Actress Jessica Alba recently shopped at Home Depot as part of a DIY renovation project, according to this account in Us Magazine.
'Jessica Alba (at the home improvement store in Hollywood July 27) oversaw the renovation of her parents' kitchen: "Now we can cook and hang out," she said.'
There are a number of ways to save money through Do-it-Yourself (DIY) projects, according to my husband, a design/construction specialist.
Here are his tips:
1. "Put a price on your time," he says. Given the time demands of the project, are you really saving money by doing it yourself? (Skip this debate if the project involves a hobby or a passion). But if saving money is part of your equation, it's important to figure out how much the DIY project will cost in terms of lost wages and aggravation.
2. Look for simple, low-skill, low-tech projects: Paint, fabric and decorative hardware (new knobs and fixtures) are easy and frugal methods of giving a room a facelift.
"Decorative knobs at $1.50 a piece can make all the difference in the world to an out-dated cabinet," my husband says.
On the Internet, my friend found D. Lawless Hardware (http://www.dlawlesshardware.com/), an Illinois-based company with great deals. ''I was amazed at the incredible selection. Even better, the prices ran the gamut,'' she said. For $1.79 each, she purchased cobalt blue glass knobs, with matching pulls for $3.79 each. The company will match prices if you find better deals elsewhere and my friend received free shipping because her order was over $50.
I wrote about knobs in this post.
This article provides 10 Money-Saving Tips for Home Improvement Projects. Of the 10 Tips, here are my favorite suggestions:
1) Establish priorities: What matters most? What is urgent?
2) Keep the scale manageable: Don't exceed your comfort zone; and
3) Select improvements that will increase the re-sale value of your home.
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