5 things I’m glad I didn’t scrimp on when renovating my cottage on a budget

Deciding to renovate can be an huge commitment, in terms of both time and money, especially if the whole house needs some TLC.

And so many homeowners find themselves needed to know how to renovate on a budget so that their funds will go as far as possible. But while it's important to know where to save when renovating, it's equally vital you know where you should spend a bit more in the name of quality and comfort.

Experienced renovator Natasha Brinsmead shares the five things she's really glad she spent a bit more on when renovating her Edwardian cottage. 'Our budget was tight so wherever we could we shopped around for the best possible prices on both products and any labour we had to call in,' she says.

'That said, there were certain features and items that we were comfortable spending more on.'

Natasha Brinsmead

Natasha is a renovation expert and seasoned renovator, having successfully transformed several old houses on a DIY basis. She was also Associate Editor at Homebuilding & Renovating for many years, and is a regular contributor to Ideal Home.

1. Splurge on bespoke bifold doors

Natasha tells us that she definitely doesn't regret paying a little bit extra for good quality bifold doors that fit the needs of the space.

'There are certain features and products in our cottage that, no matter how many times I see or use them, never fail to give me a little burst of happiness – and I count our bi-folding doors amongst them,' says Natasha.

The composite bifolds, with a warm oak frame internally and a light grey powder coated aluminium frame externally that complements the rest of the property, lead from the snug to the garden.

'We sometimes use the snug as an extra guest bedroom,' explains Natasha. 'This meant that we needed a way of shutting out the light that the bi-folds bring in.

'Our bi-folds were from Centor. They have not only an integrated blackout blind which slides horizontally out of the frame where it hides during the day, but also an integrated fly screen that pulls out from the other side when needed.'

'They glide open beautifully and everything about them is easy to use.'

2. Always go for good quality paint

'In some rooms of our house we used cheap paint – and my goodness you can tell,' reveals Natasha. 'Not only was it hard to apply, but even though we were no newcomers to painting walls it went on patchily and required numerous coats.'

Thankfully Natasha learned pretty quickly and opted for higher quality paints for other rooms, which were much easier to apply and gave better results.

'We mainly used Farrow & Ball, particularly in the principal rooms such as the living room and main bedroom. However, we did find that Valspar, was a good, lower-cost alternative with a close colour-matching service for other rooms, such as the kids' bedrooms.'

3. Invest in a high output wood burning stove

'Our home is really cold – pretty much all year round, apart from on the occasional hot day when the first floor feels like an oven,' says Natasha.

And after doing their research, Natasha and her husband settled on a woodburning stove from Esse. 'While it isn't huge, it emits a serious amount of heat is an absolute cinch to light, and keeps burning.'

'It's located in the dining area of our largely open-plan ground floor and manages to heat all of it effectively – far more so than the open fire that we have in our living room.'

'Having this wood burner on the go almost makes it possible for us to turn off the central heating in the cooler months so it was definitely worth the initial outlay.'

4. Opt for durable, solid sanitaryware

Spending a little bit more can also be key to getting something that looks and feels like it would last. And one room where this is especially important is in the bathroom.

Inexpensive sanitaryware can feel flimsy and may chip, discolour or even crack in busy homes. But choosing timeless and durable pieces will ensure that you don't have to update the bathroom before it's necessary.

'We opted for washbasins and toilets from Duravit's Happy D range. Our washbasins are a pedestal design which we chose as they had a classic kind of look. Next time I would probably opt for a built-in or wall-mounted model just because I like the clean lines they offer,' explains Natasha.

'The bath was a steel model from Kaldwei which we set into a timber frame we constructed ourselves before cladding the whole thing in plain white tile.'

5. Spend more on nice light fittings

Lighting can be one of those finer details that has a huge impact, so it's worth spending a little more on the right fittings for your home.

'For our kitchen lighting ideas, we have used several different light sources. Cream-colored enamel directional spotlights over the sink area, a range of recessed downlighters for background lighting, and three low-slung fluted glass pendants over the breakfast bar. I love all of these and the way they can be operated individually, depending on what's happening in the room, as well as altogether when needed.'

But while you may spend more, you can still be savvy to make sure you get a good deal, or make savings where possible, without compromising on style or quality.

'In the dining area as well as in the main bathroom my husband found industrial light fittings online and sourced Edison bulbs to fit them as we wanted a rustic, exposed finish', adds Natasha.

'I love our bedroom lights – although we actually managed to save here. We made them by stringing corded flex out on hooks from a central fitting and suspending exposed bulbs from them.'

Other ways to save while renovating

While it's definitely worth spending a little more on the things that will have the most impact once your renovation is complete, there are ways that you can reduce costs elsewhere to free up a bit of your budget.

• DIY where you can. Anywhere you can chip in and do the work yourself will reduce how much you spend on the pros. But make sure that you only take on the tasks you can do competently, and maybe dodge the tasks that even an experienced renovator like Natasha wishes she left to the professionals.
• Act as your own project manager. 'We took on the role of project managing our extension and renovation which was, at times, stressful,' reveals Natasha. But if you have the time and know-how, this can be a brilliant way to reduce costs.
• Prioritise. Focusing your budget on the needs before the wants will ensure you spend a tight budget effectively.
• Have a contingency budget. Try to keep a contingency fund of about 20% of your total budget to see you through any issues that might cause your project to grind to a halt, which can cost both time and money.

If you're on a tight budget for your renovation, it's a good idea to also be aware of the pointless home improvements that won't add value to your home, so you can focus on the stuff that will.