Mobile home remodel budget guide
Almost everything in life takes a little bit of planning, but that goes especially for a mobile home remodel job. Obviously the biggest question is almost always ‘how am I going to pay for this?’ This question will ultimately serve as the framework for the rest of your project and it’s this question that we’re going to help you grapple with today.
With a little creativity and forward thinking, you, too, can have the kind of home that not only fits your style and tastes – but your budget as well. Let’s jump right in!
Take a high level view of your finances
Lay everything out on the table. This means what your monthly budget can handle how far your money can go, who’s out there to do the work, getting multiple quotes and the like. Learn about which things you know you’ll have to plan on paying and saving for (cost of doing business AND unforeseen issues) but also keep an eye out for things you can find value in as well. Notice we didn’t say ‘save money’ and that’s because you don’t want to cut corners.
That does mean though – that you’ll find areas where you can shave that you don’t need. Things like cosmetic components to a room, the kind of paint you use, accessories that go inside of it, working with your timeline, etc.
Secondhand is sometimes best
If you’ve ever watched remodeling shows on TLC and HGTV, you’ll notice their designers and contractors all have something in common – and that’s that they get a lot of stuff second hand. The reason for that is that it’s cheaper AND you’re far more likely to find that perfect, character-filled piece that’ll be the ideal accent to your new space second hand, then you would say at Pier-1 or something.
There’s plenty of places you can go, too – thrift stores, craigslist, ebay or just cruising around estate and yard sales. Another tip that the pros use? Habitat for Humanity. They do a TON of projects and oftentimes they overbuy for projects and will oftentimes have overstock. Meaning you can pick up light fixtures, cabinets and other things they couldn’t use when they were building a home. A little ‘thinking outside the box’ (literally) can add up in significant ways.
Priorities, priorities
We alluded to this a bit earlier – but if you’re going to budget out for a mobile home remodel, you’ll want to tackle the most expensive areas of your project first. So for example – if you’re redoing your bathroom – shower and bath should come first. If it’s the kitchen? Cabinets, fridge, oven, countertops. Get the big, mainline stuff out of the way. The things that will lend to the core functionality of the space. From there – it’ll dictate exactly what else you can do to the space to make it yours.
And there’s the other reason – you might not have the money to do every last detail now. But in a year, you fill out the space when you’re ready. Or over time. Not EVERYTHING needs to be rolled into one, gigantic, overwhelming singular plan. Taking this approach means that not only are you getting the core function of the room finished, but doing it WELL – and that if you run out of funds for whatever reason – you have what you need ultimately. The ‘nice to have’ stuff is exactly that – it’s nice to have, but the life-essentials need to be taken care of first.
If you’re contemplating a mobile home renovation – give us a call today and we’ll be happy to provide you with a free consultation. Until then – we hope you found today’s blog helpful and good luck!