Little Ways to Save Big on a Remodel

Roll Up Your Sleeves

The original front doors to the house (which had been in the basement for decades) were a bit the worse for wear. But that didn't mean they couldn't be spruced up. Chris and Liz stripped the original finish themselves, then Tom and TOH master carpenter Norm Abram reglued some joints and patched the worst spots with epoxy. Some new tempered and insulating glass, and the elegant 1916 doors with egg-and-dart detail were ready for action again, for only $480 in materials. Similar new doors could have cost $2,000.

What They Saved: $1,520

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• Gallery: The Austin Project: Before
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