5 amazing, budget-friendly home makeover tips to spruce up your nest.

By Juliet Huang, 20 December 2018 3366

Photo: Pexel

The rush of excitement sets in when you've got your set of keys. Now's the time to look at floor plans and talk to interior designers (IDs). But wait – before you start your research, what considerations do you need to think about? And the million dollar question is, is it possible to build a cosy, affordable nest? With the popularity of smart home devices, the techies amongst us might also be considering how to turn it into a smart home on a budget.
 

Tip #1: How much to budget and should you choose an ID or a contractor?

The first step to putting a house together is to find the right renovation company who will work with your budget. But how much exactly should you set aside?  It depends on whether you choose to work with an ID or if you want to only work directly with contractors.

  IDs Contractors
Cost According to this website , the average cost of an interior design project can range from $34,000 for a 3 bedroom HDB flat to $234,000 for a landed property. Resale HDB projects tend to also cost more as owners need to spend money to fix wear and tear or even remove what the previous owners have left behind.

Other factors that will determine your budget: the scale of the project and material cost.ID firms also charge a design fee and this varies from firm to firm.

Clients also need to pay 20-30% of the costs upfront before the project commences. If you have time and have experience in home renovation, going contractor-only is a good way to manage your budget.
Typically charge based on the cost of construction materials.
What do they do? An ID can sketch the ideal home, offer consultation on the materials and colour scheme and give you ideas to maximise your space. They will also manage the renovation project. Contractors depend on your project conceptualisation to work.They also put up and breakdown walls, false ceilings, install flooring, electrical wiring, piping, bathroom fittings and carpentry (e.g. making cabinets).

In order to decide on the ID firm, you should:

  1. Choose several companies and look through their finished projects, to see if their style suits you. (Use this site to help you shop quickly!)

  2. At the consultation with the ID, be upfront about your budget. Your designer has to also break down the cost of the project before it commences.

Some design firms may also offer promotions which includes design consultations, space planning, project management, masonry, plumbing, ceiling & carpentry works and miscellaneous works such as painting and cleaning. Some designers even put their costs up online and this can help you to break down your cost and budget for unforeseen additions to the renovation project.
 

Tip #2: Floor tiles - To save or to spend?

Photo: Pexel

While an interior designer can help you to select the right flooring tiles, as a homeowner, you should know about the different types of tiles to plan your budget beforehand. The cost, maintenance and durability of tiles have to be clearly thought through. Your lifestyle needs should also come into play. How long do you intend to stay in the house? Will your young children or pets scratch the floor tiles? If you require carpeted flooring, costs for the rugs or carpets should be included in your home construction or renovation budget. Both carpets and rugs can cost anything from a few hundreds to a few thousands.

Material Carpets Porcelain  Hardwood flooring (parquet)  Marble
Pros Cover a larger surface area and apart from decorative purposes, can also prevent your heavy furniture from scratching the floor. Huge array of sizes, styles, colours and designs.
Durable and can last for many decades.
Make a house look warm and cosy. Very unique, with different patterns and colours, this natural option is eco-friendly and great for those with allergies.
Cons Heavier and washing carpets require a specialised dry-cleaning service. Not cheap as the average porcelain tile is $10-15 per square feet, according to this real estate site Water can cause damage, so if children, pets and spills are a concern, this might not be a viable option. Stains and scratches are expensive to get rid of when it comes to marble, so do think carefully if you choose this!
Alternatives Rugs
  • Pros: smaller, lighter, and can be washed easily. Cheaper too!
  • Cons: Wears out easily due to thinner fabric.
Opt for vinyl flooring, made to appear like ceramic tile. It is cheaper and scratches are less visible.  Laminate wood flooring is your solution as they resist fading, staining and damage from scratches and chips.
Unlike parquet, laminate flooring can be cleaned with any cleaning agent, making housework a breeze!
 
Where to go This online shop features all kinds of rugs in different shapes and sizes. If carpets are still your cup of tea, then check out this local carpet store, which does customisation. Check out this site to look at the prices of vinyl flooring. This site promises to offer the cheapest deals on laminate wood flooring. Need to know how much other homeowners pay for their flooring? This forum will definitely be helpful.

 

Tip #3: Lighting - where and how to light up in the best way possible?


Photo: Pexel

Another consideration is lighting as lighting plays a major factor in your new home! From illuminating your workspaces to creating a romantic ambience, you need lighting that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing. Evaluate every room or area in the home to ensure good general illumination and task lighting. Where natural indirect or filtered daylight can be used, do opt for natural lighting as it is better for your eyes – and better for your pocket! Ceiling lights should offer good overall illumination with no shadows.

The best sort of bulbs you can get for your home for energy-efficient lighting are Light Emitting Diode (LED) bulbs, compact fluorescent lights Light Emitting Diode (LED) and Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFL) bulbs. Once you know which energy-saving bulbs to get, you can start buying lighting fixtures for your house.

A cost-effective way of deciding which lighting fixture to go for in every room without any guesswork is through this app (for iOS) or here (for Android). While it is created by Swedish furniture store IKEA, and so features products from the furniture giant, it uses Augmented Reality (AR) to help you decide on the perfect lighting fixture that will suit the room in your house. Once you’ve an idea on what lighting fixtures you want, shopping online or at brick-and-mortar shops in Jalan Besar or Balestier will give you better deals!
 

Tip #4: Smart home hacks - your home in 2019.

Lastly, with the advent of smart home technology, you now can manage and monitor your existing devices. You might want to consider them when planning for your new home.  Here are some nifty smart home hacks to consider. The popular Koogeek Smart Plug will start you off in building a smart home. The idea is to plug your 'dumb' existing devices into the smart plug, and with the use of the Koogeek app, you can control them from your phone. Prefer to use your voice instead of your phone? Then plug in a smart home assistance device, such as Amazon's Echo, and pair it to your Koogeek Smart Plug. You can now voice-control your lights, Wi-Fi, and even air conditioning units! The best thing is, the Koogeek Smart Plug costs only USD30 (about SGD40).

With Google Home, Apple Homekit, and Amazon Echo compatible devices, you can truly make your home intelligent and hands-free. Each smart home assistant has its own accessories and capabilities, so whichever new device you choose, do make sure that it is compatible with your current smart home assistant to avoid unnecessary spending. If you're not keen on finding the right devices to turn your home into a smart home, there are also companies that specialise in smart home consultations. A quick Google search will tell you where to go, but do bear in mind that this will add to your cost. A budget-friendly way will be to wait for technology fairs where service staffs are ready on hand to answer your questions.

 

Tip #5: Built-in furniture or buy as you go?

While furniture shopping can be fun, sometimes you just want a little bit more oomph for your flat. Maybe there’s a small space that requires the cupboards to be of that exact height and width. Or perhaps you want your kitchen to look a certain way. Then built-in, customised furniture may appeal to you. However, the cost can vary depending on the scale of the carpentry and the type of material that you choose. For example, according to this website, the carpentry cost of a customised shoe cabinet costs $140-$280 per foot run.  This price estimate is based on having a white PVC interior and a laminated finishing for the exterior. The most budget friendly way is to take a minimalist approach, buying only what you need and spending more on quality pieces that lasts a long time. Check out this website which gives an extensive list of 25 stores that offer anything from basic Scandinavian designs to contemporary, modern styles.


With the 5 tips above, hopefully, you have some idea on how to create the most affordable and stylish home to suit your lifestyle needs. And with all the time and effort put in to build that cosy abode, remember to protect the contents and renovations from unforeseen losses or damages with Income’s Enhanced Home Insurance



 




 

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