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Going Over Budget?

Most people when building or remodeling their home have a budget to stay within. If you don't have a fixed contract from the builder, when the construction loan amount is exceeded, the balance needed to finish the project comes out of the owners pocket. When the budget starts running low, the place to start cutting expenses is on the items that are easiest to replace at a later date. History has demonstrated that salaries and home values will increase over the years. In five to ten years, the average property owner can refinance the property to update the home.

Common items that can be scaled back, in order of easiest to hardest:

• Appliances

If you can't afford the stainless steel matching appliances that you've always dreamed of, you can roll in a less expensive range, refrigerator and dishwasher for a few years until you can afford some new ones.


• Door Hardware

Door entry locks can be purchased for $10 to $15 at the discount home improvement stores and privacy locks can be purchased for under $10. This hardware may not be top quality or in designer styles, but it works. Most door hardware is manufactured to standard sizes and the average person can change out an entry lock for the first time in 15 to 20 minutes. The second time gets easier.


• Plumbing Fixtures

Low end kitchen and bath faucets can be purchased for less that $30, the medium quality fixtures start at $80. The low end units are made mostly of plastic, but they will work for several years until you are ready to update your fixtures. Low end toilets can be purchased for $50 to $100 and they will move the required material to the sewage system. I have used these economy priced toilets in some renatal houses that I have owned and found that golf balls and fast food toys tend not to flush. For my own house, I paid around $400 for each toilet. I bought these toilets because there is vrtually no sound per flush. Designer toilets start at around $1,500. Changing out a toilet involves removing two bolts, removing the toilet, installing a new wax ring (about $1.50), seating the new toilet and reinstalling the bolts. Stainless steel kitchen sinks can be purchased for about $25 and can be easily replaced with a nicer one in the future, just make sure that the base cabinet is designed for the new furure sink.


• Electrical Fixtures

Low end ceiling and wall fixtures can be purchased very inexpensively. I have found that they look very nice when they are new, but over a couple of years they tend to pit. but When you are saving at least $100 per fixture, you can replace these fixtures as needed. Standard switches and plugs and their cover plates are a quarter of the price of the deco units. To replace these units involves removing and replacing up to six screws for the cover plates, two screws for each unit and three wire nuts for each unit.


• Flooring

Carpeting is generally ready to replace in seven to ten years. If you are running tight on your budget, you might want to consider using the lower quality 3/8" padding and a lower end carpet that you can live with for five years. When you are ready to upgrade, a 5/8" padding and good quality carpet will be a welcome upgrade. Kitchen and bathroom flooring can utilize vinyl flooring, either sheet or tile. Keep in mind that if you upgrade to tile in the future, you should install 1/2" cementitious board as an underlayment to the tile to prevent cracking. Also keep in mind that the thickness of the tile is only 1/16", some people to save labor cost, screw the cementitious board over the existing vinyl flooring.


• Doors

It is much cheaper labor wise to use prehung doors. This gives you a choice, remove the molding and install another prehung door assembly, or replacing the door panel and keeping the existing door frame. Ideally, just removing the trim will allow you to saw cut the existing screws through the trim and replace the door with a new prehung door. If you are replacing the door panel, check the weight of the existing door panel to the new door panel. You may need to install longer screws in the hinge that will reach to the existing cripple studs of the door.


• Counter Tops

A formica counter top is a fraction of the cost of the high end counters. When you decide to change the counter top, make sure that you have the base cabinetry and the layout that you want. If you try to change the base cabinetry at a later date, you may end up destroying the new counter top.


• Cabinetry

If you want to replace the cabinetry, you may as well plan on a complete kitchen or bath remodel. Improve the design at this time to better suit your needs.


• Shower and Bath

Inexpensive acrylic bath and shower units with surrounds can save hundreds of dollars per unit. These manufactured units can be pulled out and replaced with upscale tubs and custom showers.


• Windows

I would reccomend installing good quality double glazed nail-on windows during the initial construction and putting trim directly over the exterior flaps. If you ever decide to replace the windows, you simply pull off the trim, remove the window, install the new window and replace the trim.


• Roofing

Even an economy roof should last at least fifteen to twenty years. When the budget is getting close, installing a less expensive roof can cut thousands off of the construction cost.

I am not advocating building a cheap house, I am trying to inform people how they can get the most house for their money. I think a home should be built to be comfortable. If you have an appropriate budget, include all of the features that you've dreamed of. It's your home, enjoy it.