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WHICH REMODELS BUST THE BUDGET? HOME-IMPROVEMENT FINANCE SPECIALISTS REVEAL WHICH ROOMS ARE MOST LIKELY TO GO OVER BUDGET DURING A RENOVATION … AND WHY. The kitchen is the room that's most likely to go over budget, closely followed by the master bathroom. According to a new report from home finance specialists, RenoFi, kitchen remodels can be quite complex because you’re dealing with so many different elements: countertops, cabinets, appliances, plumbing, flooring, and more. In a bedroom, for example, there is no tiling involved, no major appliances being installed, and no countertops or cabinets, which add to the price of a kitchen not only in materials but in installation costs. Oftentimes, kitchen renovations will lead to a redesign of the first-floor layout, and first floor layout changes will be costly. When it comes to master bathrooms, the many functional features combined with expensive installation
costs play a part in pushing up budgets. Showers often strain the budget because of the many optional upgrades and features homeowners want. Faucets, plumbing fixtures and shower components can be more expensive than people may expect. The price of water-resistant materials, such as tile, also varies widely, ranging from $5 to $25 per sq. ft. In many cases, homeowners will pick cheaper materials for the bathrooms to try to cut costs, not realizing that the cost of installation will still be quite expensive no matter what material you use. It’s also important to note that even “small” changes to a shower, like increasing space by six inches on each side, require complete relocation of the plumbing to get the space up to code and move supplies over.
Read our magazine online at HomeImprovementAndRepairs.com
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