Authentic farmhouse remodels seem to be all the rage and for good reason. Restoring these beauties preserves a part of our culture and history. But any home remodel can be costly, especially when those homes are over 100 years old. Based on our extensive home renovation, I am giving you my tips for a DIY old farmhouse home renovation on a budget.
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In This Article
Our Renovation Projects and Cost
The Bungalow Renovation
Our first home was a cute little bungalow built in 1900. We loved it, but we knew it was going to be a big project because it needed lots of love. Over the course of eight years, we did an extensive, room by room renovation while living in it. We purchased it for $54,000, did a “down to the studs” renovation in most rooms (including a farmhouse style kitchen and two bathrooms) for $50,000 and sold it for $164,000.
The Farmhouse Renovation
Three years ago, we purchased an old farmhouse built in 1900. While it was liveable (in my opinion), we decided to do a complete DIY renovation while living in a mobile home on the property. That renovation turned into an all-out demolition, large addition and 3+ years of painstaking work. We are still living in the mobile home, but the end is in sight.
Since the renovation is still in process, we don’t have a total cost yet. It is a much more in depth remodeling project than the bungalow, but we are still budgeting carefully and anticipating a higher reward. (Though we plan on living here for many, many years.)
Despite HGTV’s claims, DIY home renovations are NOT fast. It’s a long game.
Planning and Paying
According to Benjamin Franklin, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.”
Yes, this step takes time and can be annoying. I’m not talking about deciding every last detail and cost before you start. I don’t do that. But we do list out a general idea of what things will cost including contractor bids and material cost.
Plan your project
What is the project? Write it down. Are you doing the whole house at once or one room? Will you be tearing out the kitchen down to the studs or just doing some updates? Do you need new appliances or will the old ones work? What style are you wanting?
Download my free house renovation project worksheet and checklist HERE to get started!
Make a renovation budget
If you’re going to do a home renovation on a small budget, then you need…a remodel BUDGET. Yes, I said it. Please don’t run away. But that is number one in my tips for a DIY old farmhouse renovation on a budget. It is not to restrict you but to remind you and give you freedom during the project and freedom from a financial disaster.
Work at the speed of cash
I’m not saying it’s wrong to get a construction loan. That’s up to each family. I will just say, we’re glad we didn’t. We have a home loan, but the renovation has been entirely cash flowed. (We did receive a generous gift to cover some of the new windows.)
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It slows us down somewhat, but DIY projects are slow anyway.
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It makes us consider each additional cost instead of jumping in without thought.
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We will be able to enjoy the house without an additional decade of payments.
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A construction loan means your project is highly regulated. Each cost must be reported to the bank, each contractor, each decision, each timeline. We simply didn’t want someone else telling us what to do.
Demolition and Prep Work
Do your own demolition
Demolition is messy and hard work, but it is something that doesn’t take a lot of know-how or DIY skills. This is a great area to save a little bit of money. Just be cautious about plumbing and electrical before you swing that sledgehammer. (And I’m trusting that you’re smart enough about not removing a support beam, supporting walls and such.)
You may worry about toxins in your walls. (This is a real concern that I don’t want to minimize since my doctor told me I had a build-up of toxins in my system. Ugh.) But get the right protection (masks, eyewear, gloves) and still do the demo yourself. (I was not as careful as I should have been with protection.)
Companies have government regulations that individuals don’t. And, trust me, you don’t want to pay someone to get rid of your asbestos or lead paint. If you don’t feel comfortable doing it yourself with protection, then I might suggest not doing a home renovation on older homes built before 1985 . Otherwise, you will probably pay more than your house is worth.
Read my experience and tips about tearing out walls HERE.
Sell old materials on Facebook Marketplace
Don’t pay to throw away old house materials you tear out. Those old oak cabinets, doors, sinks and, well, just about anything can be sold on Facebook Marketplace. I’ve successfully sold everything but crumbling plaster and old insulation online. (And if your insulation is in good shape, you could even sell that.)
Read all the house materials “trash” I’ve sold on Facebook and tips how to do it HERE.
Haul trash to the dump instead of renting a dumpster
We’ve rented plenty of dumpsters during our renovation. But then money got tight, and we had to get creative. That meant no more $600 dumpster rentals. We have a flatbed trailer, but you can haul trash away in a pickup. Does it take more time? A little. But this was a great way to spend $100 instead of $600, which is much better for a tight budget.
Tips for hauling your own demotion trash to the dump:
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Get excellent contractor trash bags that don’t rip.
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Each state is probably different, but call your dump to see what they accept. As long as toxins like asbestos and lead paint are bagged up, it goes into the same pile as the rest of the trash. They don’t separate or care, apparently. Amazing, right? Especially when it costs thousands of dollars to have a professional remove it.
Update Instead of Replace
In a home renovation, you are tired of the old and just want to start fresh. But slow down and really look at your items. Can you update items for minimal cost instead of replacing them? I’ve saved thousands by painting cabinets, appliances, counter tops, light fixtures, hardware and more. But you do need to evaluate whether it is more cost effective to scrap the old and start fresh because old isn’t always better.
Update old cabinets
Old cabinets can be such an eyesore. But you can often update them with new paint, hardware and even doors! I had some old kitchen cabinets that didn’t have doors at all. A quick search on Craigslist yielded a warehouse full of cabinet doors in the style I wanted. A little paint and new hardware and waa-laah! Cabinets I liked without spending a ton of money.
Tips for painting cabinets:
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Paying a professional painter is costly but can still be cheaper than new cabinets.
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Add small upper cabinets on top of current cabinets to fill the gap instead of buying all new.
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Rent a good paint sprayer and research the heck out of the process if you’re going to DIY.
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Don’t skimp on thorough prep work and quality paint.
Spray paint hardware and lights
Sometimes, hardware or lighting style is fine but it may be the wrong color or rusted or dingy. I have spray painted porch lights, thrifted chandeliers, cabinet pulls and door hinges with good success. Such an easy way to achieve a new look! I tried spray painting door knobs, but this one is best to just replace.
Reuse what you have
In our bungalow kitchen we tore out the weirdly assembled cabinets and started fresh. But I reused those wall cabinets in the laundry room, as the perfect place to make a butler’s pantry. With a fresh coat of paint, I was able to reuse something with practically no cost. We also salvaged some 1970’s brown paneling from the farmhouse and used it to replace some water damaged paneling in the mobile home.
I will go in depth on more budget friendly options in Part 2 of Tips for a DIY Old Farmhouse Renovation on a Budget HERE. You will learn our personal money saving ideas on the following that have resulted in big savings amounting to tens of thousands of dollars:
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Finding and Buying Appliances and Materials (read here)
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DIY Projects (read here)
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Getting Help (read here)
That wraps it up for Part 1 of my tips for a DIY old farmhouse renovation on a budget. This is just from our personal experience of renovating three homes in eleven years. We have certainly made DIY mistakes along the way, but don’t let the mistakes (or fear of mistakes) stop you! Do your research and take your time. You got this!
Read Part 2 of Farmhouse Renovating Ideas on a Budget HERE.
Get your free Remodel Cost Worksheet
Read more about our farmhouse renovation below
Old Farmhouse Architecture We’re Restoring in Our Renovation
Tearing out Farmhouse Wall and Ceiling Lath and Plaster
Authentic Farmhouse Renovation – How I Chose New Windows
Where to Buy Authentic Materials for Old House Renovation (on a Budget)
Pin for Later Tips for A DIY Old Farmhouse Renovation on a Budget
