If you plan on remodeling your living space, you’re probably spending countless hours online, typing keywords such as ‘how much to renovate apartment.’ I’d hate to break it down for you. There’s no standardized renovation figure! According to Forbes, a whole house remodel will cost you between $40,000 – $300,000. Even so, some remodeling projects can cost you a few dollars with the right cost-reducing strategies. Keep reading to learn the ten budgeting hacks to keep your remodeling project manageable.

1. Soften Your Water

According to CNBC, 70% of Americans are stressed due to their finances. So, before jumping into your apartment renovation project, know it isn’t just about how much to renovate apartment. Whether a project can save you a few bucks in the long run, is equally essential, which is what softening water using water softener systems does. It keeps money in your pocket. Here is how.

Do you want to lower your energy bill? If this sounds like you, consider softening your water. Typically, softwater is low on mineral buildup. As a result, your appliances, such as a home washing machine, that uses water will function more efficiently. As a result, your appliances will conserve energy, resulting in more savings.

As unbelievable as it sounds, softening your water is an incredible tip to longer-lasting plumbing. Typically, hard water greatly contributes to the building up of limescale inside your pipes over time. As a result, your pipes will begin to clog up, leading to quick wear and tear and plenty of plumbing issues. When this happens, you’ll incur costly plumbing repairs and replacements.

2. Redo Your Cabinets

You don’t have to replace your cabinets when working on a shoestring budget. A few easy hacks can help refresh, reface, and refurbish your cabinets without a major overhaul. If you aren’t sure of what to do, you can hire custom cabinet makers to help you with your project.

Ever wonder why your cabinets feel cavelike? They do because they’re too dark and often suck the light out of your rooms. However, a brighter makeover doesn’t necessarily mean replacing the old boxes. Supposing the frame and doors are structurally okay, consider cleaning and coating them with fresh and brilliant colors. Doing so will bring back life and fun to your apartment.

You can now crown your cabinets and give them that extra eye-popping aesthetic. Consider mounting molding on a hardwood frame above your cabinets to do this. When done, you’ll give your cabinets a new personality, a fresher and more expensive look.

If your dishes are vibrant and exciting, you don’t have to leave them tucked behind closed doors. You can show them off to your friends by adding a transparent display. You can also design your plate track to give your kitchen an aesthetic pop. Also, you’ll free up more storage spaces and a splash of color in your kitchen.

3. Design the Pavement

Let’s face it. Paving isn’t always a cheap affair. However, while you may worry about how much to renovate apartment, did you know there are a few affordable paving design hacks?

Paving natural stone and brick materials can be damn expensive. As a result, it can be extremely difficult to save money when working with such materials. What’s more, installation costs may also be beyond reach for many. However, did you know you can achieve natural stone or brick pavement aesthetics using concrete stamps? Additionally, the installation cost of pouring and stamping concrete is much more affordable than other materials.

If your pavement is old and ugly and you don’t have a budget to replace it, you can try to revamp it with a clever paint makeover. However, before commencing the paint job, you must ensure your pavement is sparkling clean. Also, choose a color and a pattern that marries well with the surroundings. You can give your pavement a terrazzo or perhaps a black-and-white tiles theme. Anything is possible with painting, so get creative.

4. Install Landscape Drains

Poor drainage is expensive. It will easily turn your aesthetically appealing green lawn into a mushy mess. When this happens, you’ll have to break the bank to restore your yard to its former glory. Moreover, excess water jeopardizes your assets due to water damage. To avoid costly repairs, you must install landscape drains on your property.

Do you live in flood-prone, low-lying areas? If yes, consider going for a drain tile service (French drain). The French drain design functions to eliminate pools of water that form in low-lying areas. Typically, the system operates similarly to gutters. However, instead of managing water above ground, the system directs water to accumulate on the ground.

Typically, a French drain has perforated piping with filter fabric and gravel layers. The system has a stylish appearance. As a result, it marries well with the front yard landscaping and does a good job of diverting water accumulating in plant beds and pots. If you don’t want to know how much to renovate apartment due to water damage, install landscape drains to prevent water problems before water damages your home.

5. Update Fire Safety

According to NSC Injury Facts, a home structure fire occurs every 93 seconds. While you may worry too much about how much to renovate apartment, did you ever ask yourself how much it would cost to redo an entire apartment after a fire? Your guess is as good as mine. It will cost you an arm and a leg. So, to avoid such a scenario, it’s better to update your fire safety standards. If unsure about your fire sprinkler’s effectiveness, this is the best time to arrange a fire sprinkler inspection to ensure everything works well.

Regarding apartment fire safety, you must consider evacuation procedures, smoke movement, longer egress times, and fire control. Typically, fire spreads quickly in an apartment setting, and a quick response is paramount to save lives. To curb apartment fires, at the minimum, you must have a monitored fire system.

Also, it will be prudent to consult with a fire protection company for the latest fire alarms, sprinklers, devices, and extinguishers and ensure they’re within your reach in a fire emergency. Additionally, you must ensure that your apartment has updated smoke alarms. Also, you must conduct an electrical inspection to ensure your apartment is free of electrical hazards.

6. Design the Interior

Let’s agree. Before getting into the nitty gritty of home remodeling, the elephant in the room remains how much to renovate apartment and whether it can be done on a meager budget. Well, when it comes to interior design and décor, it’s possible to produce elegant results and still keep a fat wallet.

Wall mural installation is a quick, affordable, and easy way to express yourself artistically. This decoration is larger than life and can typically be erected on any wall using an adhesive. The good news is that you can get them in different types, giving you a variety for your sitting room, kitchen, gym, or bedroom. Although murals look similar to wallpapers (another great wall décor alternative), the significant difference is that they’re singular scenes and not repeated images.

Throw rugs are an apartment’s best friend. Although they protect the floor, it’s also a cheap way to add color, pattern, and warmth in an otherwise bland space. Supposing you live in a larger room or a studio apartment, throw rugs will not only beautify your space, but you can also use them to define living areas.

7. Remove Leaning Trees

Trees are your assets that will give shade, provide shelter to wildlife and oxygen, and are also barriers to noise pollution. However, leaning trees are a nuisance, negatively affecting your landscape’s curb appeal. In such a case, tree removal is the only option to make your landscape eye-popping again. To do this safely, you must secure a permit, wear protective gear, ready your tools, explore all the safety options, and ask help from a friend when possible.

Remember, removing trees isn’t your regular DIY project. Therefore, when the task proves challenging, consider hiring a tree service company to help you out. Tree removal is extremely technical and complex and poses serious risk of property damage and personal injury. However, if removing the tree isn’t necessary, how about pruning it?

You may opt for a crown-thinning strategy. The strategy involves selectively removing branches to promote air movement and light penetration throughout the tree’s crown. To do this right, you must develop or maintain a tree’s structure and form. Also, ensure that the tree has a balanced density.

You may also opt for a reshaping or crown reduction strategy when your trees have grown beyond the allowable space. Here, the tree’s crown is made smaller by removing foliage. As a result, the tree regains its natural look while minimizing any stress on the tree. Another name for this process is drop crotch pruning.

8. Manage Your Own Water

Home remodeling can make you extremely busy and easily forget the little things, which can easily culminate in bigger problems. Have you considered water conservation in your quest to understand how much to renovate apartment? Taking measures to conserve water helps your pocket by lowering your water bills. Also, your action plays a significant role in helping the planet save water.

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, an average family wastes 9,400 gallons of water yearly! That’s about 900 billion gallons of water wasted nationwide. For this reason, the number one tip to conserve water is to check your faucets for leaks. On any given day, a faulty faucet leaks approximately 15 gallons of water daily. Consider hiring plumbing services to fix the issue immediately if this is your case, or notify the relevant authority immediately.

If you have the funds, hire a water well service company to dig a borehole to supplement your water needs. Doing this will prevent you from sharing your water supply with the city. A well also allows ample water supply to the city residents and minimizes possible loss of community water through leakage.

9. Get Rid of Trash

When creating your ‘how much to renovate apartment’ budget list, you must include an estimated budget figure for removing the trash. Typically, most people forget to have such a budget, resulting in mountains of renovation waste taking up most of their property. For this reason, always create a clean-up budget. You may stumble upon an affordable dump trailer for sale or hire that may be very useful when ridding of trash.

Your trash can potentially be someone else’s treasure. If some materials you intend to dispose of are usable and in good condition, another person can benefit from your waste. For this reason, consider donating reusable materials to a drop-off center. Although some donation centers accept everything from functioning appliances and windows to cabinets, some don’t. In such a case, you should always contact the drop-off centers before donating the materials.

10. Store What You Don’t Need

It may seem simple to keep all renovation materials together. However, you must realize that different materials require different types of storage for a lengthy shelf life. For instance, all fragile materials must be stored in a storage container to avoid accidental breakage. If you don’t own one, it’s best to include it in your ‘how much to renovate apartment’ budget list. Also, consider searching ‘ storage container for sale‘ online for affordable options.

Store wood in a dry area to avoid warping. Also, bricks need dry storage, as constant contact with water facilitates chipping. Keep cement away from moisture to prevent deterioration; glue must be stored securely in a sealed pot. Always do your research first before storing any unusable material.

You no longer have to worry about how much to renovate apartment. It’s now affordable to remodel your apartment with intelligent budgeting hacks such as softening water, redoing cabinets, and removing lean trees. Don’t let finances stop you. It’s now possible to renovate your apartment on a shoestring budget.