How to save on Renovation Costs (6 Realistic Tips)

3 min read

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Key Takeaways

Homeowners can save on renovation costs by finding renovators who can work within their budget instead of firms with higher minimum budget requirements.
Costly renovation works usually include carpentry, masonry, and finishing touches, so homeowners should prioritise necessary features first.
Cheaper alternatives, renovation packages, main contractor services, and sub-contractors can reduce renovation costs, but each option comes with trade-offs.

Tables of Content

1. Find Renovators that Can Work Within Your Budget

This is the most important step and one which most homeowners are unaware of.

Some Renovators have minimum budget requirements while others prefer to work with a smaller budget. As such, those who perceive your budget to be too low often try their luck by jacking up their quotations.

This is usually not stated upfront as Renovators may not want to lose the opportunity to meet or persuade you. Renovators also tend to be indirect when it comes to rejecting homeowners.

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How do I meet Specific Renovators who can work within my budget? Use HomeMatch, it’s free! 😉 This may come across as a shameless namedrop but… we’re super confident about our product.

Presently, we are the only platform who works with and know the requirements of individual Renovators from CaseTrust-accredited firms. This makes us ultra capable of finding specific Renovators who can meet your specific needs.

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It was almost like they didn’t exist - so we started our search on Google. HomeMatch came across as a no brainer for us to try because of their case trust accredited IDs, clear outline of their services and the fact that they came at no cost to us. The communication with HomeMatch were always swift, clear and helpful. From our online form, they called and clarified our needs then set about to match us with five IDs. We were able to view their profiles, portfolios and video snippets which were handy when it came to comparing meeting them in person whether they were authentic. Four of the five IDs contacted us swiftly and met with us twice - the first time to understand our requirements and floor plan and the second time to propose layout and itemized quotation. Same went for the fifth ID who was a later match because the initial match was not able to meet us. HomeMatch really came through with promptly replacing the initial recommendation such that the replacement ID was able to meet us the very next day. We were able to select an ID from the five based on all our interactions and although the process from contacting HomeMatch to signing with ID took 2 months it would have taken even longer had we tried to source IDs from the wild. HomeMatch services didn’t end with us signing the contract. HomeMatch reviewed our contract and advised us of its pros and shortcomings. They also provided critical tips that will help make our renovation journey a successful one. Although our Reno work have not begun we know that clear communication works best and we can always count on HomeMatch should we need them again.

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2. Identify the Costliest Aspect and Prioritise Accordingly

Based on our analysis, the most expensive components of most renovations are carpentry (kitchen cabinets, wardrobe etc.), masonry works (tiling, reconfiguration), and finishing touches (Painting, Windows, Doors, Bathroom fittings, False Ceilings, Lighting etc.).

Knowing this, you can prioritise on what’s necessary. Focus on pressing features like kitchen cabinets, bathroom works, and flooring.

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3. Consider Cheaper Alternatives

Most carpentry features are likely optional and can be substituted with off-the-shelf items which are ~20% more affordable in general e.g. built-in tv-consoles, shoe rack, wardrobes.

You can also seek your IDs’ advice on areas you can save costs on without over compromising on quality e.g. vinyl flooring is cheaper and yet often more durable.

Nobody Around Us Could Recommend a Good ID

Sit Back — Your Renovation’s in Safe Hands

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4. Look for Renovation Packages

Some Interior Firms offer affordable renovation packages that helps homeowners move in at a relatively low cost. However, there’s little room for customisation and you shouldn’t expect top-notch materials.

❗ Warning: Bad actors might initially lure you into signing a low-cost package; then… jack up prices by surfacing excluded items during the renovation e.g. omission of costs such as dismantling, manpower, and, additional materials etc.

If you’re considering renovation packages, read about the pros and cons here.

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5. Opt for Main Contractor Services

If you only require straightforward works that doesn’t involve design expertise e.g. simple kitchen and toilet works, you might be able to save on the design fees by opting for main contractor services only (only some interior firms might agree to this).

However, do not underestimate the value that an Interior Designer (ID)can bring. Beyond aesthetics, an ID can value-add in areas such as space planning, material selection, pros and cons of different renovation features, cost-saving tips etc.

Find out the differences between an Interior Designer and Main Contractors (+ pros and cons)

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6. Hire your own Sub-Contractors

You can choose to coordinate the entire renovation yourself by hiring Sub-Contractors. But... if you’re uncareful, you might end up spending more or delaying your renovation timeline.

If you’re performing a major renovation, we highly recommend working with IDs or Main Contractors unless: 1) You have the time and expertise to coordinate the renovation yourself and 2) You're super confident with the technicality and sequencing of the renovation process.
If you’re considering outsourcing minor aspects to a Sub-Contractor, we strongly recommend reading up to make an informed decision.

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