How To Save Money On Construction: We Make An Estimate, Buy Material

2023 Author: Douglas Hoggarth | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-11-26 20:16

Of course, you can completely rely on the foreman of the construction team or any other responsible person who will reliably control the entire course of the repair. But, if, for example, a team of workers from the Central Asian republics who speaks poorly in Russian is carrying out repairs in your apartment, in this case it is better to take all the worries about purchasing building materials completely on yourself.

By controlling the construction processes, you will be able to fully understand the essence of the repair process, save on the purchase of materials, avoiding possible abuse. Quite often, customers give out a certain amount of money, but the construction time of your house is constantly delayed, the estimate is regularly growing. Try to be sure to keep all receipts of payment, as well as delivery notes, so as not to overpay twice for the same item.

So, let's imagine that you have made a final estimate of the repair. Let's say you need to purchase a certain amount of concrete mortar and building reinforcement. Starting a conversation with builders, immediately find out where the required product is sold, how much it costs, whether there are discounts for this particular team of workers, etc.

It is best if you visit major construction sites and wholesalers in advance and compare product prices in person. The more you know, the more difficult it will be for unscrupulous workers to cash in on your ignorance.

If we are talking about the construction of a wooden cottage, and it is difficult for you to immediately estimate the cost of a board, timber or lining, ask one of the builders to come with you to the store. In this case, the likelihood that he will choose really high-quality material will be much higher.

There are different situations when it is necessary to ask for help in assessing and selecting a suitable building material, and when not. For example, if you are going to install a stove or fireplace in your house, modern heating equipment, sophisticated electrics, you most likely cannot do without professional help. But even in this case, you should not resort to the services of the first available specialists. Be sure to call several potential contractors, find out the most optimal prices for the cost of work and materials. If the need arises, invite several specialists to your home. Then these expenses will undoubtedly pay off.

When specifying the cost of work, do not forget to inquire about the price of delivery of building materials with unloading. Too high a cost will not pay off any possible discounts.

So, let's imagine that in order to successfully complete the construction of a house, you need to purchase crushed stone, sand, cement and reinforcement of a certain brand and nomenclature. If you don't really trust your contractors, feel free to pick up your phone and start calling large databases of building materials, be sure to check the delivery cost and the availability of discount discounts.

When it comes to building walls at home, it is worth asking about the cost of goods such as bricks, aerated concrete blocks, cement, reinforcing mesh, sand, etc. The only exception, in this case, can be considered lumber (lining, log or timber). This requires the qualified opinion of an experienced specialist, since the quality of the material can vary greatly. Be sure to assess the quality of the lumber during selection and sorting at the base, loading and unloading at the construction site.

When purchasing roofing materials, be sure to visit a large specialized company and check the full range of all auxiliary components.

Try to visit several companies in order to find the most optimal composition in terms of price and quality of service.

It is also advisable to entrust the contractor with the choice of plumbing equipment. But before that, do not forget to discuss the details of the future installation scheme, specific equipment, and its cost. Try to ask clarifying questions, even if you are not very knowledgeable about the topic.

You can easily carry out the purchase of electrical equipment yourself. Before going to the store, check with the builders for the required nomenclature and the total number of products. There is a fairly large assortment of the same wiring, differing in the material and cross-section of wires (aluminum, copper) and the nature of operation (inside or outside the building). Each type of electrical equipment has its own declared loads, and if you rush to buy the same wires, money can be wasted.

The next in importance can be considered the issue of interior decoration of the constructed building. You will have to choose your own plaster, putty, and gypsum plaster. It must be remembered that the use of expired building mixes greatly affects the overall quality of work. Since it is quite difficult to acquire the required amount of the same plaster at once in one go, it is better to purchase bulk materials in several stages. Try to independently estimate the approximate thickness of the coating layer, material consumption and the total area of the repaired room, and, starting from the resulting figures, make a purchase of the material.

It is also better to purchase flooring, windows and doors in highly specialized stores, where they will help not only to choose a product, but also give useful advice on interior design, competent operation, etc.

When choosing material for interior partitions, many people prefer to choose aerated concrete, tongue-and-groove slabs or plasterboard. If you, for example, want to order sheets of drywall, be sure to consider the large size of this material.

The choice of suitable paints and varnishes is a very significant problem. A huge number of different brands and nomenclature, unstable quality of products makes its choice difficult even for experienced professionals. You should not be guided in this matter by the cheapest and, on the contrary, the most expensive brands. Better to stay on something in between. All questions that arise must be asked to the sales assistant.

If we talk about the quality of wallpaper, it should be noted that wallpapers for painting that are widely popular among buyers have about the same quality. Small differences may be in the level of abrasion resistance and the ability to absorb more complex and expensive paints. It is better to buy wallpaper with a smaller pattern and a smooth surface relief of the material.

Vinyl wallpapers are very popular. There are many small nuances in the matter of buying them, so it is better to entrust the purchase of wallpaper to a person who understands the topic. The most expensive vinyl wallpaper is not always the best quality.

In retail sale today you can find a huge assortment of entrance and interior doors. Try to choose doors made from solid wood or glued wood. If you are looking for doors for a summer residence, do not take cheap paneled doors. Under the influence of winter temperatures, they will quickly begin to deform and dry out.

Now let's talk about fittings. As a rule, fittings are appreciated for the high quality of hinges, handles and movable mechanisms.

After the purchased doors are brought to you, open the packaging without fail, inspect the doors for possible chips and scratches, curvature of the door leaf, check the platbands.

When choosing skirting boards made of plastic, choose models with built-in cable channels. Skirting boards made of laminated MDF panels can also be considered a good option. They go well with natural parquet and wooden door trims.