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bathroom remodeling on a budget

How to Plan for Remodeling Your Home & Stay on Budget

By / Renovation Tips / No Comments

Many construction firms expect homeowners to know everything about the ins and outs of financing a home addition or ensuring that home remodeling stays on budget. At A-List Builders, we understand that there are many layers and a lot of complexity to doing a renovation and we’re here to help guide you through the best ways to do everything from an ADU build to bathroom remodeling on your budget. Learn more about how to plan for your remodel financially with tips from our experts.

  1. Set Your Goals

Figuring out exactly what you want is the first step to home remodeling on a budget. While you can always discuss material specifics with us, figuring out why you’re renovating a space is crucial. Do you need an additional bathroom so all your kids can get ready at the same time? Are you redoing the kitchen for more counter space? Is an open floor plan more aesthetically appealing to you?

Once you know why you want something, you can focus on that and avoid wasting time and money on peripheral things that try to side track you.

  1. Get Specifics

Even before you start looking at the numbers, take your goals and decide on the details. Now is the time to pin down your preferences for materials and finishing, as these can substantially affect your costs and complicate financing a home addition. Everything from hardwood flooring and carpet to formica and granite countertops need to be taken into consideration.

Taking these extra steps to hammer out the specifics, also ensures you have more details to give your contractor for an accurate estimate. If we know exactly what you want, we’re far more likely to be able to pull information on cost per square foot and provide a precise quote for your home remodeling on a budget.

  1. Assess Financing

Hearth 310x610
 Not everyone can afford to pay for their renovation or remodel in cash. If you need to look at financing for a home addition, it means exploring HELOCs (home equity line of credit), personal loans, or even refinancing your original home loan. At A-List Builders, we can actually help you with this step as well as the design, planning, and management of your project.

We’ve teamed up with a company called Hearth to offer you personalized financing options and ensure you can complete home remodeling on your budget. With 13 lenders, we take a close look at your preferences and requirements and sort through the various options available before presenting you with a financial plan that is perfect for your needs.

  1. Get a Hard Quote

architect working on blueprints

The first estimate you get from most design/build firms is just that—an estimate. After you discuss the nitty gritty details, we can give you a hard quote with a far more detailed outline of project costs, timeline, and more.

There are two ways you can strive to stick to home remodeling on your budget: a time-and-materials contract or a fixed-price contract. A time-and-materials contract is based on the time employees and subcontractors spend to complete the work on your project as well as the materials they ended up using. A fixed-price contract is where you pay a lump sum for the project up front and that’s it.

  1. Set Aside Extra Funds

In life, there are no guarantees. If you’re trying to complete a home remodeling project on a budget, it’s good practice to assume that mistakes and surprises will happen. To mitigate the costs and avoid having to make compromises on the scope of work, our experts recommend putting aside an extra 10-15% of the total project cost. Best case scenario, you don’t need to use these funds and can spend them on furnishings. Worst case scenario, something happens and you already have the money you need to remedy the situation.

  1. Find Places to Cut Costs

There are many places in a renovation project where you can—and should—cut costs, especially if you’re home remodeling on a budget. While you don’t want to sacrifice on crucial elements, like workmanship and material quality, you can save a little money with these strategies:

  • Low Cost Finishings: Explore the cost of different materials before deciding on a final finish. Many times, you’ll find that choosing a slightly different shade of hardwood can save you a lot per square foot. The same goes for choosing laminate countertops instead of granite or quartzite instead of marble in your bathroom.
  • Refurbished Furnishings: There’s no need to buy brand new home appliances or furniture. Choosing refurbished or salvaged pieces can help you save up to 30% over new items.
  • DIY: Doing little things, like pulling up carpeting, removing bathroom tile, or painting on your own, can end up saving you a lot of money in the long term.

Working with A-List Builders

ongoing construction and remodeling

A-List Builders is proud to be able to offer you comprehensive guidance for your home renovation from concept to completion. Whether it’s just bathroom remodeling on a budget or an entire home renovation, we’re here to provide you estimates, advice, and financing. Trust in our team to have your best interests at heart!

Ready to get started? Give us a call today to schedule a consultation.

Our clients believe in us.

Here is what a few of them say.

  • Kobi R.

    It’s been years since I’ve done any work to my home so I was nervous about the whole project. Thankfully, I found a company that not only provided me with a patient ( I am very particular) and punctual contractor, Rani, but the job came out better than I expected. After doing such an amazing job on the kitchen, I expressed to Rani that I would like to do some more work with him but money, unfortunately, doesn’t grow on trees. Fortunately, Rani found an affordable way for me to redo all the bathrooms and flooring throughout the house.

  • Beverly S.

    Our initial meeting with Rani was excellent due to him giving us information and ideas we hadn’t thought of. He returned a week later with a presentation for our kitchen. Again, we were surprised at his additional ideals and his presentation. We had previously had two of the big-box stores come out so we had an idea of cost. Rani was more reasonable and offered us better and more creative ideas. Our kitchen is completed and we feel we qualify for Better Homes & Gardens. We would recommend our experience and job to everyone.

  • Warren M.

    After about a year and a half after we remodeled our bathroom, we had some minor electrical issues and reached out to A-List Builders. Ben followed up consistently and in a timely manner until my needed repair work was done.

  • Debbie W.

    Everyone was professional, nice and knowledgeable. I am so happy with their work and I will be using them again for my next project. In addition, I will be referring them (which I don't do unless I completely trust a job well done) to my family and friends. Thank you, again, for such a positive experience.

  • Deborah B.

    I hired A-List for a large restoration project. The project involved wall replacement with framing & drywall, stucco, exterior & interior painting, foundation reinforcement, a new exterior gate, fence repair, brick & tile walkways. Ben was the only contractor I interviewed who recommended that an engineer inspect the foundation as part of the evaluation process. Megan cheerfully worked through the process with my insurance company. All of the on-site workers were a pleasure to work with. They arrived early, were professional, & kept the work-site clean & organized...even the city inspector commented positively about A-List's knowledge & organization. A-List Builders did a great job & their follow-up was excellent.

  • Lou D.

    Like so many people in LA we bought a fixer upper. Over the last 5 years we have searched intently for a contractor we could trust. Never has a contractor come on our property that affected us the way Ben and Megan from A-List Builders have. They immediately understood our needs and made brilliant suggestions. They answered every question, every call, and it was such a difference dealing with them than any company we've ever hired before. They did not waste a minute of our time, nor did they try to get us to do more than we wanted. Their pricing is more than fair. They are so good at what they do and completely trustworthy and make hard things much easier. There actually IS a really good General Contractor out there and a company that does all that it promises and more.

  • Anonymous

    I used A-List Builders for my Bathroom Remodel and my bathroom is more beautiful now than I could have ever imagined...I met with Ben who gave me a free estimate for the job and knew right away that A-List Builders was the company I was going to use for the job. Their estimate was fair, and their communication throughout the entire process was fantastic. I always knew there was going to be someone else on the other line if I needed to get a hold of them for any reason. Their workers were true pros that did an immaculate job, excellent craftmanship and very good at keeping the renovation area very clean. I absolutely love my new bathroom and have already recommended them to two of my friends. Truly a great experience!

So, what do you think?

If you’re ready to start talking about your project,
pick up the phone and give us a call at


877-582-7770

While we continue to see uncertainty with the Los Angeles stay-at-home orders, our customers' and teams' safety is our number one priority. Deemed an essential service, we are still working closely with our clients on their remodeling projects, all while practicing caution as outlined by the Building & Safety Departments Guidelines.

As we continue to adapt to these changes, we are happy to discuss your project via phone assessments & remote consultations when necessary. We are changing our approach as this situation evolves, and we are committed to providing the best service possible.

Please contact us or call us at (877) 582-7770 to get the conversation started.

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