OP here. Yes I thought it seemed a bit high too. But when I look at the estimated breakdown things just seem to add up. The plumbing (to move things in the kitchen) and electric work (to add recessed lights throughout) are surprisingly expensive. Paint is surprisingly expensive, although I do understand doing walls, trim, ceilings, doors, etc., in some cases all the way from the drywall, will be a lot of work. There's a fee we pay to the design/build firm to work with their expert on the design plan and for the project to be managed and for their profit. We are making some more expensive choices in the kitchen like quartz countertops and custom cabinets.

Sounds a bit high unless the kitchen is really pricey. I would probably say about $40K for everything but the kitchen. I can't imagine the kitchen being more than about 70K in a house that small. But, I am not an expert -- so take my estimates with a grain of salt.

Anonymous wrote:10-15000 $ for painting a 1300 sq ft house ? Ouch.. I was about to ask estimates to painters.. Never expected to see such a high number.. I guess we are going to paint a bit ourselves...

It was high primarily because we were painting from drywall - so had to be primed, then 2 coats of paint on walls & ceilings, doors AND all the trim. If you are just doing walls, ceilings, trim I would imagine a lower estimate. Although when we did 900 sq feet basement from dry wall up to finished touch it was $6-7,000 quote. WAY too much to pay and its something I can actually do - it just takes time. Worth the savings in my mind.

10-15000 $ for painting a 1300 sq ft house ? Ouch.. I was about to ask estimates to painters.. Never expected to see such a high number.. I guess we are going to paint a bit ourselves...

Hi,
I am an architect and the cost can range widely (and wildly!) based on existing conditions, scope of work and... everyone's nightmare... unforeseen conditions.
Do you already have a plan designed? How specific is it?
Let me know if you would like guidance on this issue and I would love to share my experience with the design and construction process.
All the best,
ileana schinder
ile@ileanaschinder.com

Anonymous wrote:What is the square footage that will impact cost. Also type of replacement flooring and the level of kitchen design you like. We just did this to our house - 1300 sq feet - replaced/moved windows, new hardwood floors, lighting, kitchen re - do we added a mudroom, skylights and re- did our entrance ways. Don't forget the cost of painting - most design build don't include that in the cost but will help get you estimates. We had to budget another 10-15,000 for painting. The cost estimate was $200,000-250,000. We came in under the higher end estimate at $225,000.

PP here: This estimate included a new fridge, we kept our stove and dishwasher but replacing all three at a mid-range is close to $6000. We had tile in entrance ways and mudroom,bathroom- hardwood floors kitchen, hallways and bathrooms. We replaced 2 windows (one large picture window) and put in 3 new windows, the estimate also included mason work to rebuild exterior stairs, brick the side entrance to match the house. Don't forget the cost of lighting fixtures. Also many lighting plans are basic - for instance no lights in closets - to add these one or to increase the number of lights per space adds up. Also if you want multiple switch boxes (turn on lights from different locations in a room) have that spelled out with the estimate. We thought the basic light plan wasn't good enough and added significantly more lights. That was one lesson I took away from our renovation - the estimates can be on the low end of everything - but to really get it the way you want it you will add on. Also confirm what level of trims/flooring/doors etc you are getting. Again the basic wasn't want we wanted - we went with red oak flooring, we wanted floor molding that was a step up from what was estimated and we wanted shoe molding in the kitchen - also not part of original estimate. The doors - again the estimated price for the doors were ones that were hollow and cheep. Especially for the bedrooms we wanted ones were sold to reduce sound. And finally don't forget insulation. Our estimate was that the insulation was sufficient. We live in Maryland - when they got down to the studs it was discovered we did not have code insulation which has to be blown and a certain RF factor. That alone cost $2000 to have installed.

OP here. Thanks for the helpful replies. It's about 1200 sq ft. But We're not doing windows or skylights like PP.

What is the square footage that will impact cost. Also type of replacement flooring and the level of kitchen design you like. We just did this to our house - 1300 sq feet - replaced/moved windows, new hardwood floors, lighting, kitchen re - do we added a mudroom, skylights and re- did our entrance ways. Don't forget the cost of painting - most design build don't include that in the cost but will help get you estimates. We had to budget another 10-15,000 for painting. The cost estimate was $200,000-250,000. We came in under the higher end estimate at $225,000.

I was just about to post from $150-200k. Seems in line to me.

We're planning a renovation and wondering if the couple of cost estimates we have are in line with the norm. It's the main floor of our two-story bedroom colonial; it includes two living rooms, a kitchen and dining room and a mudroom. We're replacing all the carpet and tile with hardwood floors including new moldings, replacing all kitchen cabinetry with semi-custom including adding an island and a pantry, adding new granite counters, all new appliances (middle in terms of cost), new recessed lighting in two different rooms, moving the sink (so new plumbing is required), knocking down a wall, moving a doorway, adding a mudroom sink and cabinet, removing wood paneled walls and popcorn ceilings plus the associated re-drywalling, and new paint throughout (including ceilings and moldings and trim in addition to the walls. Our cost estimates have been about $150,000. Just curious if this seems in line with what others have paid for a single-floor home renovation that included similar elements like new flooring, all new kitchen, knocking down a wall, etc.