You are considering having a portion of your home remodeled. It could be a kitchen remodel, a bath remodel, an addition or a variety of other projects.

You may already have a pretty clear idea of what the finished project should look like, and what it will be like to live in. It will be brighter, fresher, perhaps more modern, with better lighting, and easier to cook in, among other things. You've made lists of the improvements you'll want, and spent hours paging through shelter magazines looking for the ideal elements you'd like in the space.

If you've never done a remodel, or haven't done one recently, you've also been thinking about the cost of the project, and you have questions. In your thinking and planning you have also been figuring out what it would be worth to invest in getting this project planned and built. There are a variety of factors that you've probably considered. Some of them might be how much money you have available, how long you plan to be in your home, and how much you want to have the work done.

Next, you begin talking with remodeling contractors, and you ask them about the potential cost of your project. From your perspective that must be a pretty simple question for the remodeler to answer, right? After all, he/she has done a variety of projects just like yours, so he can simply refer to these costs. For the most part, a kitchen remodel is a kitchen remodel, right? In fact, remodeling projects can vary greatly, as can the costs of each project. And there are many aspects of the job that reach beyond the obvious pieces you can see such as new flooring or counter tops.

Here's a list of JUST A FEW EXAMPLES of what makes one remodeling project different from another:

For A Kitchen Remodel:

• Will you want a temporary kitchen installed elsewhere in your home during the project? If so, some work will need to be done to get that in place and functioning.
• Will you want everything to remain where it is in the room, or will you want to move elements such as the sink, stove and/or windows (to catch that great view while you're at the sink)?
• Do you plan to use vinyl sheeting for the floor, or tile from Europe?
• Will the counter tops be plastic laminate, tile or stone, to name a few?
• Will you be replacing the cabinets, or will they simply be refinished? If you'll be replacing them, will the new cabinets be custom-designed and built?
• Will the electrical service need to be upgraded? If your house was built before the 1970's, it will need to be replaced to be compliant. This will likely require work done in other areas of the house, as well.
• How old is your home's water service? Original galvanized steel pipes can be filled with mineral deposits which block water flow. Your pipes may need to be upgraded to copper. To replace the system, that may require extensive underground work. This often depends on where your home is located on its lot. Will the contractor need to get underneath any portion of the sidewalk to do the work?
• Will there be additional square footage added such as a breakfast nook? The new addition will require a foundation and a roof that matches the original portion of the house. When completed, some landscaping work may be required.

These are just a few examples.

For a Bathroom Remodel:

• Will the sink and tub remain in the same place in the room? Will they be replaced?
• Again, what is your home's water system like? Will it need to be upgraded?
• Will the flooring be replaced? If so, with sheet vinyl, mosaic tile or other?
• Will the new sink be a simple pedestal sink or a custom made vanity with two sinks and custom medicine cabinets?
• Were you considering adding a sky light?
• Were you planning to replace the window with a new one containing glass blocks?
• Did you plan to add any spa equipment?

Again, these are just a few examples.

For the remodel of a Master Suite:

• Will any portion of the project be an addition? If it will be a second story addition, does the foundation need to be upgraded to carry the additional load? Will any portion of the ground floor need additional support work done?
• Will all windows remain where they are?
• Do you plan to add a walk-in closet? More than one? How large?
• Will any electrical improvements be made?
• Will there be any new cabinetry such as custom built-in dressers or an entertainment center?
• Will the floor be replaced or simply refinished?
• As you can see, no two remodeling jobs are ever the same. Consider a doctor. He uses his past experience to help him figure out what to do with his current patient. However, he never does the same thing to his current patient just because it worked with his previous patient.
• A good doctor takes the time to get to know his current patient -- to see beyond the obvious. The doctor wants to do what is right for his patient. A good contractor has similar goals. Each project is unique and different.
• Each project has its own set of what needs to be done to get the client what he/she asked for.

Such work is a necessary part of the job but is not going to make sense when factored in on a square foot basis.

All the areas of the house need to be factored in when calculating the square footage. For example, when a second floor addition is being built over a garage the foundation of the garage will need to be upgraded. The garage will not only need to be structurally improved to carry the load of the new addition, but will also need to be drywalled for resistance to fire to be in compliance with contemporary code. With a simple calculation involving only the newly-created floor area, this work will not be accounted for.

Square foot figures vary dramatically depending on which area of the house is being considered. The square foot cost of a bedroom or living room is going to be much lower than that of a kitchen or bathroom. Why? Kitchens and baths involve much more utility, finish and fitting work. General living space is much less expensive to build.

You'll want a contractor that carries insurance to protect you and your property in case something goes wrong. You want a contractor that has sales materials and markets himself successfully. Why? Several years from now if a portion of the job needs attention, or, if you would like more work done, you want them to still be in business when you contact them. If something goes wrong with a project and your contractor has gone out of business, you are on your own.

So...how much does it cost? Having a frank conversation with potential contractors early on can really smooth the process. Discuss openly what you were planning to spend and a good contractor will be open with you about what's realistic. Some people make the mistake of not disclosing their actual budget until everyone has spent considerable time and energy planning the project - only to realize that a part of it can't be done or must be greatly modified to meet your budget.

Everything always costs more than you expected it to. It happens to me all the time when I go shopping. It is the same with remodeling. The real question is always "is it worth it to spend the money to get what you want?"

Only you can decide that.

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