DIY

How to Effectively Remodel Your Home

Many homeowners dream of taking on a renovation project, updating a tired bathroom, or engaging in a full-on assault related to energy efficiency. Some like the idea of hiring professionals to do the dirty work while others are content to complete the tasks on their own.

Complexity in Estimating Home Remodeling Costs

No matter the approach, the cost of remodeling a home must be taken into consideration. This can be a pretty complex issue for some of us. With the Eco-friendly options available to the do-it-yourselfer (DIY), you can often justify the switch to a solar electric system, an upgrade to energy efficient water heating, or to the increased insulation in your attic by the decreases in your utility expenses.

The real challenge relates to estimating future savings against the immediate expenses to get the remodeling completed. Often, there are trade-offs and balances to be estimated in to your decision making process.

Don’t Guesstimate Your Costs. It’s Dangerous.

It doesn’t make sense to guess at the cost of a remodeling project even if the project is relatively small. Take the example of switching out all of your light bulbs to new higher energy efficiency models. If you don’t at least calculate your costs, you might be surprised when you go to buy 25 new bulbs.

There are always surprises and it is very important that you have a solid idea of how much money you will need to finish the efficiency upgrades or remodeling job. Doing this simple budgeting step will save you a lot of headaches down the road when you only have a half-finished project.

Getting the Project Half Done Usually Doesn’t Fly

There are plenty of people who have started home renovation projects and never can get them finished. These messes can be left undone for years if the cost of remodeling hasn’t been seriously considered. Before breaking out the tool box, you have to consider how much the whole project is going to cost you and whether you have the time and energy to complete the entire project.

Making Room for the Unexpected Costs

While you may think that you have a pretty good grasp on the cost of remodeling your home, you should always make room for the unexpected. Often home remodeling projects end up costing more than first thought due to many unexpected expensive add-on items. You may think after the fact about adding a new sink, running network cables for your computers, or installing a big screen T.V. when the stud walls are open and free to work in.

Consult with a Remodeling Professional

The best approach to determining the cost of remodeling is to consult a professional. Choosing someone who has a lot of experience in the field of home renovation is ideal. This individual knows all of the tricks of the trade. He or she will be able to point out factors that need to be addressed and he may even have some recommendations that will save you some money in the long run.

Using Reclaimed or Recycled Products Saves Money

It is also a good idea to consider more environmentally friendly products, reused or recycled household goods or common every day products that will save you money in your energy costs. Utilizing a strategic bead of caulking, an extra layer of plastic vapor barrier, or purchasing a perfectly good used bathtub could save you a great deal in the long run.

You’ve heard it before but with today’s energy costs it makes even more sense to reuse, recycle, and consider energy conservation right from the beginning of any remodeling project.

Getting Yourself Ready for the Sticker Shock

There are times that a home renovation project estimate will leave you with sticker shock. However, there are further considerations to make before scrapping a relatively expensive project. The considerations include the overall value of your home.

For example, you may find the cost of remodeling your kitchen is a few hundred more than you are willing to spend. But when you consider that the value of your home will increase significantly, then it may be best to make this sound investment. You may spend a lot but your home’s value can increase by thousands more than you spent on the renovation itself.

The Three Rules for Home Remodeling Estimates

There are basically three rules to figuring the cost of remodeling your home: Asking a construction expert is a good idea when you are in doubt. They can help estimate items you have little knowledge about. Doing your estimating correctly across your remodeling project will help you increase the overall value of the project when it is completed.

Not to mention the potential savings you will have in the long run by switching to solar generated electricity, upgrading to high efficiency lighting, or by reusing, Eco-friendly products across your remodeling project.

About the Author

At Solargies, we plan to make the right Eco-friendly, green solutions available to the American homeowners. My role involves the leadership, communication, and the education related to the adoption solar energy system rentals. We provide homeowners the option to rent a solar electric system and avoid the huge, upfront investment in solar technology. Learn more about Residential Solar Energy Systems

PARABOLIC DISH MIRROR PARABOLOID DIY REFLECTOR DIRECT TV SAVE ENERGY Solar Reflective Film

Gila PRS361 Privacy Residential Window Film, Mirror, 36-Inch by 15-Feet $25.97 Specialty film helps improve privacy and security in the home. Mirror silver film offers maximum daytime privacy much like reflective glass seen on commercial buildings. Safe for dual-pane windows. Designed for easy DIY application. Film also provides a safe anti-lacerative barrier against broken glass caused by accidents or intrusions. 3′ x 15′. Mirror silver….

Energy Film Glare Control Window Film 48-by-84-Inch $34.98 Energy Film Shade is a thin, tinted window film that provides immediate year-round energy savings by retaining interior heat in the winter and blocking solar heat in the summer. Energy Film Shade is an inexpensive and easy way to make the home or office more energy efficient while providing UV protection. It is easy to apply and uses no adhesives.Summer/Winter insulating filmSaves up to 12-18% of …

Gila LES361 Heat Control Residential Window Film, Platinum …

ATC Embossed Flowers Station Booklet Notebook TPU Magnetic PU Leather Premium Leather(Black Strap) and Stand For Apple iPad 2 2nd Generation 3G Tablet, WIFI Model, 16GB, 32GB, 64GB $25.35 product decription Product Features: * Color: Blue Flower (as picture) * Quantity: 1 pcs * Size: 250mm*195mm*10mm, fit your iPad 2 precisely * Material: Light Orange Flower PU Leather + Hard Shell + Soft Cloth Interior Lining * You will find it much easier to wipe the dust off this case than you have experienced from other cases * Hard-shell design off a molded exterior to protect fragile glas…

Window Tint Film Do It Yourself Kit – Dark Black 10% Original Solux Brand $14.50 Protect the privacy of your car with the Solux Window Tint Film Do It Yourself Kit (DIY) – Dark Black! This extremely dark window tint film allows you to look outside without others looking in! This window tint film is easy to apply, and comes with full installation instructions and a touch-knife. It is adhesive, so once you apply the film to your window, it will not come off easily. This wind…