If you’ve been reading this blog everyday since it’s inception, you know all this like the back of your hand. It’s “Reclaimed Renovation 101”. But here’s a list of tips again just in case you’ve missed a few.
1. GC your own job. If you have the time and organizational skills, you can hire sub-contractors and oversee the project yourself.
2. Sweat Equity. Even if you don’t have mad skills, there’s gotta be something you can do to save some bucks. Demolition? Painting? Stripping paint? It’s called “grunt work”.
3. Re-used Materials. Buy second hand cabinets, appliances and building materials at places like Build it Green and Green Demolitions.
4. Architectural Salvage. Need doors? A fireplace mantel? Medallions? Light fixtures? Forget Home Depot! Yuck! Check out the salvage yards in Brooklyn, upstate and Pennsylvania.
5. Recycle your own Materials. Maybe you can re-use that wide plank sub floor. Those kitchen cabinets might not be so bad if you painted them. Many materials in your home may not need to trashed, only re-worked.
6. Craigs List! Check out the “free” and “materials” categories. You may find some company liquidations or overages on other renovations. Tile, flooring, maybe even sheetrock.
7. “Oops” Paint. If you only have a small room to do, look at the opened paint shelves at Home Depot or other paint stores. You can pick up a gallon for five bucks or so. Colors are already mixed though.
8. Day Laborers. Yeah, I know…illegal and risky. I shouldn’t recommend this, but…
9. Liquidation Stores. There’s one on McDonald Avenue in Brooklyn that sells everything from flooring to toilets. There’s also Lumber Liquidators.
10. Friends. Cheaper and more legal than day laborers. Just get them pizza and beer.
1 Comment
I just read your 10 saving tips on remodeling and my favorite one is to the 2nd. Buy re-used cabinets! This is exactly what I did. Great post!