Look, we get it – remodeling a home can be a costly deal. Your dream home might look amazing in your head but once you start calculating the costs, maybe you realize that some of it was just, well, the stuff that dreams are made of. And that’s when it happens: you start cutting corners because you want to remodel your home so bad that’s OK to sacrifice some things here and there.

That’s perfectly fine, as long as you reckon there are some things that you should never ever cut from your budget. Of all the possible ones, we’ve picked 3 that many people choose to cut to save some money though they shouldn’t, because the price you pay for them will benefit you on the long run. That’s why you should never cut the cost of these:

1 – Professional contractors

Some remodeling projects look easy enough for you to think ‘Hey, I could do that myself!’ But unless you have strong DIY skills, this almost never works well. You might end up doing a poor job that may take some professional help later on, which in turn will increase your overall costs. The people on that DIY channel you’ve subscribed on YouTube surely has some serious training to make it all look that good and easy.

Sure, a contractor may cost you some considerable money but there are some sweet perks that come with it. You’ll get a high-quality work in less time that will also be guaranteed by the contractor itself (so you can get things fixed in case they don’t turned out as you’d expected). Besides, the contractor can help you save some money on your remodel by offering you financing or reusing your old materials.

2 – Expert design

Perhaps you don’t want to hire an interior designer or an architect to design your remodeling project and that’s fine, as long as you understand that there are some benefits you’re missing from having them on your remodeling team. Those professionals can perfectly understand your needs and can give you expert advice on how to make the most out of your remodel, both from a safety and a aesthetical standpoint.

You might feel that the contractor can guide you here and that might be true for some minor remodels, but most projects could use professional guidance in the early designing stages. If you don’t want to hire an interior designer, maybe you should look for a remodeling company that already offers you one as a package deal. That way, you’ll be sure that your home will look as fantastic and be as functional as you’ve always thought it should be.

3 – Permits

Remodeling isn’t blindly launching yourself to change your home. You have to understand that remodeling needs specific permits that you’d better get before the project even starts. If you don’t have the necessary permits, you may incur in violations that could end in expensive fines and even in professional contractor costs to fix the problem and fit the local laws. So, even if you’re doing the project by yourself, be sure to have all permits in order.

If you are feeling somewhat lost with all the local laws for your home improvement project, perhaps is better for you to ask for professional help. Reputable contractors can assist you with all the permits and avoid you future problems, so there’s another reason why you should always think about contractors to get the job done.

Though you’ll find that there are things you shouldn’t cut from your budget, there are plenty of other things you can do to improve your home on a budget. Reusing old materials or remodeling by steps are but some of them (you can check more ways to remodel on a budget here). Remember, it’s better to pay a little extra now and avoid bigger costs in the future. Your home’s worth it, isn’t it?