Realities of Renovating
ask an expert: renovation budgetscanada
(Nov.23.10)
I'm buying a house and want to be prepared for the renovations. How can I figure out how much it will cost?
Our very lovely SweetHome Editor (who is currently on maternity leave!) Sarah R. asked, and Howie Track of Traxel Construction answered:
Budgets are tricky. People usually start out with a firm number in their head, but soon realize that the number may be a little (or a lot) lower than necessary to achieve what they want out of their renovation. Most aspects of construction have a square footage or unit price, but there are also many items that have variable costs (i.e., leveling/straightening floors, walls and ceilings). Add to that, the fact that when doing a renovation, you never know exactly what you're up against until you have completed the demolition.
I could go on and on about ways to save and spend on a kitchen renovation, but I find that before people get into the details of a renovation they want to get a rough idea of how much it will cost. As a general rule of thumb, if you were use mid-range finishings you would be looking at a cost of approximately $150 per square foot and if you were to use high-end finishings you would be looking at a cost of approximately $300 per square foot.
In my experience, designers and architects may not give enough consideration to budgets. Make sure you're clear with them about how much you can afford to spend, so they don't design something that is beyond your budget.
Certain materials — tile, plumbing fixtures and countertops — can significantly affect the budget. Take time to do your research, so you know what you can afford. Marble countertops may look great, but quartz is usually much more affordable (plus it's stain proof — great for red wine drinkers!).
Also, plumbing fixtures go on sale all the time. You can easily save 20–30 per cent on brand name quality fixtures if you just take the time to look through the weekend paper or call the store every couple of weeks and inquire about current or upcoming sales.
Howie Track is a Contractor and Owner of Traxel Construction. For more information, visit www.traxelconstruction.com.
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