Home renovations can be a costly endeavor, and it's important to know which projects are the most expensive before you start. According to internal data from HomeAdvisor, the five most popular and expensive home improvement projects across the country are remodeling the kitchen, remodeling the bathroom, replacing the roof, building outdoor areas, and adding central heating or an air conditioning system. In the Bay Area, remodeling prices are significantly higher than the national average, so it's wise to get quotes from several contractors and carefully evaluate where to reduce costs. When looking to remodel specific rooms in a house, it's useful to understand how expensive certain room renovations can be.
Kitchens are by far one of the most expensive rooms in a home to remodel due to plumbing and electrical jobs, as well as installing, painting, or building new kitchen cabinets or islands. Bathroom remodels are also costly, especially for Bay Area homeowners. Basements or other similar entertainment spaces can also be expensive to remodel. Living room renovations can often be done at the interior design level with the same amount and for much less money than a constructive remodel.
Repaving is a more reasonable alternative than remodeling an entire kitchen, and it's eco-friendly and much less intrusive than replacing and installing new cabinets. When it comes to saving money on home renovations, there are a few tips you can follow. Since most of your costs come from cabinets, you can save quite a bit of money if you simply add a fresh coat of paint over them. Countertops also bring in a lot of money and, since they account for 10% of the total cost of the kitchen, you might want to look for cheaper options such as a butcher shop block if you want to save money.
Additionally, when buying a home to repair, many future homeowners underestimate the cost of remodeling a home, leaving them stunned when they set out to renovate certain areas of their home. Finally, it's important to remember that when someone tries to remodel just part of the kitchen, they inevitably realize that a large scale remodel is necessary. Also, when homeowners remodel kitchen countertops, they often succumb to the temptation to buy all the new appliances as well.
