Repair in an apartment or in your own home causes a slight panic in most people. At first it is difficult to understand where to start, but at the final stage it is not clear how to end it. It is especially difficult for perfectionists: they want housing to be ideal, and a budget is limited. In order not to spend a fortune on repairs, it is worth listening to the opinion of professionals.
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A detailed plan is the key to success
It’s best not to start work without making an action plan. It will allow you not to thoughtlessly buy all the decor elements in the store. The repair plan should take into account the size of the room and the style of the interior. It is most pleasant to live in a room where each item is carefully selected and there are no random elements.
An approximate amount that you plan to spend on each room can be included in the project. Knowing the dimensions of the walls, floor and ceiling, you can accurately calculate the cost of all materials. Based on this, it is worth choosing shops and construction markets with the appropriate pricing policy.
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The plan also needs to reflect the global systems that are planned to be changed: plumbing, heating radiators, electrical wiring. A clear image of all communications will help determine where to start the repair, and what can be postponed for some time.
Do not rush
You can not abruptly begin repair work without thinking through all the details. Before you start, it is better to spend time compiling a plan and estimates, this will save you from unnecessary fuss and rash expenses.
You can’t rush during the work itself. Each material must dry after application, otherwise the wallpaper will peel off the moist plaster, and the floor will not lie on a wet screed. This will require additional costs.
To protect yourself from alterations, you need to budget 10% for unforeseen expenses. It’s more economical to buy all materials in one store in one check, some sellers offer discounts, free delivery and other bonuses.
Segregation of duties
For repairs, you can hire a team of craftsmen who will do everything efficiently and quickly. Usually a contract is concluded with them, the customer receives a guarantee for the work performed. The only negative is the high cost of this method.
In an effort to save money, many apartment owners make repairs on their own. It is important not to take on too much, especially if you do not have the necessary experience.
The replacement of electrics and communications should be entrusted to professionals, since the safety of the residents of the house depends on the quality of the installation of the devices. Simple work - wallpapering, laying laminate, painting the ceiling - you can do it yourself.
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Union with neighbors
When moving into a new building, you can team up with your neighbors and significantly save on repairs. For example, you can order garbage removal from several apartments at once or replace several windows at once. In the first case, the fee can be divided into several families, and in the second, you can count on discounts from the window company for a bulk order.
Replacing pipes is also more convenient at the same time as neighbors. Then you do not have to block the riser for several days. There will also be less construction waste if you plan to replace it for one day.
How to save on pipe replacement
If the pipes in the apartment need to be replaced, the cheapest option is polypropylene.This is a material with an optimal combination of price and quality.
The best producing countries are Germany and the Czech Republic. The only thing you need to pay attention to before buying is operating temperature and pressure. Not all pipes are suitable for hot water and heating.
Under the guidance of an experienced mentor or tips from the Internet, you can change communications yourself. A good way to save money is to rent a pipe welding machine.
Save on wall decoration
Before you start decorating the walls, you need to study their surface. If they are relatively even, it is enough to cover them with plaster and a primer, without putty. Small cracks and other flaws will hide thick wallpaper with a textured pattern.
It is best to choose wallpapers with abstract drawings, uncomplicated motifs. They always look relevant, and the masters will not have to adjust the drawing, which will significantly reduce consumption.
Painting walls is considered the most budget option for finishing after wallpaper. The disadvantage of this option is that the surface of the walls should be perfectly flat so that the coating looks neat. In order not to waste time on putty, you can stick wallpaper for painting and apply paint to them. The advantage will be the ability to quickly repaint the walls if the color gets bored.
In the kitchen and in the corridor, you can do without wallpaper, replacing them with decorative plaster. To create a loft style in the interior, you can not finish the walls at all, but leave bare concrete or brickwork.
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Using Drywall
Drywall is a budget material that allows you to quickly align the walls and ceiling. It is enough to attach it to the surface, cover the fasteners with putty, primer, and you can proceed to the final finish. Another advantage of drywall is additional sound insulation.
A slight decrease in the area of the room, especially in small apartments.
On the walls, drywall can be replaced with clapboard. Before installation, it must be coated with a primer to protect it from mold. From above it can be varnished or painted with water-based paint.
Cheap flooring
The cheapest flooring is linoleum. It is easy to care for, it does not require laying on top of carpets and absorbs sounds well. Construction stores offer a wide selection of colors, including imitation wood.
As an alternative to wooden floors, inexpensive laminate or bamboo can be used. These materials have good wear resistance and are also easy to mount on their own.
Windows and interior doors
Plastic windows are an investment for a long time, so you should not save on them.
Their price is affected by the number of fittings and locking elements. Therefore, you need to think in advance which wings should be opened.
How much heat will be in the room depends on the good insulation of the slopes and window sills, and not on the number of cameras. The temperature is also affected by the material of the profile. Windows made of steel profile are cheap, but of poor quality, it makes them cold in the room.
As interior doors, you can install wooden doors without decoration. They can be painted and varnished independently, in accordance with the design of the apartment. The advantage of such doors in a solid array. Unlike cheap frame models, they will last longer.
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Bathroom decoration
Ceramic tiles - the main expense in the repair of the bathroom. Instead, you can stick moisture-proof wallpaper or plastic panels, it will cost less, and work will take less time.
When choosing plumbing and faucets, it is worth paying attention to domestic manufacturers. They are not inferior in quality to foreign ones, while the price of products is significantly lower.
If you have an old bathtub that does not look aesthetically pleasing, but there is no money for a new one, an acrylic liner will be a good solution. The advantage is that you can choose any color and create an unusual bathroom design. The service life of such inserts is 5-7 years.
In the pursuit of savings on apartment renovation, you should not get carried away and buy low-quality materials. There are many cheap Chinese-made products on the construction market, the quality of which leaves much to be desired. So that later you do not have to redo it, you should pay attention to domestic manufacturers who offer the best value for money.
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