How to Save Up to 300 Thousand Rubles on Renovation: 10 Tips

Can you make a quality renovation and save money? We found out from designers at Letto Interior studio how to create a great interior without exceeding the budget.

Nadezhda Lisyagina
Architect
Architect at Letto Interior Design Studio

Order a design project

A design project is often perceived as luxury, but in reality, the costs of design are fully covered during renovation. For example, you won't buy extra materials that will later be thrown away. Also, you won't have to redo the work you've done if you make miscalculations. A well-thought-out and detailed design project can reduce your expenses by tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of rubles.

If you have a limited budget, it's still not worth giving up professional help. Pay attention to studios that offer ready-made design projects in popular styles.

Let them share a discount with you

Almost all designers have discounts from verified furniture and material suppliers. Some designers are happy to share this discount with the client. Therefore, ordering fixtures through your designer can save 3–5% off the cost of materials and furniture.

Plus, some design studios even control all deliveries when ordering fixtures, check article numbers, relieve you of all the headaches, and save you from unnecessary expenses during the process.

Don't give up on author's supervision

Author's supervision is also a way to save money. You're lucky if your crew is honest and calculates the estimate accurately. But more often than not, you receive an estimate that suits you, but additional work costs of about 20% appear during the process, which you may not even need. This can be avoided by agreeing on the estimate with all drawings at hand.

Also, if your designer does author's supervision, the crew can't add extra work, square meters, or centimeters of cable. Thus, matching the initial estimate and final cost is also a guarantee of fair savings during renovation.

Negotiate

If you've decided to handle the author's supervision and fixture selection on your own, negotiate without hesitation. The construction materials market is highly competitive, and even official stores are ready to offer discounts just to get you to choose them.

Minus 10,000 rubles on laminate, minus another 5,000 rubles on tiles — this can add up to a substantial sum. The key is understanding that asking for a discount is not only acceptable but necessary, and a motivated seller will always meet you halfway.

Choose wallpapers for painting

Today, walls painted over are the most popular option for finishing. As everyone knows, preparing a wall for painting is expensive. However, modern manufacturers offer high-quality wallpapers for painting. If you apply them carefully and follow the technology precisely, seams won't be visible.

Painted wallpapers will look indistinguishable from painted walls, of course, unless you use a microscope to check.

And laminate

Laminate manufacturers are also not standing still. This flooring remains one of the most budget-friendly options, while quality continues to improve each year. Laminate today is a worthy alternative to engineered or parquet flooring.

Choose domestic tiles

Tiles are traditionally considered an expensive material, with a significant budget allocated for them. However, domestic manufacturers do not lag behind European ones and tirelessly come up with new collections that follow the latest trends, at attractive prices.

Look for small furniture manufacturers

When talking about savings, IKEA often comes to mind first. Indeed, their range includes affordable items, but if you're aiming for quality furniture that will last for years, even IKEA will require a substantial payment.

Pay attention to small furniture manufacturers in Russia. Often, they create stylish furniture from quality materials at affordable prices. Of course, you'll have to do extensive research, but a great sofa for a small price is the best reward for your efforts.

Integrate standard wardrobes into niches

Custom built-in furniture is not cheap. To save on the budget, it's better to adapt niches to standard items. Visually, this will look like custom-built furniture, but in reality, you'll install the same PAX or OPCHUS from IKEA into a pre-prepared niche for a small price.

Save on internal shelves in kitchen units

Kitchen furniture is generally expensive, and MDF or solid wood models can surprise you with a high price tag. You don't have to sacrifice the joy of living in an apartment with a beautiful kitchen just for economic reasons. Carpets and internal shelves can be made from particle board (LDP). Such a kitchen with a desired front panel but a simpler internal structure will cost 20% less.