As a homeowner, making new additions can be exciting. You get to take some creative liberty with your living quarters, enjoy the final results and hopefully add some sweat equity to your investment. There’s just one thing — remodeling can be pricey.

Instead of diving into the deep end and absorbing whatever costs a third-party might throw at you, start your project by doing some research. There are many ways to save Money when planning a remodel. Here are a few techniques that have been proven to work.

Maximize the Space You Have

Maybe you’re thinking about knocking down a wall to open up some much-needed space. That will accomplish your goal, but you’re going to have to spend tens of thousands of dollars to do it. What if you could get more out of the space you have?

Some ways you might reclaim space include replacing shelving with Cabinet-height drawers, installing dividers to maximize space in existing drawers and moving your pots and pans out of your cabinets by hanging them overhead. Even if you do all of these things and more, you won’t come close to the price of knocking a wall down.

Ask Your Contractor About Leftover Stock

It’s critical to find a good contractor that you can communicate with when doing this type of job. One of the benefits you’ll get from a good relationship with your contractor is access to spare construction material that might have been left over from the last job.

For example, one project from the show “This Old House” featured a hardwood floor that was made up of lumber from multiple job sites. The boards were planed to a uniform thickness, and the result was a beautiful new floor.

Buy Unfinished

Have you got some experience painting? Do you think you can get away with laying down some stain on a set of cabinets? Purchase cabinets that have not yet been finished to save some money. Better yet, when you do Buy Unfinished, you can choose exactly how you want your cabinets to look.

Before you get started, be warned that there’s no going back if you make a mistake. You’ll want to select a part of the cabinet that won’t be visible when you’re finished, or better yet choose a separate piece of the same lumber to test out different stains.

Do Your Own Demolition

Maybe you’re not artistically inclined, but just about anyone can break stuff. If you can put a sledgehammer through a sheetrock wall, you’re on demolition detail. It can take hours to remove old material, and you’ll be paying for them unless you do the work yourself.

Some people even enjoy doing a little demolition work. Have you got children with too much pent-up energy? Just make sure you lay the boundaries out for them very clearly before they get started. Come back tomorrow ready to make your remodel a reality.

Make Your Home Your Own

These are just a few of the ways that you can save money when making upgrades to your home. The truth is, people spend more than they should on most projects. While you’re probably going to have to live with splurging a little here and there, knowing that you gave it some thought before blowing tons of cash is reassuring for you and your family.

Scott Huntington is a writer from central Pennsylvania. He enjoys working on his home and garden with his wife and 2 kids. Follow him on Twitter @SMHuntington