Jul 082011

Electrical Lighting to Floors: Remodeling on a Budget

Times are tough and extra money is pretty scarce these days. Even still, you’ll eventually walk in the door one day and decide that enough is enough. The home upgrades you’ve been wanting to complete for a while such as electrical lighting need to happen. The good news is that while you may not be able to afford to do everything you dreamed, there are some things you can do to transform your home without breaking the bank. Here are some ideas to consider.

Check Your Flooring

Many homes, especially older homes, were originally built with wood flooring. There was a sudden surge in the sale of carpeting and – bam! – everyone covered their gorgeous hard wood floors with rugs. Take a peek beneath the rugs you have down on your floor now. Do you have hardwood flooring lurking under the padding? If so, redoing your flooring may be as simple as pulling up your rugs and refinishing the surface of what is below. If you don’t have wood flooring beneath, there are many inexpensive, snap together options you can consider as well.

Install Recessed Lighting

Does your living room or dining area seem cramped and cold? Consider removing your existing electrical lighting structures and installing some recessed lighting instead. The closer together your lights are, the brighter the room will be. Spacing them further apart, or having them wired so that they don’t all turn on together, will create a softer ambiance. You’ll be amazed at the difference a change in lighting can make.

Make a Charitable Donation

If you are completely remodeling a room, like a bathroom or kitchen, consider calling Habitat for Humanity. They’ll come in, take your old fixtures to use in their new projects, and give you a receipt so that you can write off the value as a donation at tax time. You’ll not only get the tax credit, but you won’t have to spend as much money on dumpsters and heavy trash removal, either.

Ditch the Brand Names

Are you considering high-quality flooring, carpeting, or window installation services? There are tons of lesser-known companies and brands that will give you the exact same quality of material for a fraction of the price. Want mahogany flooring? Forget it. Install a look-alike and no one will know the difference (unless they ask, and you tell). Your home will look just as great and you’ll save a ton of cash.

It doesn’t matter if you’re making one or two changes, like recessed lighting and flooring, or remodeling your entire house. Talk to your electrical contractor in Wilmington about your wants and needs and make sure he understands your limitations. A good contractor will do what he can to ensure you get the results you desire.