Wow - home renovation costs add up FAST!

[GasX]

Among other projects, I am having a master bedroom / bathroom remodel going on. Last night, the wife and I picked out ~$4000 worth of tile, so I decided to do a little math:

Demo: $3000
Plumbing $3000
Framing & Walls $3000
Tiling and Installations $3500
(note, these 1st 4 costs are from a payment schedule and don't correspond necessarily to actual costs)

plus:
Fixtures: $2500
HW Floor refinishing $1000
Tile $4200
Windows $2100

That adds up to $22,300

I am sure there's some stuff I have over looked...

like 3 sinks and lighting...

Yowsers! :Q

 

[bunker]

I got a quote of $30,000 to finish my basement 🙁.

Gonna need to build up a bit of equity for a while to do that one.

 

[PanzerIV]

I feel your pain, Mwilding. I have my eye on several remodeling projects but not the cash to see them all come to fruition anytime soon. 🙁 I'm slowly trying to do it them as I can.

 

[TechnoKid]

Are you doing any of the work yourself?

 

[Ogg]

Originally posted by: PanzerIV
I feel your pain, Mwilding. I have my eye on several remodeling projects but not the cash to see them all come to fruition anytime soon. 🙁 I'm slowly trying to do it them as I can.

Ill be glad to help panzie wanzie :evil:

/whips out something and its not a wallet :shocked:






😉

 

[GasX]

Originally posted by: TechnoKid
Are you doing any of the work yourself?

cheap Romanian labor... (that 1st $12500 in my list is labor and building materials for the whole job)

I love eastern european workmen. They work their ass off, they are cheap, they do a good job, and they are chauvanistic enough to only speak to the man of the house.

 

[Kelemvor]

We wanted to the the front rooms of our house (family room, living/dining room, and kitchen) and knock out the walls between them to make one big huge open room with a fireplace in the middle. Got quoted $35k+. So we're on to other ideas now...

 

[PanzerIV]

Originally posted by: Ogg

Originally posted by: PanzerIV
I feel your pain, Mwilding. I have my eye on several remodeling projects but not the cash to see them all come to fruition anytime soon. 🙁 I'm slowly trying to do it them as I can.

Ill be glad to help panzie wanzie :evil:

/whips out something and its not a wallet :shocked:






😉

HAHAHA!! Oh so you DID see that quip the other day! 😀

 

[Ausm]

When I do stuff like that is when I call all my house building buddies that I do computer work for 😉 Saves me a shatload of money also they are all pack rats so when the demolish buiilding they scam tons of free materials that are perfectly good for reuse.

Ausm

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Demo = $500 for one month dumpster rental + $20 for 16 pound sledge
Plumbing = $300 at most for parts/tools.
Framing/walls = $3000 (I'd pay too unless it's a smaller job) Probably could DIY for $1000 though.
Tiling/instlalation = $500 for ALL tools needed (instlalation). If you spent $3,000 on tile, that's your fault.


Fixtures: $2500 (WOW! Shouldn't cost much more than $1,000 unless you are getting semicustom cabinets in the bathroom)
HW Floor refinishing $1000 (OK)
Tile $4200 (shaking head)
Windows $2100 (low end andersons are all you need. $400/window. How many windows?)

At worst, I just cut your total of $22,300 to $13,200. And that's not even consdiering the fact that you probably wasted money on fixtures, tile and windows. PS: Home Depot is a GREAT place to order windows from!





For what you are spending, you better have a big home (2500+ sqft) that's in good shape in a good neighborhood or you'll never see this money again.

Originally posted by: Mwilding
Among other projects, I am having a master bedroom / bathroom remodel going on. Last night, the wife and I picked out ~$4000 worth of tile, so I decided to do a little math:

Demo: $3000
Plumbing $3000
Framing & Walls $3000
Tiling and Installations $3500
(note, these 1st 4 costs are from a payment schedule and don't correspond necessarily to actual costs)




plus:
Fixtures: $2500
HW Floor refinishing $1000
Tile $4200
Windows $2100

That adds up to $22,300

I am sure there's some stuff I have over looked...

like 3 sinks and lighting...

Yowsers! :Q

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Originally posted by: bunker
I got a quote of $30,000 to finish my basement 🙁.

Gonna need to build up a bit of equity for a while to do that one.

Wood floors in basement = $4/sqft. Install on your own...it's a joke. You just glue the pieces together. Takes time, but it's free labor.

Have someone else frame and drywall. That's something I even hate. But DIY costs nothing. Depends on size of job though.

Pulling electrical, phone and TV wire is a joke.

 

[HomeBrewerDude]

on a related note, anyone want to reccomend a website, software, or book for generating ideas about how to expand my ranch style home?

 

[Fausto]

Can you do any of that on your own? I'm just about done converting a 1/2-bath to a full and a total re-do of the den (formerly one-car garage). My total cost (including paying the contractors to do the stuff I can't/don't want to do) will be about $6,000 or so.

 

[PanzerIV]

Originally posted by: Ausm
When I do stuff like that is when I call all my house building buddies that I do computer work for 😉 Saves me a shatload of money also they are all pack rats so when the demolish buiilding they scam tons of free materials that are perfectly good for reuse.

Ausm

You suck you frugal bastage! I wish I had buds like that. 🙂

 

[Ausm]

Originally posted by: IHateMyJob2004

Originally posted by: bunker
I got a quote of $30,000 to finish my basement 🙁.

Gonna need to build up a bit of equity for a while to do that one.

Wood floors in basement = $4/sqft. Install on your own...it's a joke. You just glue the pieces together. Takes time, but it's free labor.

Have someone else frame and drywall. That's something I even hate. But DIY costs nothing. Depends on size of job though.

Pulling electrical, phone and TV wire is a joke.

Framing is easy as long as you have 2 people but i do agree sheet rocking is a pain. I rocked both my brothers houses and it does suck.


Ausm

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Originally posted by: HomeBrewerDude
on a related note, anyone want to reccomend a website, software, or book for generating ideas about how to expand my ranch style home?

Find out what your setbacks are. figure out which way you want to go and with what kind of room. Figure out if roof accomodates changes. With a Ranch, you'll probably have some rework to do with the existing roof (rebuildinging a portion of it)

You haveto generate the ideas. Truth be told, a hand drawn picture (to scale) of your plans are all you really need. As lo0ng as it's enough for a builder to understand....

What do you want ot do? Start a new thread and PM me with te new thread link if you are seriously thinking about it.

In my next home (if I buy the one I'm eyeing), I'll be adding a new, BIGGER great room (400+ sqft). Already have it planned in my head 😉 And home theater in basement right below it 😉

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Originally posted by: Ausm

Originally posted by: IHateMyJob2004

Originally posted by: bunker
I got a quote of $30,000 to finish my basement 🙁.

Gonna need to build up a bit of equity for a while to do that one.

Wood floors in basement = $4/sqft. Install on your own...it's a joke. You just glue the pieces together. Takes time, but it's free labor.

Have someone else frame and drywall. That's something I even hate. But DIY costs nothing. Depends on size of job though.

Pulling electrical, phone and TV wire is a joke.

Framing is easy as long as you have 2 people but i do agree sheet rocking is a pain. I rocked both my brothers houses and it does suck.


Ausm

Ya, finding a "handiman" to do the sheetrock is the way to go. I'd go as far as to say, I'd do the stick framing, but sheet rock, I don't know. I could do it in time, but it's such a pain i nthe butt. Actually, having someone mud and tape everything for you is so much better. I know what my mud jobs look like and I'd have to sand FOREVEr to get one room ready for paint 😉

 

[Fausto]

Originally posted by: Ausm

Originally posted by: IHateMyJob2004

Originally posted by: bunker
I got a quote of $30,000 to finish my basement 🙁.

Gonna need to build up a bit of equity for a while to do that one.

Wood floors in basement = $4/sqft. Install on your own...it's a joke. You just glue the pieces together. Takes time, but it's free labor.

Have someone else frame and drywall. That's something I even hate. But DIY costs nothing. Depends on size of job though.

Pulling electrical, phone and TV wire is a joke.

Framing is easy as long as you have 2 people but i do agree sheet rocking is a pain. I rocked both my brothers houses and it does suck.


Ausm

It's not hard, it's just messy (sanding) and time-consuming (getting the joints smooth).

 

[GasX]

Originally posted by: IHateMyJob2004
Demo = $500 for one month dumpster rental + $20 for 16 pound sledge

This is a 80+ year old house. Demo is considerably toughter than normal as the sub floor is all concrete and the lathing is all metal.

Plumbing = $300 at most for parts/tools.

Everything is being replaced for two whole bathrooms including new lines from the basement. Also, the altered floor plan means everything is custom

Framing/walls = $3000 (I'd pay too unless it's a smaller job) Probably could DIY for $1000 though.

I suppose I could, but I have time constraints going on as well

Tiling/instlalation = $500 for ALL tools needed (instlalation). If you spent $3,000 on tile, that's your fault.

You can custom tile two bathrooms, 1 bath and 1 steam room / shower for less? So could I, but you have to pay a lot for the detailing

Fixtures: $2500 (WOW! Shouldn't cost much more than $1,000 unless you are getting semicustom cabinets in the bathroom)

Faucets: $100 x 3, Diverters $120 x 2, toilets $200 x 2, tub $300 x 1, Steam Generator $1500, Steam room door $500

HW Floor refinishing $1000 (OK)
Tile $4200 (shaking head)

see above

Windows $2100 (low end andersons are all you need. $400/window. How many windows?)

Anderson sucks - way overpriced. We need 7 windows.

At worst, I just cut your total of $22,300 to $13,200. And that's not even consdiering the fact that you probably wasted money on fixtures, tile and windows.

I am a big time value shopper, so I doubt it

PS: Home Depot is a GREAT place to order windows from!

We ordered some of our windows from them - Jeld Wyn Zap Pack Replacements

For what you are spending, you better have a big home (2500+ sqft) that's in good shape in a good neighborhood or you'll never see this money again.

It's a 3500 square foot home in an excellent neighborhood. This and some other projects are (if we are lucky) going to make this a 7 figure house.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Originally posted by: Fausto

Originally posted by: Ausm

Originally posted by: IHateMyJob2004

Originally posted by: bunker
I got a quote of $30,000 to finish my basement 🙁.

Gonna need to build up a bit of equity for a while to do that one.

Wood floors in basement = $4/sqft. Install on your own...it's a joke. You just glue the pieces together. Takes time, but it's free labor.

Have someone else frame and drywall. That's something I even hate. But DIY costs nothing. Depends on size of job though.

Pulling electrical, phone and TV wire is a joke.

Framing is easy as long as you have 2 people but i do agree sheet rocking is a pain. I rocked both my brothers houses and it does suck.


Ausm

It's not hard, it's just messy (sanding) and time-consuming (getting the joints smooth).

Ya, but depending on time, it's sometimes nice to jsut off to someone else. If it's the only job being done and you have no real deadline, you are right though...jsut spend the time on it. You can get braces from Home Depot to suport drywall while attaching to the ceiling, so there are tools to help out. Walls arn't that bad thoguh.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

WOW! NICE! now that you describe the overall scope, that's going to end up beign VERY nice. Screw the costs. If you can afford it, jsut pay for it and enjoy life 😉


Jsut hope you didn't buy the Brown house I looked at in Essex, CT 😉

 

[GasX]

Here's a breakdown of the tile cost:

Floor Tile: $ 425
Wall Tile: $1208
Bath Tile: $ 355
Wall Trim: $ 585*
Accent Tile: $1040*
Bathtub Lip: $ 280*

* expensive detail pieces

The "accent tile" is a mosaic tile that is being used for a detail stripe around the room and as the grout line on the floor tile. It costs a LOT but adds a lot to the whole feel of the room. You can see what it looks liek when used as a grout line here (click on image to enlarge)

 

[bunker]

Originally posted by: IHateMyJob2004

Originally posted by: bunker
I got a quote of $30,000 to finish my basement 🙁.

Gonna need to build up a bit of equity for a while to do that one.

Wood floors in basement = $4/sqft. Install on your own...it's a joke. You just glue the pieces together. Takes time, but it's free labor.

Carpeting the basement, we're in the north, it get's cold down there!

Have someone else frame and drywall. That's something I even hate. But DIY costs nothing. Depends on size of job though.

1400 sq/ft. I won't be doing that myself

Pulling electrical, phone and TV wire is a joke.

I've already done some electrical myself but I'm concerned about permits and inspection if I do it all myself.

 

[LordSnailz]

Anyone know of some good DIY websites? Looking to do hardwood floors, recess lighting, fireplace and installing GFCI ... and that's just the beginning.

 

[flamingelephant]

do the work yourself.... save money...alot more rewarding