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How to Keep Your Renovation from Exceeding Your Budget

Steven Strauss • Mar 04, 2020

Experience is everything 

Despite the unlimited access to online renovation information, it’s not easy to accurately budget for a new kitchen or bath. For example, if you visited the Houzz.com website to search for farmhouse sinks, your search would deliver more than 77,000 results, with prices ranging from $150 to more than $5,000. How could anyone know which farmhouse sink would be the perfect fit among 77,000+ options? Budgeting is made even more difficult by home improvement television. HGTV, DYI and other networks do not produce documentaries. They are in the entertainment business. As such, many times, the budgets quoted for kitchen, bath and home renovation projects do not include the cost of labor, which can account for more than 50% of the budget, depending on the nature and scope of the project. Home improvement television is an excellent source of inspiration, but an unreliable and inaccurate resource for budgeting and scheduling.

Most homeowners in Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton PA renovate their kitchens and bathrooms when they have become outdated, when they want them to function differently, when existing fixtures are either damaged, broken or don’t work effectively and when they have the financial means to do so. The decision to renovate does not occur on the spur of the moment. Almost all of the homeowners in the Lehigh Valley that we help to create their dream kitchens and baths, spend months performing independent research and making sure they have the financial means to get what they want.

The first step in keeping a project on budget is to develop a budget that is realistic during the planning phase of a project. Work with a professional who can uncover what will work best for you and your home. Experienced showroom professionals know manufacturer track records for order fulfillment, customization capabilities, customer service and warranty backing. Having a professional who understands the project scope, will not only create a great completed project; but will also help you to stay on budget throughout the renovation. Ask your showroom professional for cost-saving ideas. Tile manufacturers now produce slabs that look and feel like stone and floor coverings that resemble hardwood.

Avoid the temptation to be pennywise and dollar foolish. As tempting as it might be to want to reuse your faucet or sinks, don’t. Older fixtures are environmentally inefficient compared to today’s offerings and won’t provide nearly the same functionality, look or feel. Plus, keeping existing components defeats the purpose of renovating your new kitchen.

What is a realistic budget for your new kitchen or bath? We can help you develop one! Call us at 610-262-7235 or visit our showroom at 5585 MacArthur Road Whitehall, PA 18052.

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