House Reno Costs

[GarthH]

We've been thinking about doing some house reno's. We had a house builder that has a renovation department provide us a quote today.

The price blew me away. They were quoting on adding on a 250 sq ft room, converting our enclosed car port to a ensuite, doing a reno on our kitchen and building a better entrance. The cost was in excess of $200K.

Does this seem wild? What are the costs in your area?

Thanks

Garth

 

[toolaholic]

Funny You ask ! Around $197'000, give or take a few thousand

 

[Highflier]

I believe it. Although it's hard to tell if your specific bid is out of balance without knowing the particulars. Just a total kitchen redo using high-end appliances and finishes can reach 100k.

I bought a 2700 sq. ft home on 5 ac. last year. The house was built in '68. We gutted 70% of it and will spend waaaay past 100k before it is done. That is with me being in the construction business and not having to pay anyone profit for all my framing, siding, trim, sheetrock and painting work(used my own guys).

Get at least two more bids. I would really recommend working with an architect and have plans drawn for said project. The benifits of this are many, from planning to being able to easily get competitive bids.

My .02. Make it your hobby, the whole process. Be informed.

Good luck with you project!

 

[Roady]

Cost of living here in northeast PA is pretty cheap but we are adding a 26x22 attached garage to the house with 364 sq ft of living space above it. Everthing complete, even the garage drywalled for $32,000.

Get lots of quotes, I had about 10 ranging from 28k to 80 grand. I finally settled with a Amish builder. Great price, excellent work and as honest as they come.

Roady
My Tractor

 

[Red55]

Price doesnot seem out of whack- Have you seen the prices for materials lately? I remember about ten years ago when the local McD's was demoed and the kids were upset. Less than 30 days later a new Mcd's was opened for business(same location).

It is always cheaper to build new than to renovate. You may want to consider that as well. You will get a better value and most likely a better house too. -Ed

 

[75H2]

Price doesnot seem out of whack- Have you seen the prices for materials lately? I remember about ten years ago when the local McD's was demoed and the kids were upset. Less than 30 days later a new Mcd's was opened for business(same location).

It is always cheaper to build new than to renovate. You may want to consider that as well. You will get a better value and most likely a better house too. -Ed

I'd second that. We are building new for $76 a foot. Nice house, but not "TRUMP" nice. We gutted out current home. We did the work outselves over 3.5 years. I'd never do that again. Renovation is building like building 2 times. Demolition, updating & building back up.

One thing that you need ot consider. Once you update one thing in your house it makes everything look like crap. Change out a kitch, Dining Room looks bad in comparison. Then it's off to the next room and the next and so on. I'm not trying to talk you out of it. Just make sure you go into the project with your eyes open.

 

[cmuncy]

The biggest thing I would if I was spending that $$$ would be to ask myself" How long am I going to live here?"

If the answer is under 10 years, then I would also consult with a realtor to determine how much of the renovation could be recouped if you were to sell.

To me, here in Texas, I could completely rebuild my 3 year old 3000sqft house for that money and I have a very nice house. So my view might be a bit different.

But I agree. Living in a house while you remodel is torture. We did it in our old house while my wife was pregnant with our first one and we did all of the work ourselves. NEVER AGAIN!

But the experience was great and it helped alot when I had our current house built.

 

[rtdiggr]

We've been thinking about doing some house reno's. We had a house builder that has a renovation department provide us a quote today.

The price blew me away. They were quoting on adding on a 250 sq ft room, converting our enclosed car port to a ensuite, doing a reno on our kitchen and building a better entrance. The cost was in excess of $200K.

Does this seem wild? What are the costs in your area?

Thanks


To me that seems really high, as you know there are many factors into building.
In this area you would be looking at about $100sq for your addition so that would be $25000, kitchen ? 10000-100000 most people do kitchens within there means and not a magazine kitchen you could easily do this for under $20000.
enclose a car port probably around $15000 $20000.
ensuite and entrance probably around $20000
And then add 20% to the total

$25 000 +
$20 000 +
$20 000 +
$20 000 +
20% =$102 000
I am not in the build bussiness but i do have a good idea about prices in this area.
Shane

 

[mjarrels]

Sounds like the contractor thought it was a goverment job! I would think that $100.00 a square foot would be on the high end. Local airport here are building 30 T hangars for $2,000,000 and that price seens high at about $66,000 each. Dang, I could build anther pretty good size pole barn for $66,000 bucks and I bet it would an airplane or two!

mark

 

[GarthH]

I think I need to play around with some CAD software to try to get an ideal of the material costs. I do understand that reno's are much more difficult than new construction.

Good points to get multiple quotes. Our building economy is still red hot. Our housing market nearly doubled over the past year. I was just noticing a house in the area that I grew up in. My parents sold their house in 1998 for approx 70 K. 10 years latter the house was listed for $370.

Same pricing has hit the new house market. A 1,400 ft house a few years ago was 170's to 200. Today it would be 350's.

Our lumber prices are actually extremely low. The slowdown in your US market has resulted in huge excess supply of lumber here in Canada.

The worst thing on the quote we really have no idea about what is included. They gave us some a rough floor plan but actually nothing else. I have no idea what allowance he has in place for kitchen cupboards, flooring, lighting, fire places,

What I am hearing is that the quote may be in line if we knew what they were including. Maybe it best to think that if they can not do a proper presentation maybe it is fair to conclude that they are too busy for us.

Thanks for the comments

Garth