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Old 02-08-2017, 11:25 AM
 
Location: 415->916->602
3,145 posts, read 2,658,019 times
Reputation: 3872

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And if so, did you guys do it frugally? I want to remodel my house, mostly cosmetic, because i feel like some of my stuff is dated.

I want to:

get new porcelin tile floors
paint my kitchen cabinets white
get some new furniture
and convert my storage room into an office space.


Do you know any ways to cut costs?
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Old 02-08-2017, 12:01 PM
 
Location: The Triad
34,088 posts, read 82,953,336 times
Reputation: 43661
Quote:
Originally Posted by 49erfan916 View Post
paint my kitchen cabinets white
get some new furniture
and convert my storage room into an office space.
This is decorating. NOT remodeling.

Quote:
get new porcelain tile floors
Does this mean you already have porcelain (or tile) floors?
If so.. forget it because of the demo work involved.
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Old 02-08-2017, 12:20 PM
 
Location: Mid-Atlantic
32,931 posts, read 36,341,370 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MrRational View Post
This is decorating. NOT remodeling.

Does this mean you already have porcelain (or tile) floors?
If so.. forget it because of the demo work involved.
The demo is brutal. One small bathroom and I was done.
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Old 02-08-2017, 12:24 PM
 
Location: Bay Area California
711 posts, read 688,145 times
Reputation: 1521
Quote:
Originally Posted by 49erfan916 View Post
And if so, did you guys do it frugally? I want to remodel my house, mostly cosmetic, because i feel like some of my stuff is dated.

I want to:

get new porcelin tile floors
paint my kitchen cabinets white
get some new furniture
and convert my storage room into an office space.


Do you know any ways to cut costs?
I agree with MrRational - this stuff is really all decorating rather than remodeling.

Floors: as noted by MrRational, it depends on what's down there now. It's do-able but having to demo an existing tile floor and re-prep is going to cost more. It's something I would have a pro do.

Paint cabinets: There are a lot of good "how to's" out there on this. Follow the steps, use good materials and you can handle this. Just slapping a coat of paint up won't look good for long. Consider replacing the hardware as well. Shop for bargains on the internetz.

New furniture: Shop, compare prices, evaluate quality. Repeat. Just get the best bang for your buck. Cheap is OK but a $450 couch is probably going to need to be replaced a lot more often than a quality, more espensive couch.

Convert storage room: Get rid of junk Paint. Make sure you have adequate lighting and power supply. Measure all the furniture you want to go in there and lay it out on paper. If you need your internet connection physically in the room, can it be easily wired in?

Take your time and do it right and enjoy the results!
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Old 02-08-2017, 12:31 PM
 
Location: Los Angeles
4,490 posts, read 3,928,486 times
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The trick to saving money on home remodeling/repairs is to do as much of the work yourself as you can. I am not a tradesman of any kind, but I have repainted kitchen cabinets, repainted the entire interior of my home, remodeled 3 bathrooms including new tile floors, vanities, toilets and all plumbing. There are some things that I had to pay for, but even then you can sometimes save money by doing the demolition part yourself. For example, when I had new Quartz counters installed in my kitchen they wanted $ 1,800 to demo the existing tile and put down plywood. I figured I could swing a sledge hammer, so I broke up the tile and removed it, bought the plywood, cut it to fit, cut the openings for the range & sink and nailed it all down. Not only do you save money, but you get to learn new skills.
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Old 02-08-2017, 01:33 PM
 
Location: Where the sun likes to shine!!
20,548 posts, read 30,389,075 times
Reputation: 88950
Quote:
Originally Posted by 49erfan916 View Post
And if so, did you guys do it frugally? I want to remodel my house, mostly cosmetic, because i feel like some of my stuff is dated.

I want to:

get new porcelin tile floors
paint my kitchen cabinets white
get some new furniture
and convert my storage room into an office space.


Do you know any ways to cut costs?

Many times on many different houses.

Porcelain tiles:
How much tiling? If you do a bathroom you will need to be able to take out the toilet and reinstall it.
As others said you will have to demo the old tile. Is it on concrete or plywood? It can be a bear of a job depending on the original installation of the old tile.

A lot of cheaper porcelain tile is not porcelain all the way through. If it is just dipped or coated and the tile can chip very easily. What size do you want to use? The smaller tiles, 12x12, are easier to work with but dated. You need to make sure your tile saw will work.(Some have size limitations) Those can be rented. Some cuts can be tricky.

Make sure you have the right tools and blades. Those are expensive.

If you have never done tiling before I suggest you take a Home Depot or Lowe's class. It is so much better to learn hands on.


Kitchen cabinets. Use a "good" paint. I recommend Benjamin Moore Advance. It is awesome…and take your time. If you can spray them they will come out much nicer and smoother….no paintbrush lines. Here are some tips, which is good advice:
Mistakes You Make Painting Cabinets - DIY Painted Kitchen Cabinets



Furniture:
Watch for sales and specials. Don't rush it.


Storage room is easy. Clear it out. Paint the walls and add office furniture/supplies.


Have fun…wish I could help with demo, my favorite

Last edited by ylisa7; 02-08-2017 at 02:30 PM..
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Old 02-08-2017, 01:37 PM
 
Location: Bay Area California
711 posts, read 688,145 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ylisa7 View Post


Have fun…wish I could help with demo, my favorite
You wanna come and be my BFF??
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Old 02-08-2017, 01:38 PM
 
Location: Haiku
7,132 posts, read 4,766,627 times
Reputation: 10327
Do it yourself = save lots of money.

BUT, you generally get what you pay for. Some stuff, like painting a room, is easy. Tiling can be tricky. It will look better if a pro does it.

We remodeled our house multiple times - rebuilt the kitchen and bathroom, put in new floors, added a bedroom, added a porch, etc. I did about 50% of the work. It was fun but when we hired people it definitely came out better.
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Old 02-08-2017, 01:41 PM
 
Location: Bay Area California
711 posts, read 688,145 times
Reputation: 1521
Oh, and regarding the kitchen cabinets... don't just paint them white because that's what you see in magazines and on TV. If another color feels like it will suit your kitchen and your personal taste better, get a small sample and test it out to see if you really like it. Google search some photos of a color that seems like it might be interesting to you if something other than white appeals.

I don't dislike white kitchens...but they're kind of ubiquitous IMO.
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Old 02-08-2017, 01:57 PM
 
21,109 posts, read 13,559,056 times
Reputation: 19723
Furniture is highly negotiable. When I bought some at the Room Store, I didn't think it was because they discount their prices already but it still is. There is a lot of mark-up and paying full price is like paying sticker price on a car.

Same for mattresses. I was told by someone who used to manage a mattress store not to pay more than 50% of the price marked.

So, I went in, picked one, told the person what my friend had said and offered 50%. He came back and said I swear to God I can only do $100 above 50% but I will give you the $100 thing that allows you to get free cleaning for life. Sold.
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