Most people don’t tackle their big home improvements until the spring, perhaps even the summer, when the days are longer and there is more light to work by. Plus, during the winter it’s much easier just to cozy up inside and not make too many drastic changes. That doesn’t mean, however, that winter isn’t a good time to plan these important changes; in fact, it could be exactly the right time to do it. Once you have a firm plan in place, you’ll be ready to do everything that needs to be done later in the year, speeding up the process and potentially helping with your budget too if you’ve had more time to research what you need. 

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Something that you should try to consider no matter what time of the year you start your planning or renovations is the impact the work you’re doing might have on the environment. We’ve seen how environmental problems can arise when you’re not paying attention, and the more this happens overall, the bigger the issues are. 

So when you’re doing renovations and you’re making changes within your home, even if those changes themselves are specifically eco-friendly, it’s crucial to work in ways that are. Read on to find out more. 

Photo by William Warby on Unsplash

Measure Carefully 

When you don’t measure carefully, you can run into problems. The first is that you don’t measure enough, and you therefore don’t have enough materials to help you complete the work you need to do. This has an environmental impact, which might be surprising. It’s to do with the extra deliveries that will be needed to get you the right amount of materials. Ordering too little means that you’ll have to place another order to give you enough, and that means two trucks making the journey that one truck could have done. 

Being too generous with your measurements is just as much of a problem. Although it’s good to have a little spare material just in case of mistakes, for example, having a lot of excess means that you’re producing waste, and the more waste there is, the worse it is for the planet. Plus you will have spent more than you needed to as well. 

Measure carefully and neither of these problems will occur, and you will have a much more eco-friendly project. 

Budget Efficiently 

The costs for home renovations are often higher than most people think, and not working with a budget can mean that costs can quickly get out of control, leaving work half-finished and financial problems for you. It’s a good idea to add 10 percent to any budget you make as a contingency fund; ideally, you won’t have to use it, but it’s there if you need it, and that’s better than not having it at all. 

How does budgeting well help when it comes to the environment? It’s because there are costs that you might not have initially factored into the budget that are actually going to be very important if you want to do things right, and which your contingency will have to cover if you don’t plan for them in advance and budget efficiently. This includes jobs such as disposing of waste in the right way, hiring a skip, or even having one person in one vehicle to collect the material and take it to the right place for you. The fewer trips you have to take to the dump the better for you, your budget, and the environment. 

Upcycle And Recycle 

Obviously, it’s much better for the planet to recycle and maybe even upcycle items for the home than it is to buy brand-new ones. Anything that can be salvaged from heading to the dump and potentially polluting the area around it and that will look great in your home is a wonderful idea, and it’s a fun project too. You don’t even have to already own the item yourself; you can ask friends and family if they have anything they no longer want, and you can enjoy yourself rummaging through thrift stores or salvage yards. This is great for the environment and for your bank account (as long as you don’t start to buy real antiques, as these will cost you a lot more than something off the shelf from a standard furniture store). 

Of course, if you need to buy something new then don’t let this idea that it’s better to recycle put you off. Sometimes buying new is the best option. You wouldn’t want to buy used windows, for example, as they might not fit or be safe. In this case, you would find a company that offers products that will help you to help the environment by being energy efficient, just like Elite Window Solutions. It’s better to buy new carpets too, and, of course, a new toilet. Recycling where you can and buying new when it makes more sense will still be good for the environment, especially if you take the time to research the company’s eco-credentials before you commit to buying anything. 

Make Upgrades

Even if the work you’re having done isn’t especially eco-friendly, and even if you can’t see any ways to make it better, you can still use the opportunity to make some environmentally friendly changes and upgrade your home. After all, if you’re already having home renovations carried out, adding some more that will give you a cheaper energy bill and better green credentials makes sense (assuming your budget will allow for it). 

Examples of the things you could do include installing solar panels on your roof, adding more insulation to your attic, fixing any broken roof tiles, and even look into different ways to heat your home such as underfloor heating that are more environmentally friendly. 

Conclusion 

Making changes to your home should be something you do because you want to, but if you’re able to include some eco-friendly flourishes then that makes the chance even more exciting. The more people who take this idea into consideration when carrying out home renovations, the better this world can become. 

This is a contributed post.

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