Every once in a while, I get the question, “How are you paying for your home renovations?” I appreciate the honesty and openness of a question like that and I’ve often wondered that myself when I see people sharing one major home renovation after the other online. I grew up learning that you don’t talk about money and you certainly don’t ask people about it, but I think there is a benefit from sharing with discretion. While I’m not going to get into all of the cost breakdowns and how much we’re spending on each project or overall, I will share a peek behind the scenes. As with all things I share, I hope this will encourage and inspire you.
How we’re paying for our renovations is a three-part answer…
- We read Total Money Makeover and went through Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University years ago. We followed the steps, got out of debt, became good savers, and only pay cash for everything but our mortgage. You can read our story about getting out of debt HERE. I hope it will be encouraging if you’re under the weight of debt and you’re trying to get out of it. We set our budget each month and (mostly) stick to it. We’re not perfect, but we use YNAB (You Need A Budget) to help us stay on track and it is an easy, awesome, budgeting software.
- We made a substantial profit on the sale of our home in Minnesota and because we didn’t have any debt, we were able to decide how we wanted to spend all of it.
- We decided to purchase a home at the lower end of our price range, so we could make a nice down payment, have a 15-year mortgage, and have a chunk of cash to put toward renovations. We preferred doing the renovations ourselves over paying more for a house that had been renovated in a way that didn’t match our tastes. I wanted to pick my own floors, design my kitchen and bathrooms, and not have to work with someone else’s updates.
So, we planned and prepared for this and we’re working through the renovation of this house very intentionally.
As I was thinking through how to answer this in a way that might be helpful to others, I decided to share more about our thought process as well as ways we’re lessening the blow of larger projects, like the kitchen renovation.
know what you’re getting into
We got quotes for key projects before we closed on the house to make sure we could do them with the money we had. We got quotes for the pool, wood floors, and roof knowing those would be deal-breakers if we couldn’t get them done within the first year (or when needed, like the roof.) We also had the house inspected, tested for lead, and had the septic tank inspected and pumped. If we hadn’t taken those steps, I would’ve been so anxious going into such a big project blind. We were able to buy the house knowing we could take care of key projects right away.
set priorities, but be flexible
In addition to all of the savings, planning, and estimates, we regularly review our priorities. As with most renovations, those priorities have had to change as we dug in. We realized how dark the house was at night and how it became almost impossible for me to work in my studio after sunset, so installing recessed lights was moved up the list. The roof was in worse shape than the inspector told us, so instead of replacing it in five years, we had to replace it right away. This meant the bathrooms, which are mostly original, would need to wait.
Yeah, when you’re looking at our beautiful kitchen renovations, just remember this is what the boys’ bathroom looks like.
work on one or two big projects at a time
While we have had several projects happening simultaneously, I prefer to work on one or two big projects at a time. That way, if there is a costly surprise, we haven’t committed all of our renovation funds already. I don’t want to be mid-way through the kitchen renovation and realize the plumbing, electrical, or construction is going to cost a lot more than we expected and we don’t have the flexibility to increase the budget to do the project the way we want. We have the kitchen and pool projects happening pretty close together, but then we’ll take a break before we plan our next big projects.
buy components of a big renovation over time
I’ve been shopping for our kitchen renovation since last fall. I already have the fridge and range in the garage and have also bought a few smaller things like the faucet and I plan to order the hardware soon. We’re doing the renovation in a way that all of the big stuff can be completed and we’ll have a functioning kitchen, and then we can take our time on the finishing work, like the backsplash, open shelving, a custom range hood, and sourcing freestanding antique pieces. This means we can spread out some of the cost a bit more. You can see my kitchen cabinet choices HERE and faucet & sink choices HERE.
what can be traded?
I wrote about this when I decided to hire out the wallpaper stripping, but I’ve been inspired to continue painting regularly so the profits from my original art sales can help feed the renovation pot. I know not everyone has paintings to sell, but most people have something to sell or trade whether it’s a product, service, or simply holding a yard sale. I have done this since I was a kid! I would make things and sell them. I would buy big bags of candy in high school and sell the pieces to classmates for a profit. When I had my sights set on something new I wanted to buy for my house, I would start to gather a bunch of things for a yard sale. You can pick up food and grocery delivery runs. You can offer one-off services in your neighborhood, community, or online in an area where you shine. It doesn’t have to be a business, but a source of income you can crank up when you need some extra cash.
Don’t underestimate this! Small amounts of money earned here and there can really add up.
stay focused
I have been following Ashley of @undertheysycamore on Instagram as she shares her family’s year-long global travels. Ashley has shared several times that she has planned and saved for this trip for 17 years. They didn’t eat out and she shopped at discount grocery stores in order to reach their savings goal. I’m sure they weren’t perfect, but they stayed focused on a goal and those efforts turned a dream into a reality. It’s so inspiring and has been so fun to follow their journey. I bet it feels great knowing their sacrifice and focus paid off and is giving their family amazing experiences and memories together.
Saving for a home renovation project isn’t as adventurous as a trip around the world, but our lives are largely lived in our homes and the same saving principles can be applied to making updates to a home for the purpose of aesthetics and/or function. We’ve done a pretty good job staying focused on our home renovation goals, but I will admit I was distracted by a trove of three rare ironstone cakestands a few weeks ago.
My first thought at seeing the price tags was, oh, but the kitchen…
In the end, I made the calculated decision to buy the cake stands, but, if the cost of them would’ve eaten into our kitchen or pool renovation budgets, I would’ve had to acknowledge that I was going to have to sacrifice something.
We’ve had unexpected things come up, too, like needing to buy a generator during a power outage, having to pay a few thousand dollars for our truck to pass Maryland’s strict vehicle inspection and other things that come with life. We just always have to reassess our savings, our spending, and our budgets to make sure we’re not thrown too far off course. Budgeting isn’t about perfection. It’s about making intentional decisions about how you want to and have to spend your money.
One more comment about budgeting. I used to hate even the idea of a budget. It felt like such tedious work and it always felt unattainable. One unexpected thing would blow the budget and I would give up. But, after years of budgeting, I have learned that there is a lot of freedom to be found in a budget. If the money is there in the budget, we can spend it. If it’s not, we have to say no for now and save for it. It also feels like we have even more money! Sometimes I look at a budget category we’ve been slowly feeding over time and I’m shocked at how much it’s grown. And, if something comes up that’s unexpected, we actually have a budget for “stuff I forgot to budget for” that we can pull from (and we use it up almost every month for random things that come up) or we can borrow from a surplus in another category.
I hope this post (as well as our story of how we got out of debt) will be an encouragement to you and offer hope if you need it.
Thanks…you answered (beautifully, if I may add) my burning question! LOL I must say that I expected you to mention sponsorship…surely, you get discounts for the products you purchase, like appliances, etc.? I think you previously mentioned income from advertisers, I believe? Anyway, congrats on being careful, talented, and gracious…you inspire!
Good question! I do work with sponsors on some projects which can include payment, products in exchange for advertising, or a combination of the two. And, sometimes I’ll receive a “designer discount” on products as I did for the Kitchen Aid range in our last house. While that does happen, I don’t ever plan on it and I will disclose when a product is sponsored. I am working with Forté and Ilve on the appliances, but we are paying for the rest of the kitchen renovation out of pocket, just as anyone else would.
I had to laugh at the boys bath! We bought a 1958 rancher with a PINK main bath. Gray and PINK! Pink tiled counter, pink toilet, pink tub… but the grey tiled walls and floor are in great shape and quite attractive. The cabinet is custom made and paintable. So, we replaced the counter and sink with a nice Silestone ensemble. We replaced the pink toilet. We painted the vanity and replaced the hardware. Put in new faucets and lights, and painted the walls. Fresh linens (Costco) and adorable rugs (Walmart), and some of my own art. It’s sweet! And the whole effort cost less than $3000. Yay!
Oh, I get it. We had a pink and maroon 1940s bathroom in our PA house. It was quite a thing to behold! 😂
Outstanding advice! We also followed Dave Ramsey for our businesses and our personal lives. It did take quite a few “discussions” about Discipline with my husband when we started… We had family fun with our grown adult children attending both an auction a week, and then meeting them to go yard sailing at the crack of dawn with a donut in one hand and a coffee in another, even helping people set up their sales so we could get the good stuff first. Then Sunday after church we stocked our rented group shop tables and booths in several local coastal Maine shops. Four of our six kids saved enough money from this for a down payment on their first homes, and we had already purchased a second home on the coast in Florida, so we had enough money to furnish it with all the the fun funky Florida decor. Spending fun entrepreneurial time with our children and then enjoying festive vacation time with them – PRICELESS!
I just love this! My youngest son just told me yesterday he wants to start selling stuff on eBay and I am all for it. He could make a ton of money selling old Lego sets and other desirable toys and use some of that money to invest in new things to resell. I love that you taught your kids how to think like this and it paid off.
I cannot tell you the number of people I know that would LOVE to have a youngster sell their stuff on….He might consider looking into selling other peoples stuff too.
I kinda like the blues in the bathroom. I think you should do a blog with making it work in a modern/vintage/retro way. It would really show off your talent!
Yes! Since we can do a full renovation of the bathrooms, I plan to give them a makeover using tons of paint. I’m going to paint the tiles, the sinks the counters…I mean, there is nothing to lose when you’re going to rip them out eventually, so it’ll be a fun experiment.
I cannot believe people would have the nerve to ask you such a question. You are a highly successful business woman…with a working husband. An author, a photographer, a designer, a contributor/writer, an artist AND with a highly successful blog. You also sold a gorgeous home and milk paint company for a nice profit I am sure.
Wake up People!!! She is not sitting around eating Bon Bons all day spending money on redecorating ideas….this girl works!!! I am always amazed what people will ask or say behind the hidden computer screen.
AND of course as always…you answered in a most generous and kind way.
I agree! Ha! Can you imagine asking a male that? She answered beautifullly but sure didn’t have too!
I didn’t feel like I needed to answer it, but I thought it would be helpful and an encouragement. That’s sort of the filter I run things through. Could this encourage and inspire others? If so, I’m usually willing to share. 🙂
I have followed your blog for years and years and years. I have watched you with a little help from your parents prepare furniture for Lucketts sales. I watched you grow from painting furniture, to taking photos, writing and becoming an accomplished artist among other things…making gloves(love them), etc.
I think the reason people may ask this question is, they are new?, they don’t know your history or what happens behind the scenes and also because there is a lot of mis-information or no-information from bloggers/influencers about the discounts and items that are sponsored.
Yes, I know they are supposed to disclose but you would be surprised at the people who don’t or use verbiage that is a bit misleading.
For instance, I follow someone who received over 75,000 in lighting for their new home and never disclosed the items were given to her, she worded the post in a very obscure way and people were very confused.
All of that is to say, you are incredibly talented, you work hard and are creating a beautiful home. I just think people like transparency and would like to know if you are getting things free or at a deep discount. Either that or they are nosy.
Thank you for sharing and for talking about budgeting something many people never talk about!
Ha ! You are so right ! And Marion was gracious as always . But I would think the real question that women have is how can My family afford something like this ? What is your secret is what they are wanting to know . In this economy it is hard to be a young family’ especially when everything is costing more and more . So I think the question is more like “ educate me on how to provide a nice home for my family .”
Yes, I think that is a part of some of those questions and I really do get it. There was a time when we were barely making it each month and we probably wouldn’t have had groceries and diapers if it weren’t for generous family and friends. We didn’t eat out, we turned off appliances and lights whenever possible, we didn’t have cable or internet, and we never ate out. I would agonize over even spending $3.00 at a yard sale and always clutched the calculator at the grocery store, putting things back that put me over the limit. I started my business during that time, knowing that I needed to find a way to make some money and stay home with my boys. The growth was slow, but I worked very hard and had great support from family and friends and it turned into the business I have today. There really is hope and, even a little sliver of the market in a niche field can be enough to earn a living.
I do not take the question as a slight to what or how a person makes an income. I think items fluctuate in price so much and basic items have increased in price as well, that it does make a person wonder what tips or ticks people have used to fund home improvement projects. In the world of Instagram, it looks like projects just magically happen and consideration is not given to a budget or planning. This was a great blog article and appreciate the candidness, admitting that it does take more than muscle and magic to create these beautiful home projects.
There was a time when I was cleaning the church preschool with a baby in a Bjorn carrier because we were struggling to afford basic groceries. I truly understand and never would’ve imagined being where we are now. I have such a heart for young moms who are struggling in this economy.
I was just making my grocery list and looking at the prices for different BASIC items and thinking “how are people who were already stretched financially thin, bearing the increased cost of necessities?” It’s tough!
And there are now MANY people struggling just to afford their basic groceries given the current global situation. It isn’t just young people, it is elderly people as well. People who are now having to make a decision over whether to pay for food, utilities, or the rent/mortgage with not enough money for all. People who used to be well employed. It is very sad and we must all look out for those who are struggling for no fault of their own.
Yeah, I do think some people don’t realize everything I do, but what I do is unusual. It never fits on a business card or in a category for insurance. It’s a bit of a mystery. I usually tell people I’m a freelance writer, designer, and artist, because that’s a little more familiar. 🙂
Totally agree… I sometimes wonder if people were raised by wolves
She’s not a “girl,” she’s an adult woman. It’s very disrespectful to refer to women as though they are mere children. Please stop doing that.
I would not have ever asked about where you get your money for renovations; however, I found your explanation to be very helpful. I am trying to work on Dave Ramsey’s plan and it’s nice to see real people have done it…like people I feel like I sort of know. LOL. Hopefully you know what I mean.
I also found it inspiring. It made me see that it’s possible to have what you need to make your home beautiful by making some sacrifices here and there. Sometimes, I need some inspiration to kick my butt into gear. I love that you are willing to share even though it is private information.
Now my burning question is will you be doing another amazing mural on your dining walls? I love seeing your work on your home. Thank you so much for being willing to share with strangers.
This is just what I was hoping this post would do. Offer encouragement and hope. Sometimes that’s what we need to refocus on our goals. We’ve had to do that a lot over the years when we start to drift.
With the mural…I’m not planning a repeat in the dining room, but I am considering it for the kitchen! We have a great blank wall that would look pretty amazing with a mural and a hutch. We’ll see…
Dearest Marian,
You are so generous in sharing this information! You work so hard and give so much to your followers.
Thank you for sharing!
Marian, thank you so much for answering the question with such grace and honesty. You and your husband are good stewards of the finances and resources that you have been given. The Bible mentions financial matters more times than any other topic with the exception of sin. In this one article, you have given us so many little nuggets of gold on how one should live their lives. It is a hard lesson to learn, but it’s one worth learning. Thank you for sharing the fruits of your labor. You are a Blessing!
Well said, and I agree completely.
My husband and I do the envelope system using Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace class also. Our house is paid for and we have no debt. If we can’t afford to pay cash, then we don’t buy it. When we make big purchases or need something, i.e., new carpet, etc., we save up for it. It’s amazing what you find you don’t need if you don’t have the cash!
I love stories of scrimping and saving and making it work. I am one of eleven children whose dad was a mailman. My mom, of course, stayed home and even took in a couple of children during the school day for extra income. She saved slivers of ivory soap from bathing (in our one claw foot tub) to use for laundry. We made cookies from scratch, ate lots of casseroles, grew vegetable gardens from seed (and sold any extra plants on the honor system by the garage). We made our own pillows and curtains and used the scraps for quilts. I remember saving green stamps for bed pillows. No birthday presents, just cake and ice cream whenever they could afford it, sometimes siblings celebrating jointly, along with whoever in the neighborhood could spontaneously join us. The best part was we never really knew we were poor, and I wouldn’t change a thing. Apart from faith, I can’t think of a better value to pass down than hard work and frugality. It just makes everything more precious!
Thank you for your candid encouragement. So appreciate your realness about this subject.
If you find yourself in a financial pickle I’d be willing to give you $3 for one of the new ironstone cake stands. Lol. Kidding.
This was a very straightforward and honest and ‘real life’ answer. It’s always interesting to hear how others handle household projects…financially and in order of importance etc.
Lol!
The boy’s bath is serviceable, worked for us on our visit last weekend. As part of the renovation I would suggest the installation of a Tushy. We installed one in our master bath in Raleigh during the TP shortage. I guess you could call it a levitating enhancement. Once you cross the barrier of the unknown you will wish you had done it a long time ago.
Love this and so true. Two thumbs up for the FIL.
LOVED this you provided so much wonderful information from the heart. 50+ years ago when my husband and I started out we would get our meager paychecks put them in cash and divide them among little baskets, pots etc. for our various spending categories. Groceries often came up short at the end of the month since that is where we would steal from the most for something we “had to have”. Beans and rice always filled that gap. That’s how we used to budget. Oh for the simpler days.
Marian,
In a way I’m embarassed that someone would ask this question. But, in your lovely, and honest way, you answered in a way that people could learn from you. I’ve always admired how easily you share your expertise with your readers. And I must say, I wasn’t surprised by your comments. I truly admire the way you do so much of your own work (like I do) and hire help when it makes sense. You are so kind to share what a lot of people would consider personal and confidential – but you are so caring… and share when and if you can. That’s the wonderful thing about you! And what a great example you and your husband are setting for your sons! I too used the enelope system… years ago… and still do! God Bless you and your family, Marian.
Marian,
Great post!! I do remember watching one of Jeff’s online sermons when you guys were living in PA about money and the money mistakes all of us make when we are young and stupid.
BTW……your FIL had a great suggestion about installing a toilet bidet seat. My husband bugged me for a year until I agreed to try one. Well, I love it and wish now I would have done it much sooner. You feel cleaner and use much less toilet paper. We have installed them in all our bathrooms now.
Thank you for sharing. We have never done debt but our first homes and some cars. We have always done with less than others but it has paid off in the long run. I love Dave Ramsey. I hope people can appreciate your journey and learn from it.
I LOVE the turquoise sink in the boy’s bathroom!
Marian,
I have followed you for years and this is why. You have patience and grace when curious folks ask questions that are a little personal. Still, you gave answers and explanations in detail that might help someone. When my husband and I were first married we had to learn the hard way that we couldn’t successfully save unless we followed a budget (ugh) and prioritized. That was the best thing we ever did. It gave us freedom and some guidance as to what we could buy and what we had to wait for.
Your home is progressing beautifully, and I so enjoy following you.
Karen B.
Thank you for this post, Marian. Reading through everyone’s comments so far, it surprises me still that people get up in arms about money and consider it wrong to ask about how other people afford to do things. It may be that very attitude that is preventing so many others from learning how to do so themselves, and for increasing financial education in general among the population. This post is fantastic for graciously explaining and teaching in a demonstrable way what a person can do if they put their mind and effort into assessing and improving any financial situation. This should not be a “hidden” skill and the entire world would benefit from people being wise stewards of their resources.
That bathroom, by the way, is so old it is now hip again! Looks like it is in excellent condition overall!
Thank you for sharing your family’s process! Goal setting . . . and making decisions that support those goals, is important in many facets of a purpose-driven life.
Your photo of the boys’ bathroom made me laugh hysterically and love you all the more. Social media needs more such honesty! I get so tired of seeing perfectly good 90’s houses disparaged by new owners who immediately gut them and install black and white everything…
I have never used a budget nor did my family of 11 living in a farmhouse with one bathroom. We had one rule, “If you need it, get it. If you don’t, don’t.” Truly, one needs food, some clothing, and shelter and not much else when you get down to it. This method wouldn’t work for everyone but it has for us. One doesn’t need pedicures, desserts, new furniture, pets, or a house-cleaning service. They are definitely nice but not necessary.
Happy saving, happy life!
Wonderful post Marian! Kirk gives it a thumbs up and is (of course) proud of your sharing about Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University. He is teaching a course now and we are so encouraged by the number of people wanting to get out of debt and working diligently to do so. You hit the nail on the head about actually feeling like you had more money when with a budget — as the free spirit in our marriage, I identify with this! This is a fabulous post about budgeting and the best way to do projects!