Sound fair to me coming from Bay Area pricing. Our costs were similar - we took down a small interior wall and converted a double window to exterior french doors (sounds easier than your exterior work though). Had to go down to the studs and do all new electrical which added significant expense - haven't been following all of your work so not sure how much of this you did. Paid a little more for some things (and had to buy all new appliances since our stove was from the 40s and had 6 pilot lights, fridge broke in the middle of the remodel, etc). Our unintended cost was that the water heater vent went through the space we were adding to the kitchen so rather than making the whole wall thick enough for a vent we switched to electric heat pump so no vent was needed. Kind of a bummer given we had just paid for labor for a new water heater (warranty replacement) a year prior... I actually haven't totaled it all up because I think I will find it very depressing! On the plus side our contractor's estimate was very accurate (to the point that we changed from a stainless backsplash behind the stove to tiling it with a more involved pattern that they used for the estimate - and the 'extra tiling' cost the same as the stainless backsplash miraculously!). I was definitely not expecting it to be so outrageously expensive when I bought this house having never done any remodeling prior, so I'm sure others will appreciate this breakdown. Oye.

When Pros are honest up front about the budget needed for ''The Dream'', they rarely get the job. Honesty doesn't pay in sales, if you are the first person that the customer has seen.

Sure, but I would have thought most contractor business is by word of mouth. I'm much more likely to recommend someone who stuck to their proposed budget, so it sort of seems like shooting yourself in the foot if you lie. At any rate I got 2 detailed estimates and 1 rough estimate - and all were very upfront about how expensive of an undertaking it would be (they clearly didn't want to waste their time if we couldn't afford that). One put in 18k custom cabs in the allowances and one estimated 3k, but cost for GC work and subs were roughly similar.

Now, how are you feeling about the money that you spent and the results that you got because that's really what counts. You're going to be there for the next 20 years and I would be thrilled at the changes that you brought to your living space, your home.

When I think about your before pics, while sort of charming, your results are open, airy and light-filled.

We hired a GC who was honest with his bid for our master bath remodel and then hired hime again for our kitchen, hall bath, plus other stuff remodel. If he had low balled us on the first job, we certainly would not have rehired him.

Thanks for your monetary breakdown Carrie! There are always lots of variables, but the more and more accurate numbers people can see, the better position they are in.

I wish I could provide that kind of breakdown, but I can't. I can say that our remodel ran right at $100,000 total and included a kitchen gut with a wall removed and dry rot damaged repaired, a bathroom gut with dry rot damage repaired and all fixtures moved, attic access moved and a closet reconfigured for use as a laundry closet, plus rewiring a fair bit of old knob and tube to modern standards throughout the house, and some other misc. repair work throughout the house. We live in a very HCOLA and made mostly low to mid-price point choices in material, but with a couple of definite splurges.

I would never want to work with a contractor who lied or lowball me to get the job. I paid $15k on repiping while my neighbor paid $5k because I chose to go with someone that I knew had done hundreds of jobs and I felt comfortable with. He was the 2nd highest quote.

I echo what blfenton said and add that while your kitchen has a distinct personality and certainly isn't cookie-cutter, it's not so personal in style that it wouldn't appeal to the majority of future buyers. You've added a heavy dose of natural light & functionality to your home. Your property value was increased while enhancing your quality of life. I think you got a very good value for dollars spent.

Witnessing a lot of the work step by step, you also have the peace of mind knowing everything was done well.

This is a great thread. Most are too weary and burned out after a remodel to revisit all the expenses and post for others' benefit. The "leaky hose" expenditures are a big part of renovating and it's rarely discussed with concrete examples.

Thanks, all. I'm very happy with my kitchen, and with the workmanship that went in to it. I know that I've always really appreciated it when people have posted experience with their budget & how much stuff cost. And, knowing how completely clueless I was, I hoped that this could be helpful information for others.

We all make budget decisions - one way or another, we probably splurge on some things and go the less expensive route on others. If you have any questions about why I did what I did money-wise (or anything else-wise) feel free to ask.

I'm in SoCal also and prices are crazy here, especially in the area I live. I got cabinet quotes that ranged from 50k to over 150k+. The design and build firm I used to help me with my layout was going to charge me 300k for just the kitchen. (Not including appliances) I have shopped this around and have been trying not to stress on getting this going too soon. We finally have a great gc who is not the cheapest, more mid range, but we really like him and he's fair. We just used him for our powder room to test the waters and he's been great. Kitchen will finally start in January!

I happen to think you did really well for your money. We gutted our house 5 years ago and blew our entire lighting budget on 3 kitchen pendants. It was my husbands choice. Fortunately I really liked the dining room and foyer lights that we already owned so that helped to straighten out that part of the budget. :)

We had an amazing GC who owned his own design/build firm, was it expensive, yes but like you Carrie, we feel like we got our money's worth.

I've read enough threads on the Kitchen forum to know that a good GC is worth their weight in gold.

The one thing I didn't see in your budget was the amazing back door, because I think that is new, right? or is that in the contractor total?

Blfenton - yes, the door & window were included in contractor's cost. That's why I think his estimate (when I asked him) of "all costs associated with structural changes" of $12-15,000 was low. That part was a lot of heavy duty work, with associated risk, materials, and debris haul-away.

I think I got my money's worth, too.

You may have paid 55G for your project, but I think the end result is, as the ad says, priceless. It is something that you will appreciate for years to come. I think you done good.

I think you done good, too, Carrie. Your kitchen and window wall is amazing as are all the little touches you did and which your GC ensured was done very well. His workmanship and attention to detail is evident so I think you got your money's worth from him. And it's relief that your kitchen won't be ruined by a shower crashing through your ceiling, right?

Thanks for the breakdown. That's particularly interesting to those of us who DIY. I think I should bake DH a pie.

Carrie, thank you for posting this. I just got blown away by our first quote and now feel like I must completely reexamine. The rough quote was HALF the value of my home. Unfortunately, no moving of walls or plumbing. My kitchen location will have to remain as is. Estimating construction costs is not easy. Your figures help give perspective.

Your kitchen is lovely! And you have such a good attitude about the hiccups along the way. Your KD and contractor should be happy to have such an easy-going client!

Another note of thanks @CarrieB - it makes me feel less anxious about what we spent on our small galley kitchen. All in, we spent about $45k, which included moving gas and plumbing on a slab and opening up a load-bearing wall. Oh, and a heavy-up for the electric panel.

We're in a very high cost area and unlike your historic rowhouse, we live in an un-lovely 1950s tract house that's been expanded a few times in odd ways. So it was just big enough to survive the tear-down frenzy a decade ago but the monster McMansions that surround me remind me it's time will come. I struggle with whether we spent too much for a house whose lifespan is limited. Or conversely whether we should have gone bigger - we could have swapped rooms and made a much bigger kitchen (at a much bigger price).

In the end I think our scope & budget was about right for a house that we'll probably be in until our 6yo is out of college. But it took me a long time to understand how expensive even a small kitchen can be, so @CarrieB,your post & detailed cost breakdown will help a lot of people.

I'm so, so glad people are finding this helpful! I knew from the start that I wanted to post a detailed cost accounting here, in the hopes that it could benefit others. I kept a list of how much things cost for that very purpose, and am very glad that I did so. It's interesting for me, too, because I know that I would not have kept such close track, otherwise, and it's good for me to know how much I spent, too.

Incidentally, I got a new electric panel, too, plus, everything was shifted around significantly - nothing is where it was before. Plus, those window & door openings. And, while I consider my house "historic" because it is very old, it's pretty typical of the original Philadelphia rowhomes. So many homes like my own are torn down for more modern structures, or are gut/remodeled - I'm so glad that my house retains some original touches.

Initially, I'd thought my kitchen remodel would cost half (or a third!) of what it did. I'm so glad I ended up with the kitchen I have, though. I don't regret any of it (though, of course, I wish I hadn't spent the $ on fired designer #1 or on the cabinet repainting error...)

Carrie. Thank you. I plan to post a breakdown of my remodel as well. I think you spent your money well!

Thank you so much for the breakdown! I'm curious, how this will affect your appraisal and insurance? And do you pay property taxes? Your permits will alert the tax assessor.

Bpathome - good questions, and I have no idea, at this point. My house (and Phila. properties in general) were re-appraised a year or so ago and my (and others) property taxes doubled. I hope that doesn't happen again!

@bpathome I called our tax assessor's office before we started and asked and how renovations affect assessments and taxes. At least in our county, interior improvements don't impact assessed value. They don't care who has granite or laminate. They only care about square footage and exterior improvements.

Interesting point, edenaurora. I'm pretty sure that sale price affects taxes here, and, I know that when my property was re-assessed, they specified that my exterior stucco was "above average" but my city is so backwards in some ways, I wonder if they'd actually pay attention to improvements. But, then, if it involves income, maybe they would. I have no idea.

Carrie, your real estate tax assessment is typically based on fair market value, which includes the square footage of the house and the lot (typically separate) and what similar houses are selling for in your neighborhood. Your house may be worth more than the assessment because of the improvements but that's not likely to be reflected in your assessment. Just as my own grungy kitchen doesn't factor into my assessment.

This has been an eye opening conversation. I have been thinking about avoiding a GC and acting as my own GC, pulling permits and hiring workers directly for each task. My step mother worked for a general contractor and also built her own house, and several spec houses, but I admit I didn't really pay enough attention to pick it all up. So maybe I am being unrealistic. On the other hand, my job is about 15 minutes from my office and I can take a lunch break any time I want, plus have vacation time I can use to run home and check things out.

But actually the real reason I don't want a GC is that I am kind of a perfectionist. When we replaced our dishwasher I found cigarette butts and a crumpled up cigarette pack in the blind corner. It infuriated me. What kind of a person would do that, and what kind of a person would let them? Also, the GC who remodeled a house across the street hired Hispanic workmen whom I am positive stole all the jalapenos off my jalapeno plant.

Carrie,

To my knowledge, the interior of the house has little to do with the assessment for tax purposes. I live in one of four identical houses built as a unit. The end unit has an additional mudroom added to the back that is about 45 square feet, and that house is assessed at 45 square feet more in price than the other three. Mine is going to be an essentially new (restored) house on the inside when I am done, and the other three are in varying conditions.

In Philadelphia, to some extent, this won't even have a huge impact on resale value, which is why people like me who over improve can actually lose money if they have to sell soon after (which I don't plan on doing). Prices seem to work out pretty close to a per square foot basis with some exceptions. People will walk in your kitchen and see "new", but if your neighbors spent $25K for "new", or $100K for "new" that will generally not be completely reflected in our market.

The nature of what things cost, and the discussions of such is one of the things that can be very frustrating about these forums particularly for people outside the norms or averages: those in HCOLA areas and those in LCOLA.

There is a fair amount of criticism of what people in HCOLA (have to) pay for things, as if they are crazy to pay so much, like we are just gullible or too lazy to get competitive bids. And in LCOLAs people may be presenting budgets which are fine for their area, only to be told that their expectations are unreasonably high and their budgets unreasonably low. Its all regional.

We are automatically going to pay a third more than the national average for remodeling, and if we select contractors who are higher bidders for the area or bump up the quality above average, we could easily being 50% more.

I absolutely agree with palimpsest about cost being very local. We used to live in Northern Virginia which is a high cost of living area. We now live in the East Bay of San Francisco. And the cost of most things related to housing here is amazingly significantly higher than in the DC area. So even HCOLA is a relative term.

Local assessments must work differently across the country. We are the second owner of our home. We bought in 2012. My assessment and taxes went DOWN in 2013. I called the clerk's office to inquire why. I was told that our rating was lowered because on sale it was determined the house was lacking in finishes/upgrades. I explained we added a new roof, re-lined the fireplace, new doors, etc. since purchasing. No matter, our kitchen is old, floors were old carpet, etc. I was shocked that a new $12,000 roof did nothing for my assessed home value but an upgraded kitchen will. The good news -- everyone's taxes went up but not mine!

When we gutted our house 5 years ago, our GC pulled permits and we had to apply for a variance as we were adding square footage in a way that is no longer allowed. The district knew we were doing renovations and no getting around that. Our assessment went up only slightly on the house portion because most of the value of our property is in the land..Regardless of how you look at it our house it is still a 1972 post and beam house.

If our assessment went down I wouldn't be calling anyone. Where I live sale values have little, if anything, to do with assessment values. Yes, people want to know assessed values of a particular home and the surrounding homes but only in so far as it affects property taxes. Most homes these days sell for above list.

@ilaine finding a good GC at a fair price is the main problem. Mostly I found mediocre GCs at inflated prices even though the referrals raved about them.

As long as it looks cosmetically pretty, people were happy. GW ruined my world view.

I ended up being my own GC most of the time during this project as I fired one GC and one quit in a day after talking to the inspector. What he stressed out about was handled in a 1 min inspection and letter by a competent structural engineer. Despite 11 yrs of being a structural engineer at a city, that GC was incapable of answering how the concrete in a 3" trench will be handled for my repiping.

Our HCOLA mainly uses Mexican laborers and for all I know illegals as no one spoke English other than the GCs or foreman. The quality of work is shoddy no matter how much you pay.

When we built our other house, I would visit the construction site for our project and the one above us that cost $7-9 Millions. Every single one of our houses have trash, food and beer cans in the walls. I had to come every day after work and clean up after the crew.

Even with that I still fought with the builder for 9 months about a rotting smell that made me unable to occupy the house. It turned out that the crew sealed up rats in my attic which then died and rotted. The food trash in the attic had attracted them. The builder found the problem after the stench was so bad that you can smell it immediately at the front door.

I was there when they opened my attic. They forgot to put insulation under the roof and apparently some of the walls as I found out later. Keep in mind that these were expensive houses and had passed inspection which required full insulation.

Bottom line, no matter what people tell you about how much you have to pay. What matters is fair value and quality. You can pay through the nose and get the crappiest results that only looks pretty.

Carrie did her homework and found a competent GC who charged her fairly. The rest of us should be that lucky.

Beachem, " GW ruined my world view." Me, too. Started out with Holmes on Homes. I had only watched competent contractor home shows before. I had no idea how wrong things could go.

I live in Northern Virginia, which is a HCOLA, and I know that part of the cost of doing business here is high overhead. It never occurred to the that the same contractor would bid high based on the neighborhood, not based on his overhead. That's pretty scary.

"Pretty" is easily changed. Structural, function, and what I call capital investments (electrical, plumbing, insulation,) are harder and more expensive to change but are so worth it. And if you can find a GC who recognizes that and works with you on that I think you wind up further ahead. I know we did when we did our reno.

This is precisely why I'm so glad we did our own work. I know how it was done and if I'm not satisfied with the results, I can only blame myself!

I'm so glad Carrie got great results and I will simply trust the rest of you with more knowledge of the costs of hiring others that it was a good deal.

I don't think I could have ever gotten my kitchen if I had to pay someone else to do it. I shudder to think what it would have cost!

beachem, we had to make sure the contractors on one job we designed did not leave old food containers in various cavities on a project we designed and partially oversaw (The homeowner was essentially the GC).

I have a carpenter who has excellent craftsmanship. (I also have a great plumber, a great electrician, great painters, great roofers, great plasterers). Most of the guys in the parenthetical list do not work as subs for GCs except on very large or expensive jobs because the GCs can't make the overhead they want on these subs without charging fees a homeowner would not pay. My electrician and plumber were both off the subs list for a good (and expensive) contractor I used before, because they were too expensive for the contractor.

My carpenter used to work for that GC too. Now that he works on his own, he is still as good, craft-wise, (perhaps better) but he completely lacks the ability to work even 35 hours a week at a given project. I could keep him busy full-time, but he works about 15-20 hours a week max, even if he isn't doing anything else. Both my upstairs bathrooms were demolished in July. July of 2014.

One is ready for tile. One is still an empty shell. He moved on and did a lot of work in the adjacent bedroom because the plasterers did not want to set up the job for one tiny bathroom. The cabinet maker needs to verify the vanity measurements when the plaster is done. The countertop fabricator needs to wait until the vanity is installed.

In the meantime, the roof over a different part of the house (a completely different roof on each part) started to leak. Two of my neighbors are having identical problems. One neighbor got someone to come and patch hers again, he was available two days after the estimate on the job. I had my estimate the same day, with a very reputable roofer who is doing a roof to 20 year commercial spec (It's flat), and I am waiting until December for them (8-10 weeks).

What I am saving moneywise by not using the GCs I used before, by not using a GC who would use my preferred subs, I am spending in TIME.

Realistically, even if they could, most homeowners would be too impatient to use a full bath down two flights of stairs, or a toilet in a room with a holey subfloor for a couple of weeks versus a couple of years.

I am doing a very high quality job with contractors of my choice, and because I am essentially being my own GC, and because I am willing to wait for what some people would consider an inordinate amount of time to get what I want, I am getting it for somewhat reasonable prices. The carpenter is relatively cheap. The plumber is average, the electrician is expensive, and plaster as an option here is expensive but he is aligned with people of his specialty.

I would be billed a lot more if they were working under a GC. (and it would be done faster).

Thank you so much for sharing those details!

Thanx for all the information you've shared, Carrie! You've been wonderfully transparent in all of your threads! Greatly appreciated

Love your posts, Carrie ;)

When we started designing our house, the only thing I did not spare on was the kitchen. I know you get what you pay for and I also know it is not the same as a redesign like you guys do.. but I took a lot of what was said on here and I did not skimp on the kitchen. We watched the budget everywhere else to make sure the kitchen was free to soak it all in.. lol

Beautiful job and a lot of fun keeping up with it

Russ

Interesting post. I read it the first time, not long after your initial post. I was a little surprised at your overall cost & the % of that cost that was labor. I think most of us fixate on the cost of the cabinets, appliances, etc & forget how variable the cost of labor can be, especially when structural work is involved, and windows & doors are added or replaced. I remember the first day we saw THE DOOR. Total game changer for your kitchen & living room. Money well spent.

What also struck me, in regard to the cost of labor, was that a plumber is probably going to charge the same $$ for the installation of a faucet, whether it's a cheap one or a non-cheap one. So, spending a little more to get quality may end up being a money saver.

Romy -Right. So, given that the work of moving stuff around, etc., (not just appliances, plumbing, gas line, but, for me, exterior structural) will be the lion's share of the budget when structural changes are involved, assuming not going with the highest end kitchen materials, shaving off on materials may not end up making such a big difference overall.

While much o f the "contractor cost" was labor, it did include

1. the big back door w/transom and sink window, as well as steel beam reinforcements, framing out materials, etc.
2. electric panel, UCL's, recessed lighting, outdoor flood light,
3. all plumbing & electric (including supplies),
4. Plywood (or whatever that stuff is) to level floor that went under the vapor barrier underlayment.
5. Paint (& painting)
6. Install backsplash

Etc., etc., etc.,

I remember GC mentioning to me the cost of the 2 long steel lintels

*3/8
steel angle 4 inch by 8 inch high bolted through*

that went up above the back door - I don't remember what he said, but do remember thinking it was high, maybe $200 each... so, at least a portion of the contractor cost was materials, though I have no way of knowing how much.

I'll also say that watching these guys work gives me an even huger appreciation for those who DIY. While some of the work (painting, backsplash, attaching hardware) I could have done myself with a little time & self-educating, so much of the work they did seemed based on lots of knowledge, skill and experience that I just would not have been able to muster. When I look at how good my cabinets look despite uneven walls, floors and ceiling (the way my house was built almost 200 years ago) I am very pleased.

Carrie, Thanks for an interesting read. I think the biggest issue you faced is that your house is old, and old houses hide secrets!

Sophie, I'm thinking about CarMax; they're big in our area. They sell used cars, and the sticker price is the price -- no haggling. I've read that they charge 14% more than standard car dealerships, but they sell a buttload of cars anyway because people like their business model and find it easy. I wonder if kitchen contractors couldn't do something similar successfully: This is the price. It's purposefully priced a bit high in case I run into difficulties once I open up the wall. If everything goes smoothly, I win and make a big profit. If things go badly, the homeowner wins. But either way, the homeowner goes into it knowing X is the price. Don't say it couldn't be done; it could, though it would be something of a gamble on the part of both parties.

Texas Gem, If we did our own work, I already know we'd be dissatisfied!

Sorry mrspete, I don't think that will work there is no incentive for the contractor to gamble when he can charge a nice fee... If you went into a wall and found significant termite damage you might have to take down half the house there's no way the contractor should or could absorb that kind of a gamble.

mrspete - I think my GC basically did what you suggest. The shower pan was a separate issue, and he did charge me separately for that, and I would not have expected otherwise.

We also had not included the floor in the original estimate, but we talked about that beforehand - we would re-use the old floors, if possible. Since we didn't end up using the existing sub-floors, I bought new flooring (on my own, from Home Depot) and paid him for the installation. Everything else (except for a few add-ons I requested during construction, and a few add-ons he didn't charge me for) was what he had sent me in his bid/estimate.

Other than the shower pan, and, to some degree, the flooring, I had no real budget surprises in the process.

Edited to add (practigal's comment came in while I was typing) I agree with big surprises like termite damage, and even like my shower pan. I'm thinking more along the lines of my OTR, which was supposed to vent directly out the back, but, presumably, cost more to have go around a corner when we realized the heat vent was right behind the MW.

Like you, CarrieB, I started out without a clue how much it would cost to do my kitchen as I wanted (I didn't really know just exactly what I wanted to do, either, before I spent time here and on Ikeafans other than knowing that I would not do any structural changes beyond removing soffits and a nonfunctional cold air return) and restoring a window) and like you, I started out at the big box stores to get initial planning and costs. I probably would have bought the cabinets from one of them if I hadn't read more, learned about Ikea, and realized that I wanted to have frameless cabinets,

I talked to 3 different independent contractors who all quoted $10k more than I was prepared to spend. I thought that I would have to either postpone the project, or just settle for repairing a few things, improving the lighting, and maybe refacing the cabs (this was before I learned of Ikea). After learning about and seeing the Ikea kitchens, I started to think I could pull it off if I could find a contractor to install, or at least do all the work except install the cabinets which I would attempt myself.

I made one last stop at another local "general store" that sells kitchens. There I got a quote that priced out installation separately --which seemed very reasonable --and gave the name of the contractor who would install and who I ended up using, although I didn't buy the cabs from that store (at that time they didn't carry frameless)

I am so glad that I did an internet search and found my cabinet maker. By this time, after spending a lot of time here, I had a plan, could detail exactly what I wanted done, and so was able to go to that contractor with a detailed list of what he would need to do -- and got an affordable price. I bought the cabinets, granite, sink, fixtures, and flooring, the light fixtures and paint -- he supplied the rest. I did the painting.

I only had 4 cost overruns as I recall: I paid the wall guy to finish removing the wallpaper (my arthritic fingers couldn't do any more!); I ended up refinishing the floor instead of installing the engineered hardwood that I had bought; I went for more expensive granite counters; and I replaced all of the appliances instead of just the dishwasher. That came to about $2.5k more than originally planned. The contractor did not knock down the price for not having to install the engineered hardwood, but he also did not charge me additionally for adding a light, adding a water line for the fridge icemaker, and moving the telephone jack ( not thought about in the original plan).

I also was stuck with the engineered hardwood -- tried to sell it on Craigslist, but it was such a small quantity (150 sq.ft) no one ever wanted it. Fortunately that was a small loss -- I had gotten it at a killer clearance price. I ended up donating it to HFH.

@palimpsest - would you be open to sharing your plaster contractor? I Want to avoid wall tearout on a current project. (I don't know how to send a private msg. Pls pm me if you know how).

also, appealing philly taxes is the way to go. It's usually only holds for 2 years though. This last go-round, the property-tax appeal put a notation of some sort, on our city property tax record.

On the surface, it seems pretty good to me, but there are so many factors. $55K with structural changes seems like a good deal. It also depends on your location. The same thing here would probably cost a lot more. I'm doing a "minor" reno of my kitchen. I'm not changing the footprint at all. No structural changes. I'm putting in a new floor, new refrigerator, new cabinets, new sink, and new countertops. Keeping the range and microwave. I started out with a budget of $25K. The cabinets and the refrigerator together come to more than that! In the end, it will cost me @ $43 - $45K, and it's a tiny kitchen. So $55K sounds like a pretty good number to me, considering you had structural changes made. Same time, I'm getting a Sub Zero refrigerator, and the cabinets I ended up going with were much more than I thought I'd be spending, so it's definitely been an education! I can see why they say the average kitchen reno is $75 - 100K, at least here.

What is the square footage of your your Caesarstone counters? I was going to get Cambria quarts, @ 40 sq. feet, and it would have cost me @ $4100; Caesarstone I was told would have been a bit more.

Mags I sent you two names. The guy I am using says he is "semi-retired", but I am not sure if that means he doesn't take on a lot of new work, or what, exactly.

@palimpsest - thanks so much! Positive progress..finally!

@carrie, my DH spends his retired life figuring out how not to pay more taxes. He's been successful in holding the line for primary and rental. Let's touch base @next tax time

Sorry
mrspete, I don't think that will work there is no incentive for the
contractor to gamble when he can charge a nice fee... If you went into a
wall and found significant termite damage you might have to take down
half the house there's no way the contractor should or could absorb that
kind of a gamble.

Sure they could. The contractor'd come out and inspect before he'd write a bid. Knowing that he wouldn't have the option to raise his bid later, he'd be VERY careful to look for things like termite damage ahead of time. And the customer'd pay a BIG premium to be sure he wouldn't have an exponentially exploding bill later.

The real problem would be shady contractors seeing the termites and keeping that information to themselves.

Are you willing to do termite testing and asbestos testing and any other testing before the project is bid, otherwise you're asking them to guarantee an unknown. In my neighborhood I am certain the contractors would walk before they did except such a bad deal.

Carrie, I'm so happy your kitchen is finished and you get to sit on the sofa and take pictures!

Thanks for the post, it's nice to have a basis for comparison. My KD and I parted ways after $1K of a design that I did not love. Your kitchen is beautiful. I'd say it's money well spent!