I have always LOOOVED a deal. Who doesn’t?! But we’re going to talk about giving your money superpowers. This is way more than just a deal. Your money has superpowers when your end result looks so much more expensive than what you actually spent. Meaning, your materials are better, or you finished look is something really special, or you were simply able to touch and improve more spaces than you would have been able to typically.
So how do you do this? Dip your money in vat of radioactive waste? Import it from an alien planet? No. But rest assured, The Hacks Life is going to walk you through just how.
For any project, start with taking stock of your assets. What do you have that you already own? What do you have that works in your favor? These may be things that you don’t initially see as an asset. For example, if your home has a ton of character or a distinctive floorplan that sets it apart (if it works for you)- these are assets. If you have original 3/4-inch hardwood floors- no matter the finish- this is an asset. If your project is a total gut- this too is an asset.
Here’s how:
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Ton of character/distinctive floorplan EQUALS option to go simpler on your design that will highlight your assets, because your home already has interesting details. Which saves you money.
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3/4-inch hardwood floors EQUALS option to keep and refinish. Hardwood floors are one of those materials that are nearly timeless and durable enough that you can very likely refinish them instead of replacing them. Which saves you money.
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Total gut EQUALS you have a blank slate, and this is definitely an asset. The ability start from scratch removes many limiters that you would otherwise face. You can better balance where you splurge and where you save. Which saves you money.
When you build a plan that saves money before you even start then you’re beginning to give your money superpowers.
For a more detailed example, let’s looks at the 1st Street Project. This house was a total gut with floorplan changes. Almost none of the interior surfaces were staying. This was a pro for us because we could create a design strategy for the whole home. Which allowed us to balance our spend, saving in some places to splurge in others.
We absolutely had to stick to our budget and the flooring choice for the bulk of the house was critical because it was for most of the space and would add up quick. Our contractors were pushing us to Luxury Vinyl Plank in effort to help manage costs. LVP is a great option for some applications, but not for this house. I knew if we were creative and thoughtful, we could find a better fit in quality, stay on budget, and have a better end result. All together- this means our money has superpowers. We decided to go with tile everywhere and our cost per square foot was adjusted to account for higher install costs vs. LVP. Our final flooring budget was $2 per square foot.
We chose a warm and classic, walnut wood tile for the main house and hall bath and got it at a steal. We paired it with a lovely neutral porcelain tile in a 12×24 inch shape to use as the main tile in all the baths. This is a good choice because the 12×24 inch dimensions made it feel special and fresh and the neutral color goes with nearly everything. Both choices were on trend, complementary to our design strategy, and would let our special details really pop. We purchased everything from our local Floor & Decor (love these guys!).
The Special Details:
Here is the cost breakdown:
- Budget: 2,254 sqft @ 2$ = $4,508
- Main flooring wood tile & bathroom main tile cost: $2,621 or $1.16/sqft (42% under budget)
- Special detail tile- $1,188
- Total: $4,076 (includes tax)
- Vs. Budget: $1.80 per sqft (10% under budget)
But remember, super powered money is not just about getting a deal. It’s about balancing your shining spaces with complementary foundations. Like a main character and a supporting character. When you do this, you not only save a bit money of your foundational elements, but you get to see and appreciate what’s shining. If it’s all shiny, you can’t see anything. It’s also about knowing your assets and leveraging them. Maximizing an asset you already own in your design is like having free money, people. It contributes to your overall finished product, but it costs you potentially nothing! These are the kind of things when combined together produce an end result that looks so much more expensive than what you actually spent.
Super powered money is some of the magic that happens when thoughtful choices weave together perfectly.
Here’s to a better remodel: more beautiful & economical with less stress!
