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When you are renovating your home, it’s not unusual to be on a tight budget. It’s also not uncommon to be tempted to save a little money by going with options that won’t cost as much.
You shouldn’t scrimp on certain items, and of course, there are others where it’s okay to go with the budget-friendly, less expensive choice.
The key is understanding the difference to ensure you don’t end up with costly repairs down the road.
1. Bathroom Fixtures
Bathrooms are an extremely important area of your home. There are several factors you need to consider when doing bathroom renovations.
This room is going to have lots of moisture in the air regularly. Cheap fixtures are more likely to rust in this type of environment, so be sure to opt for ones that can handle being around water the best.
Toilets are also essential. Don’t limit yourself to the most budget-friendly models. Cheap toilets are prone to many different problems.
Specifically, the seals inside them wear out quite quickly, which will eventually mean more money spent on repairs.
Furthermore, these toilets tend to use considerably more water than the more expensive choices. This ends up being wasteful and more costly as you will undoubtedly have to pay for that extra water you will be using.
2. Ventilation
Proper ventilation in your home is also vital. This is true everywhere, from your bathrooms to your attic, to your HVAC system.
In the bathrooms, poor ventilation most likely will lead to mold or mildew. Just running the shower once every day puts far more moisture in the air than most homeowners realize.
A ventilation fan system is vital for removing all that moisture. Otherwise, it will build up in your walls and windows, which could cause damage to the structure of the room.
Cheap fans may not be able to efficiently move enough air to properly remove the moisture from the room. They will also not last as long as a better quality fan.
Since this fan is inside the ceiling, it can be quite a hassle to replace it. Just choose the best quality fan available to save yourself the headache.
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3. Countertops
When it is time to replace your countertops, it is easy to be overwhelmed by all of the available options. Laminate, granite, quartz, butcher block, tile, and even more choices are available.
The kitchen materials need to be chosen based on how durable they are and how long the material will last.
Out of all of these options, quartz is generally considered the most durable. It also will last nearly forever. Since quartz, in general, can cost more than many of the other options, it’s easy to be tempted to pick the cheapest one.
But, as with anything else, not all quartz countertops are equal. Rather than focusing on finding the most affordable slab, you should focus on finding the best quality slab.
As you can tell from the Caesarstone website, there is a lot of variety, so be sure to do your research so you can make sure your quartz is the best quality possible.
4. Flooring
Flooring can be one of the most significant parts of any renovation budget, so, naturally, homeowners want to save money here. Once again, the least expensive option is not likely to be the best decision.
When choosing the type of flooring to install in any room, you first need to consider what space is used for.
Rooms where water is being used frequently, such as the kitchen or bathroom, have different needs than the other parts of the house. It is imperative to choose the top floor for those rooms that won’t be damaged easily by water.
In the other parts of your home, you have more flexibility, which might mean saving money. However, no matter what you decide, you want to be sure that it will stay in place and not wear out quickly. Otherwise, you will be replacing it far too soon.
5. Electrical Fixtures
When it comes to the outlets in your home, less is not necessarily more. Most importantly, outlets made of cheaper materials might be a fire hazard, mainly if any mistakes are made when installed.
You also want to make sure you don’t skimp on the number of outlets you install in each room. If you do not have enough for your family’s needs, they might be tempted to overload the individual outlets that are available.
This could also be a fire hazard, particularly if cheaper hardware was used.
6. Wall Coverings
When it comes to your choices for wallpaper or paint, making sure you are using quality products is also essential. Even though it is ‘just the walls,’ using the very cheapest option can still cause headaches.
Cheap wallpaper falls easily, even when it is properly installed. Cheaper paints can be much harder to apply and often need many more coats.
Both can fade easily with time. In each of these scenarios, you could spend more to fix these problems that you saved, to begin with.
7. Wooden Fixtures
Wood fixtures include items like cabinets for the kitchen or bathrooms and the doors throughout your home. When you buy these items pre-made, they are doubtful to be solid wood pieces.
Engineered wood works well in some areas of the house, but it can crack or warp in others as it is used. Of course, engineered wood is usually more budget-friendly.
However, your best bet is to look for pieces that offer a mix of the two. Typically you can find higher quality custom or partially custom items for every type of budget.
Home renovation projects can be pretty expensive; it’s why people wait years to get them done. Some homeowners decide to shave off costs by taking the cheap route on home renovations but end up regretting it in the long run.
Since you truly get what you pay for and cut corners on a renovation project, you are looking at more money months or even years later.
