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We get asked this question a lot. A major problem
in the home improvement industry is that there is
a very lax enforcement of licensing and little to no
official standards of quality. With only the
building code to fall back on (which really means
you are only building to the least acceptable
minimal standards) consumers have little to gauge
what real quality construction really is.
Construction is not a commodity like buying
gasoline at the station across the street because
it is 2 cents cheaper.
One
of the worst things you can do and many consumers
fall into this, is to falsely believe that no
matter who you hire the results will come out the
same. Nothing is farther from the truth, however
most people don't find this out until they are in
the middle of their project or a year later when
things start to crack, peal and leak.
As a result the home improvement industry is
filled with fly-by-nighters, hacks and
"handy-men" who take advantage of this
false belief many consumers have, they are masquerading as professional
contractors but have minimal experience and no
dedication to standing behind their work. The low prices these charlatans advertise and submit as
bids come with a devastating price to pay to all
homeowners. The only person who
benefited was the low-baller who short-cutted the
project all the way through. The customer ends up
holding the bag when the promises are not
delivered upon and the problems such as cracked
walls, leaky pipes, out of level bathtubs, broken
grout and other issues begin to show up shortly
after. Home improvements are
not inexpensive, there is a definite cost to
hiring professional remodelers who have the
experience to know how to do something right and
the integrity to do it correctly without
short-cuts so that the renovations last. How
much does it cost? It actually costs quite a bit
to do something right the first time. There
are some reliable 3rd party references for
remodeling cost. Probably the best known and most
highly regarded would be Remodeling
Magazine, they publish an annual Cost VS Value report
collected from 60 of the top US housing markets.
It's highly regarded by the industry as a bench
mark or at least a valuable starting point for
accurate cost forecasting for remodeling.
Bathroom
Remodel Mid Range
Update an existing 5-by-7-foot bathroom. Replace
all fixtures to include 30-by-60-inch
porcelain-on-steel tub with 4x4-inch ceramic tile
surround; new single-lever temperature and
pressure-balanced shower control; standard white
toilet; solid-surface vanity counter with integral
sink; recessed medicine cabinet with light;
ceramic tile floor; vinyl wallpaper.
http://costvalue.remodelingmagazine.com/projectdescriptions.html
Bathroom
Remodel - Upscale
Expand an existing 35-square-foot bathroom to 100
square feet within existing house footprint.
Relocate all fixtures. Include 42-by-42-inch
neo-angle shower with ceramic tile walls with
accent strip, recessed shower caddy, body spray
fixtures, and frameless glass enclosure. Include a
customized whirlpool tub; stone countertop with
two sinks; two mirrored medicine cabinets with
lighting; a compartmentalized commode area with
one-piece toilet; and a humidistat-controlled
exhaust fan. Use all color fixtures. Use larger
matching ceramic tiles on the floor, laid on the
diagonal with ceramic tile base molding. Add
general and spot lighting including waterproof
shower fixture. Cabinetry shall include a custom
drawer base and wall cabinets for a built-in look.
Extend HVAC system, and include electric in-floor
heating and heated towel bars.
http://costvalue.remodelingmagazine.com/projectdescriptions.html
So
what do these numbers tell you? Well they are a
starting point if you are totally in the dark.
Does it mean you project will cost as much or
less? It really depends.
We are happy to speak with you about your actual
project and help you with a realistic
budget.
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Remodeling Information and Advice |
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