Renovating the apartment: what you can save money on, and what you shouldn't

Making repairs, why spend more money? You do not want to overpay, especially when the budget is limited. At the same time, it is expected that the renovation of communications and finishing of the apartment will be of high quality. There are materials and work that you should not save, and you can always find what you can spend less on.

What you should not save on

It is not desirable to save money in these areas of repair:

• Engineering communications: plumbing, heating, gas, electricity - this is something that should be reliable, modern and of high quality. Comfort and safety depend on it. Pipe bursts and leaks in the heating system can cause trouble. Gas leaks are life-threatening. Work with engineering communications is trusted only to experienced professionals.
• You should not look for cheap labor. It is better to hire a professional team. Then the repair will be of high quality and it will not have to be redone. It is worth choosing professionals, assess their list of services, portfolio, read reviews.
• Windows and doors should be of high quality. If you install cheap models, it will blow, creak, quickly wear out the hardware. Windows and doors should qualitatively insulate from the cold, noise and drafts. Reliable locks and security design of the entrance doors will keep the apartment from intruders.
• Quality plumbing not only keeps an attractive appearance for a long time - the coating does not fade, does not rust, retains its luster, but it also works properly - does not leak, taps or the foot turn easily, does not stick.
• I would like to have a high-quality repair done in 3 days and cheaply. But it is impossible. All the stages from planning and procurement of materials to finishing can take several weeks, a month or two, or more, depending on whether it is a major repair or a cosmetic. Haste reduces the quality of work. In a hurry, you can not take into account everything, and then you have to spend time on redoing it. And faster and cheaper often turns into longer and more expensive.

What you can save on

Reduce the cost of repairs is possible. There are several ways to save money:

• Overpay for famous brands of building materials is not worth it. There are similar in composition and quality materials of little-known manufacturers. You can find out which hypermarkets have promotions and discounts, and save well. It is important to clearly calculate how much of what will be needed, so as not to buy too much.
• On finishing you can save money. Expensive wallpaper or flooring should be replaced by cheaper, but high-quality materials. And it is important to pay attention to their safety. If the composition will be toxic resins and glue, it will be released into the air. In the toilet, it is not necessary to cover the walls with tiles, a cheaper option - painting with washable paint.
• You can buy leftovers. It happens, there are some tiles of different kinds left in the store at a discounted price. If they can be combined, you get a savings and an original finish.
• It is not necessary to spend money on expensive solid wood furniture. MDF boards with natural binders are safe, and veneered finish creates a surface appearance similar to solid wood.

In order not to stop the repair because of unexpected costs, it is better to add to the amount of the budget 5%. Then, if some materials go up in price, or you need to buy something that was not planned, it will be compensated by the money reserve.