Many homeowners dream of taking on a renovation project, updating a tired bathroom, or engaging in a full-on assault related to energy efficiency. Some like the idea of hiring professionals to do the dirty work while others are content to complete the tasks on their own. Complexity in Estimating Home Remodeling Costs No matter the approach, the cost of remodeling a home must be taken into consideration. This can be a pretty complex issue for some of us.

With the Eco-friendly options available to the do-it-yourselfer (DIY), you can often justify the switch to a solar electric system, an upgrade to energy efficient water heating, or to the increased insulation in your attic by the decreases in your utility expenses. The real challenge relates to estimating future savings against the immediate expenses to get the remodeling completed. Often, there are trade-offs and balances to be estimated in to your decision making process.

Don't Guesstimate Your Costs. It's Dangerous. It doesn't make sense to guess at the cost of a remodeling project even if the project is relatively small. Take the example of switching out all of your light bulbs to new higher energy efficiency models.

If you don't at least calculate your costs, you might be surprised when you go to buy 25 new bulbs. There are always surprises and it is very important that you have a solid idea of how much money you will need to finish the efficiency upgrades or remodeling job. Completing a simple spreadsheet with the costs of hired professionals, an itemized listed of materials, and even a hour breakdown of the work will save you large amounts of frustrations and lead to a more satisfactory result. Getting the Project Half Done Usually Doesn't Fly There are plenty of people who have started home renovation projects and never can get them finished. These messes can be left undone for years if the cost of remodeling hasn't been seriously considered.

Before breaking out the tool box, you have to consider how much the whole project is going to cost you and whether you have the time and energy to complete the entire project. Making Room for the Unexpected Costs While you may think that you have a pretty good grasp on the cost of remodeling your home, you should always make room for the unexpected. Often home remodeling projects end up costing more than first thought due to many unexpected expensive add-on items.

You may think after the fact about adding a new sink, running network cables for your computers, or installing a big screen T.V. when the stud walls are open and free to work in. Consult with a Remodeling Professional The best approach to determining the cost of remodeling is to consult a professional.

Choosing someone who has a lot of experience in the field of home renovation is ideal. This individual knows all of the tricks of the trade. He or she will be able to point out factors that need to be addressed and he may even have some recommendations that will save you some money in the long run. Using Reclaimed or Recycled Products Saves Money It is also a good idea to consider more environmentally friendly products, reused or recycled household goods or common every day products that will save you money in your energy costs. By leveraging reusable materials, by incorporating energy efficient best practices, or by recycling your used products with others for the things that you may need (i.

e. like a used tub), you can come out ahead in the long run. You've heard it before but with today's energy costs it makes even more sense to reuse, recycle, and consider energy conservation right from the beginning of any remodeling project. Getting Yourself Ready for the Sticker Shock There are times that a home renovation project estimate will leave you with sticker shock.

However, there are further considerations to make before scrapping a relatively expensive project. The considerations include the overall value of your home. For example, you may find the cost of remodeling your kitchen is a few hundred more than you are willing to spend.

But when you consider that the value of your home will increase significantly, then it may be best to make this sound investment. You may spend a lot but your home's value can increase by thousands more than you spent on the renovation itself. The Three Rules for Home Remodeling Estimates There are basically three rules to figuring the cost of remodeling your home: Asking a construction expert is a good idea when you are in doubt. They can help estimate items you have little knowledge about. Doing your estimating correctly across your remodeling project will help you increase the overall value of the project when it is completed. Not to mention the potential savings you will have in the long run by switching to solar generated electricity, upgrading to high efficiency lighting, or by reusing, Eco-friendly products across your remodeling project.

At Solargies, we plan to make the right Eco-friendly, green solutions available to the American homeowners. My role involves the leadership, communication, and the education related to the adoption solar energy system rentals. We provide homeowners the option to rent a solar electric system and avoid the huge, upfront investment in solar technology. Learn more about Residential Solar Energy Systems