Save Money when Remodeling

As those income tax refunds start rolling in many homeowners will be tackling remodeling projects. One of the primary things to consider is your budget. Many jobs have to be farmed out to local contractors and service companies due to licensing and code requirements. Learn more.  But the good news is that there are many parts of the job that you can do yourself. Here's a few.

Drywall texturing is a good example. This need not be a difficult or expensive job. In fact, for some techniques you don't even need specialized equipment like a compressor and a hopper. Perhaps the simplest method only requires a paint pan and paint roller. Which brings us to our next topic.

Be your own painting contractor. Many people find painting (both interior and exterior) to be a tedious business but it doesn't have to be. Straightforward painting is typically what you get with most remodels and new construction. But did you know that it's easy to do specialty finishes like faux finishes for a fraction of the cost that a contractor would charge?

Some flooring projects are well within the reach of the average DIY enthusiast. It's easy enough to pull up old carpeting and padding. It's usually a dusty job but hey, if you're saving money, what's not to like?

Probably the easiest kind of new flooring to install is laminate flooring that simply snaps together. Layout is very easy. Next up on the difficulty scale is tile. Layout is a bit more difficult and one specialty tool you'll need is a wet saw. You might never need it again but you can rent one on a daily basis.

For more information on these and many more home improvement topics and projects, please check out I Can Fix Up My Home. Not only will you learn how to complete projects yourself but you can learn about what is involved on those parts of the job you are hiring a contractor for. Prior knowledge before getting a bid is always a good thing.

Yet More Bathroom Remodeling

Not long ago, I posted an article on my site on the Perpetual Remodeling Project. The basic idea is to keep adding to the article, photos and text, as I go about completing all the DIY projects that just won't quit comin'.

You can follow along and see when I post new home improvement articles by bookmarking my RSS Feed.


The last bit I added is about trimming the door. This turned out to be fun to do. I'm not much on interior design but I know what looks good. I may be eclectic but make up for it by being clever. That's a good thing, right?

Anyhow, I used square corner rosette blocks on the trim. Want to see it? Click on that tall thumbnail over on the left. The color isn't right though. The door and trim are really gloss white.

I've got a lot of remodeling projects planned after I finish the bathroom renovation. All that's left is building and installing a built-in medicine cabinet. That one will have some good detail because of the design.


The hole is already cut in the drywall but because of a stud and a plumbing pipe, I'm going to offset the back of the cabinet so as to take advantage of all the available real estate.

The end result is that the right three quarter of the cabinet will gain about 3/4" of additional depth over the shallow one the previous owner installed.

I'm also going to drill a series of holes on the inside so I can put shelf support pegs at a variety of locations. Sharing bathrooms with a wife and a daughter has given me an education in the odd size containers that stuff can come in.

I'm still debating on the design of the cabinet door. That's half the fun of doing it myself rather than hiring a contractor. But hey, that's just me...