Every since the pandemic, people have spent more time at home. With said increased time at home, many people see things they want to change, leading to a spike in home improvements. Since your home is your safe haven, home improvements are an investment well worth it to many.
However, most home improvements are expensive and people cannot afford all the things they want to do. People need to save even for smaller improvements. As such, that castle-stone wall or that cobblestone driveway may become distant “I wish” desires, rather than something you can actually do.
What if we told you that there’s a way to get the home improvements you desire all while saving thousands of dollars?
Here’s what you need to know about why home improvements are so expensive and what you can do in order to save thousands of dollars while getting the improvements you wanted.
There are many different factors that impact the cost of home improvements. Depending on what you have done, prices can range from hundreds of dollars to hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Some factors that impact costs include:
Home improvements were already expensive, but costs have been rising. Since the pandemic, imported goods were impacted, but demand for home improvements spiked. This isn’t just because of inflation, but also because of the pandemic and the fact that there aren’t enough tradespeople to meet demand. Not only are the prices of materials rising, but there’s a lack of them.
Unfortunately, there simply aren’t enough tradespeople to meet this increased demand. This is because there aren’t enough people entering the trades in order to replace those who are retiring. Trades simply aren’t being presented as a good career path. Myths persist that blue-collar jobs are less than white-collar jobs, and that in order to “make it”, you need a white-collar job. Comprehensive career exploration starting earlier along with a shift in what society views as important can help.
In order to ensure that you aren’t blindsided by costs, it’s important to budget appropriately. Here are some cost considerations to help you get an idea of how much you may need to spend.
When most people plan on home renovations, they make lists of needs vs wants. They often have to compromise and find financing options.
Finding a good contractor ensures a job well done/money well spent. It’s important to consider how much mistakes would cost you financially and in personal safety when thinking about DIYing it. Professional work often has insurance and warranties while DIY work does not.
You don’t have to compromise on your dream cobblestone driveway or decorative features. You simply need an adjustment in how you achieve them.
Concrete overlays give the appearance of flagstone, wood, cobblestones, and more, without the cost of materials and labor. You can have stamped concrete on the side of your house, on your walls, on your floors, etc. They can be used for fire pits, water features, decorative features, backsplashes, and more.
Concrete overlays can make your home a statement piece without the luxury price tag. Plus, they can be easier to maintain than some materials. For example, wood looks incredible, but is notoriously high-maintenance. Concrete overlays can give you the look of wood without needing to worry about termites, rotting, refinishing, and more.
You can also get deck waterproofing for outdoor spaces for increased longevity. This is excellent around pools, on patios and balconies, and more. You can get polished concrete with the appearance of epoxy. Materials can be colored to match your aesthetic.
It’s cheaper to install an overlay than it is to replace a surface. Concrete overlays involve less labor and lower material costs for the same look as luxury home improvements. They are durable and easy to maintain. If your tastes change, it’s infinitely easier to have a new overlay installed than a new type of material.
Concrete overlays are still an investment, to be sure. However, they are much cheaper than the alternative, with an excellent ROI. Plus, Stone Edge Surfaces has US factories. We make our materials here and do not import from other countries, which also helps to bring costs down.
Look for a Stone Edge Surfaces distributor near you! You can also come to one of our trainings at one of our factories to learn about how to do concrete overlays yourself. Contact us today to learn more about our products.