Botching your home improvement budget can make your project unnecessarily more stressful. Regardless of the scope of the job, planning ahead is paramount.
If you ask Skyline Contracting, here’s what you need to do to pull off your interior painting or siding upgrade project:
Decide on All Details
Rule number one is to eliminate allowances, which are line items in the bid for things that are yet to be decided. Budgeting your project using placeholders rather than having accurate product prices, you might wind up spending more money than you hope. Find out which products are essential and optional, and then determine the particular ones you want to use.
Read the Estimate
Reviewing the estimate thoroughly is good practice. Whether you’re buying new gutters or replacement windows, you ought to understand what the bill covers. If you’ve done the project you’re planning to tackle before, don’t presume that your new contractor would provide the same services as the old one. Some companies charge extra for the cleanup while others include debris removal in the labor cost.
Avoid Change Orders as Much as Possible
Change orders can alter your original budget, but are sometimes needed when there are preexisting structural conditions that can’t be ignored. But if you don’t have to do it, then don’t. Commit to your project’s Plan A to keep your expenditure under control, or else you might struggle to keep your budget on track.
Prepare Funds for Contingencies
Any experienced siding, gutter, window, painting and roofing company would tell you to allot 20% of your overall funds to additional expenses. If change orders are necessary to address unforeseen structural damage, your budget should have some room to accommodate them. Having a buffer allows you to be financially flexible and resilient should things wouldn’t go as planned.
Tap the experience of Skyline Contracting to properly budget for your home makeovers. Call us at (770) 530-3095 now to schedule your consultation. We serve clients in Gainesville and Alpharetta, GA.