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It’s not affordable like HGTV makes it seem. When we moves to Westchester, we were shocked to hear that painting the inside and outside of a house could cost $40K. A kitchen Reno could cost $100k+. This was pre-COVID too so everything has only gotten more expensive.
YorktownGal and others in here have some great advice.
Even if you ask to redo a bathroom in the most basic finishes with zero changes in plumbing and electrical, they gonna bang you for 20k. It’s just the way it works. They make up a number that suits them and it doesn’t really have to make sense with labor costs and material costs
That is so not true. I just did a bathroom remodel, new tub, re-tile tub/shower, new toilet, new vanity, no plumbing or no electrical changes, repainting walls and ceilings, total cost $12,500. If you are paying 20 k for this, find a new contractor.
Honey-Do-Me was the best contractor I found in NY I had some clunkers in the past. I never found a good electrician in 14 years in Yorktown. My plumber was Dave Goldberg Plumbing. After he sold his business to his son-in-law, it went all downhill. So I'm at a loss about plumbers now.
I would price out everything you want in toilets, sinks, cabinets and faucets. If you want the floors replaced, pick out flooring. Make a spreadsheet. Then call Honey-Do-Men for a work estimate. They would also know what permits you need. If you don't get the permits, then prospective buyers will know and it will discourage a smooth sale.
Also since labor is your biggest expense, don't cheap out on materials. It makes no sense to pay for expensive labor to install Home Depot/Lowes quality junk. It's wasteful. You'll have redo it in a couple of years when the Home Cheapo cabinets fall apart.
If you are moving/taking out walls, you must have an architect. I would avoid moving walls because then electrical wires need to be rerouted. You are getting into a messy and expensive situation.
Good luck!
Agree with all of this. Sadly agree on Dave Goldberg Plumbing. When Dave retired, the work, the timeliness of appointments (even forgetting he made one), and pricing, all suffered.
In general, it's not materials that are overly pricey, if one has modest tastes. Labor is not cheap, skilled and qualified labor is even less so.
Yes—I discovered doing a renno more than a decade ago that it was just as expensive to install granite as Formica
That demo has a cost factor people don’t often consider
That bad labor is way more expensive than “good” labor
And that making a “trendy” choice can be the most expensive of all
That is so not true. I just did a bathroom remodel, new tub, re-tile tub/shower, new toilet, new vanity, no plumbing or no electrical changes, repainting walls and ceilings, total cost $12,500. If you are paying 20 k for this, find a new contractor.
I imagine there was no “custom” vanity but one bought pre-made w/countertop/sink installed
Nothing wrong with that
It is not having to change existing plumbing or electric that save money as well as reasonable costs for materials and labor
That is where getting estimates from difference contractors pays off
Plus seeing their past jobs
Interview several architects first- you need to work with someone that not only knows the politics of the town- but can understand what you are actually trying to achieve in your own home.
You also want to work with an architect that has a design sense that you actually like- so do not be afraid to ask for a portfolio or references you can actually call and/or visit on your own. Be wary of someone who won't furnish real references you can visit in person and/or extremely old ones (i.e- jobs completed over 10 years ago).
Also ask them about how they bill. Some bill a flat fee, others bill a mixture of a flat fee for the design portion and then take 6-15% of the projected construction cost as a fee for getting it approved and managing the work.
This can add up very quickly if you aren't paying attention and/or they are not clear on how they are billing you. The scope of work you are describing can easily be $250K on the low end- so think about how much one can end up paying just in architecture fees alone.
Also find how what the town is going to charge for building permit(s) and/or if you have to go in front of the zoning or planning boards.
Start crunching numbers and be realistic about it. A mid level bathroom or kitchen full gut renovation in Westchester/NYC can easily cost $400-$500 a sq/ft these days with materials, finishes, fixtures/appliances and all trades (electrical/plumbing/tile) factored in.
Labor being what it is these days- it is false economy to try and cheap out on finishes. Better to do it in stages.
Start lining up contractors and do the same thing you did with architects- references and examples. Discuss how they bill as well and find out what EXACTLY is included and what is not included in the fee. It avoids all surprises. You can get all the way to a start date and realize that since nobody brought it up- the dumpster wasn't included and you were expected to arrange that. Or- HVAC work wasn't included, or you were responsible for hiring the plumber- these are all real world examples.
There are no stupid questions- make sure you know who is responsible for what before you start anything. Find out how they expect payments and deposits to work, who is expected to order or pick up what.
As for living there- only you can answer that. Some people have no issues using a hot plate and doing takeout for months on end- others have no tolerance. The scope you expect to be done- you are looking at a lot of time and money- leveling floors requires a lot more work than you may be envisioning- and every time you open up a wall or a floor in an old (as in over 50 years) house- old world "craftsmanship" and repairs usually rears its ugly head- and the entire scope of the project just suddenly doubled.
One other thing to be wary of, is something that I like to call the "Westchester Tax". Contractors and other trades almost always automatically charge more here since the area on whole is more affluent. This was a major adjustment to me when I first moved up here- I lived in one of the Boros in NYC prior to moving here and pricing was obviously lower- I've gotten to the point where I half jokingly say to tradesmen "pretend the house is in Putnam when you give me an estimate".
A younger friend, right before we ended a six year friendship, hired a contractor to renovate the main bathroom in her 1940's house. He would not bid it as a project and charged her by the hour (I heard from a friend). This was the same contractor her mother used for her house in the same neighborhood. I guess it cost her a Lot more than she was expecting. I actually sold her the tile I used in my master bathroom (I had a lot extra and she wanted her bathroom to look like mine). Honestly, this is part of what happened between us. Having recently gone through that renovation process I really wanted nothing to do with her renovation project (even the thought of it was just too stressful for me as I had been also dealing with a recent cancer diagnosis, etc.).
Anyways... I don't think I would embark on an open ended contract where there is no limit on how much it would cost.
You know, on second thought.... You might want to just live with this house the way it is for a couple of years and sell it and buy something 1995 - 2020's and avoid all this. I mean, you really need to be fully invested in all that is involved with renovating a much older home.
There's no way I would try to live there with more than one person (and even animals). I somehow survived because I could move into a different bed and bath. I took a short cut on the tile in the hall and kitchen because I was just so tired of the reno. Upstairs I had the tile on a 90 degree angle / diamond pattern that is to die for and downstairs it's in a brick pattern and just looks totally different. I just couldn't take it anymore! My cat was so pissed at me she did something she never did before and never did since (she urinated and defecated on my master bedroom bed (while we were hold up in the second guest room). So, add new beds into the Reno. She was not getting anywhere near the attention she was used to. I was having to clean up and touch up paint every night, etc. I am hobbled and it was physically exhausting to try to keep up with. The cats were locked in one room for weeks.
If I had asked I probably would not have gone through with any of it (and I would have saved a load of money). However, having done this over 10 years ago I am afraid to know what that would cost me now (likely double or triple). I'm not looking forward to putting a new roof on (but, that will be child's play compared to what I have been through). A new fence - ha! A new air conditioner - super easy. All expensive, but, nothing as intrusive as bathroom and kitchen remodels.
I saved 30% right off the bat because I was my own GC. The only issue I ran into was my plumber wanted a cut of the plumbing supplies (at the same time I got better pricing, but, I never could tell exactly how much That cost me). I still use that plumbing company.
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