We all have a mental list of home repair and remodeling projects we’ve been meaning to do. It starts with a leaky faucet or a flickering light bulb and grows to include an entire room’s makeover or even a major renovation. While some home repairs can be tackled by a seasoned DIYer, many should be completed by professionals to ensure they are done correctly and meet local building codes.
Whether you are doing a small fix or a complete renovation, there will likely be additional costs beyond just the materials used. Labor is the biggest cost factor, but your location also impacts prices. Heavily populated areas tend to have higher labor rates while rural locations may have additional charges for travel time or transporting equipment and supplies over long distances.
It’s important to have a realistic understanding of how much your renovation will cost before starting the project. To help with this, Reyes recommends homeowners use an online calculator to estimate their costs. These tools allow you to enter your address and choose a project type. They will then pull national averages to give you an idea of what other homeowners in your area have paid for similar projects.
It’s also smart to have a plan in place for your family during the construction phase. Some contractors require that you stay off-site during the work and if this is the case for your remodel, it’s a good idea to consider staying in a hotel or even boarding your pets to avoid unnecessary stress and inconvenience.