How to Control the Cost of Your Renovation, Room by Room
Where to save, where to spend (and all the tricks in between) for keeping the cost of your renovation on track
It’s the million-dollar question on the lips of every fixer-upper: ‘How much do renovations cost?’ The somewhat infuriating answer, of course, is that it depends on your project. This begs the question, ‘How do I control my renovation costs?’ which, in turn, comes with practical answers that you’ll find here. And for more specific ways to reduce renovating costs room by room, click into the articles throughout this story.
How can I control the cost of my kitchen renovation?
If you’re drawing up a budget for a kitchen renovation, how much you allocate to joinery may surprise you. Joinery is a big-ticket item, so to keep a lid on costs, ask your kitchen designer to plan your new kitchen using standard – rather than custom – cabinetry sizes as much as possible. This goes for your drawer and door fronts, cabinetry carcasses, kickboards and benchtop depth and thickness.
Many kitchen renovation budgets are blown by hidden costs – anticipating these is key to controlling the price of your renovation. Building a new kitchen? You’ll likely need a new floor, for example, but if your kitchen is open-plan, your new floor may need to stretch into your dining or living area too. Factoring in costs such as these ahead of time helps prevent scary surprises later.
Other hidden costs may include adjusting cabinetry for out-of-square walls, needing to pour screed to level a floor slab (both common in older homes), moving plumbing and shoring up structural elements to withstand the hefty weight of stone or concrete benchtops. The latter often calls for advice from a structural engineer, so to control the price of your kitchen renovation, budget for unforeseen consultant’s fees such as these before swinging that sledgehammer.
The average kitchen renovation cost in Australia and New Zealand has risen sharply since the pandemic, due to supply chain challenges, rising material and energy costs, and global shortages. The cost per square metre for a kitchen renovation is more than almost any other room in the home, but there are ways to control it.
How do I cut the costs of renovating a bathroom?
The cost of renovating a bathroom in Australia and New Zealand is almost as pricey as kitchens – and sometimes more expensive. As with other rooms in the home, bathroom renovation costs have increased, so if you’re undertaking a new build or whole-home renovation you’ll need to devote a chunk of your building budget to your bathroom, ensuite or powder room.
One key way of capping the cost is to retain the layout of your current bathroom to avoid the expensive exercise of moving plumbing. If, however, you need to change the position or layout of your bathroom, calling on an expert bathroom designer will save you money in the long-run, thanks to the trade discounts they will utilise in your project.
Other cost-control tips include having a clear, robust contract before work begins, and limiting the square meterage of tiles in your design (consider tiling part-way up your walls and using paint – a much more cost-effective option – on the upper portion).
You’ll also save money on your bathroom renovation by ditching the bathtub from your plans. Making multiple design decisions such as these can help limit budget blowouts. For more savvy tips click on the story below.
How can I redesign my bedroom on a budget?
Unlike kitchens and bathrooms, most bedroom revamps generally need a slice of your building budget allocated to furniture purchases. Because of this, you can save money on a bedroom redesign by reusing your bed, mattress, bed linen, bedside tables and freestanding lamps if they’re still in good nick. And if you do need to purchase new bedroom furniture, a good interior designer or decorator should be able to source it at a discount.
Joinery – think wardrobes, shelving and other built-in elements such as window seats or custom headboards – incurs some of the biggest invoices in bedroom redesigns. To control the cost of a bedroom renovation, ask your design pro to work in as many standard-size cabinets as they can.
Cupboards cost less than drawers, so consider foregoing sleek slide-out shoe drawers and including shoe shelves inside your wardrobes instead. Bespoke joinery is well worth the investment, though off-the-shelf cabinetry carcasses can be worked into your design for a more affordable price.
How can I lower the cost of joinery?
Speaking of joinery, you may be shocked at the quotes you receive for what you thought was simple shelving or storage in your home renovation. The cost of joinery can be eye-watering – and most rooms in the home require it in some form.
‘What is joinery in a house?’ Joinery can be fixed or freestanding, it ranges from kitchen cabinetry and cupboards to bookshelves and banquettes. It’s typically made from timber but joinery designs often incorporate ‘extras’ such as lighting, rattan or metal-mesh inlays, and statement stone surfaces.
It’s these custom extras that increase the price of custom joinery, so to control the cost ask yourself if you really need mirrored backing behind your shelving or that sliding screen to hide the TV. Also ask your joiner or cabinet maker if your joinery can be made from laminate or timber veneer instead of solid timber.
How can I control costs of building a home?
Planning a new build? You’ll need to factor in demolition costs on top of building materials, labour and your design, council and contractor’s fees. Add in rent or the cost of alternative accommodation and it’s easy to see how budgets spiral.
So, is it cheaper to renovate or rebuild? Again, it all depends on your individual project, though large-scale renovations are frequently more expensive than new builds, partly because they require demolition and partly due to the on-site difficulties of retaining and working around existing elements.
To keep your budget in check, it can help to hire a quantity surveyor early on. Engaging a demolition company – rather than using your builder for the demo – is another tactic to lower costs, more of which are detailed below.
What items should I look out for in builders’ contracts and quotes?
The more detailed your architectural plans or construction drawings are, the more accurate your builder’s quote will be. Quotes and contracts are some of the most important and instrumental documents in the cost-control process.
When dealing with building contracts, the first step is to check the inclusions – does it list items such as excavation (specifically into rock), upgrading old electrical wiring, and door hardware such as handles and latches?
Ask your builder specifically about exclusions and variations as well. It will pay – literally – to check the fine print of your quotes and read up on the pricing structure of your building contract (for example, whether it’s fixed-price or cost-plus) before you sign.
Clancy ConstructionsHow else can I reduce renovation costs amid building price increases?
Post-pandemic, the cost of building materials has risen, so it’s now more important than ever to put the brakes on budget blowouts. Tips to do this, which apply to every room in the home, involve reducing lead times wherever possible (often by sourcing local alternatives to imported goods); choosing materials, fixtures and fittings early; choosing off-the-shelf products where you can; and even substituting steel for timber if possible.
Working closely with your architect, building designer or builder is vital to avoiding costly surprises.
How can I control the cost of my garden makeover?
And last but not least, let’s not forget about your outdoors. Renovators often invest most of their budgets in interiors and compromise on alfresco areas, especially if they run out of money. The result? A beautiful home with views that can appear lacklustre in contrast with the stunning interiors.
Luckily, there are ways to rein in the costs of a garden makeover. To reduce the price of your garden makeover, consider engaging a landscape architect or designer; buying young plants instead of mature specimens; substituting portions of hardscaping with materials such as gravel; and phasing your garden project in stages all help reduce the price of your garden makeover.
