It can feel like the sky is the limit once you begin unleashing your creativity during a home project. However, remembering your budget can quickly bring you back down to reality. How do you stick to a budget when you have big plans for the way your home can look? These eight tips will help you see your budget slightly differently.

1. Rank Your Priorities

While you may have an ultimate goal of renovating every room in your home, your budget might not make an “instant” transformation possible. Create a list that ranks all of your upcoming projects in order of importance. Take time to be honest about the improvements that will truly increase the joy and quality of life at your home. You now have a map for where to direct your budget first.

2. Use Repurposed Materials

Is something you’re pulling out of your home perfect for another area of your home? Have repurposing in mind whenever you’re doing demolition in one part of your home. In some cases, materials that are no longer needed can be safely repurposed to help you save money. There’s even a possibility that you may be able to recoup some of the demolition costs by selling materials that you won’t be repurposing in your own home.

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3. Don’t Be Afraid to Get Multiple Quotes From Contractors

There’s no obligation to go with the first contractor you interview. Generally, collecting quotes from up to three contractors is advised. Of course, the goal is always to go with the best quote instead of the lowest quote. Choosing a low-cost contractor who doesn’t deliver the results you want can end up being costlier in the long run.

4. Go for Quality

While you may be focused on your renovation budget today, you can’t ignore the long-term cost of selecting inferior materials. “Cheap” materials that keep your budget low today may cost more money in the long run if you need to redo a project in a few years. This is a common problem when people opt for imitation stone and tile instead of sourcing high-quality stone and tile products designed to stand the test of time.

5. DIY When You Can

One way to cut costs is to take a do-it-yourself approach to projects that you feel confident about taking on! In some cases, simply pulling away old flooring, tearing out cabinets, or painting a room on your own instead of being charged can add a few thousand dollars to your budget for what works out to be an afternoon of work.

6. Use the Same Materials Throughout the House

Keeping a consistent style theme throughout your home when doing a renovation may help you to save money. For example, adding the same flooring throughout the entire home can help to reduce costs because you won’t need to source and ship materials from multiple vendors. The same can be true with paint, fixtures, and furniture.

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7. Consider Financing

The truth is that cutting corners with a renovation can make updates more expensive down the road. If you have your heart set on doing a home renovation the right way, consider financing part of the project. Many banks have special financing options specifically for home renovations.

8. Skip the Popular Stores

One tip to save money during a home renovation is to skip big-box retailers and home improvement stores when sourcing your materials. Wholesale distributors and building supply resellers often charge much less for materials because they don’t mark up prices for retail. Call around to suppliers in your area to ask about their policies for selling to the general public.