Remodels: Little ways to save big

Liz's kitchen expansion meant that a built-in china cabinet lost its surroundings. Meanwhile, Chris's third-floor laundry area needed a linen closet. Rather than toss aside an attractive feature of the original house, Tom repurposed the leaded-glass cabinet front (the sides and back had been the walls) in Chris's laundry room. New cabinet doors and drawers with that kind of detail would have run upward of $3,700. The labor to move the old cabinet and give it sides and a back cost about $200. What They Saved: $3,500

Total Savings: $70,145