joinery alone account for two-fifth of the entire project (including benchtops), so while it’s something you want to get right, it’s also a big opportunity to save some dollars.

As I’ve previously recommended, it’s 100 per cent worth considering flat-pack joinery in your renovation.

The finishes that are produced these days are as good as what’s coming off the factory floors at most joinery shops.

If you want to spruce it up and make the flat-pack look custom, try building the walls out to suit the flat pack sizes and spend some money on your bench tops.

This goes for joinery throughout your whole house: The laundry, bathroom and bedroom.

If assembled properly, there are some significant savings to be made.

Finishes like solid or engineered-flooring and tiles (for both floors and walls) can also become expensive, as you need to allow an installation rate on top of any lineal or square-metre price you’re being quoted for the supply of the item – so keep this in mind, too.

Stairs can also quickly become expensive, so workshop this with your builder, designer, or sub-contractor in the early days of the renovation.

What do you need to consider?

Unless you come into a lot of money quickly, don’t jump head first into a renovation.

If you’ve got some prior experience and you’re comfortable that your expectations won’t get in the way of your abilities, fair enough, but there’s a reason people choose this job as a profession.

It can be super stressful and if you don’t know how to deal with all the sub-contractors and consultants, costs can quickly spiral out of control.

Remember to consider your planning requirements and if you need approval (check with your local council for this).

You’ll want some trusted subbies if you’re planning on going through the process alone, so start the conversation with these guys early and make sure both parties are clear on the scope and costs involved.

There’s also an element of risk for the contractors when they’re working directly for the client, as there are often grey areas around who was doing what and it can be hard to clarify: there aren’t too many sparkies I know who’ll patch the holes they make in walls to fish out cables.

So if you’re having trouble pricing, this could be why (apologies to all my sparky mates here).

On the other hand, some tradies love working directly for their clients, so it’s really just something to be aware of.

It’s also another reason why people pay a builder – realistically, we quantify and clarify who’s doing what on-site.

Speaking from experience, knowing that you dragged a project across the line is a rewarding feeling – so I do get why people want to do it.

— Dean Ipaviz, realestate.com.au