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Saving for a remodel.

2 years ago

I have some good sized renovations I would like to do on my house and want to start saving for them (replacing a window with french doors, adding a wide doorway to a load bearing wall, etc).

My question is: how can I get a good idea of how much I will need? These projects are a long way off because of money, but I want to have a number to work towards. It doesn't seem right to call contractors and get estimates now, but researching costs hasn't gotten me anywhere.

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Comments (3)

tozmo1
2 years ago
Where are you located? Pricing for labor varies a lot based on location.

So many variables to consider:

Replacing a window with french doors - how big is the window you are replacing? If it's already the same size as the french doors, there will be a lot less exterior and interior work needed. But if it's smaller and likely it is, you will need a header for the doors, possible exterior work to match any brick that needs to be "woven" in if brick but if siding, that's easy. What kind of door do you need? are you in a cold climate? Hurricane strength? etc.

Wide doorway to a load bearing wall has similar challenges. You will need a header and likely have it speced by an engineer. Will you need to have new support piers in your basement or crawl space to carry the load? (I did). What kind of floors do you have? Will hardwood have to be woven in and then the floors sanded to match? Does electrical need to be relocated once you remove part of the wall?

These are just a few questions you need to consider. Posting pictures of the space will help with answers.
PRO
User
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
These seem like ”simple” projects. They are in the world of construction. But, they aren’t, in the real world of everything and every system is is connected, and has to be touched.

20-30K would be a good goal, depending on thevdize of the openings. Because there are associated projects that go along with both of those projects. Floors that have to be patched or replaced. Electrical, HVAC, and plumbing that has to be moved and redone. Trim that has to be recreated and panted. Walls that have to be patched and painted. Lighting plans that need addressing. Don’t forget the traffic patterns that this will cause changes in use and wear to the original untouched home.
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Silver
Original Author
2 years ago
I suppose I should have been more specific in my original post. I am really only looking to have structural changes made and doing the rest myself.

Drywall/Paint/Trim- l will be redoing those rooms myself after the structural work is done so I'm not concerned with this.

Door- Pennsylvania cold climate, but no hurricanes. The door I can shop for separately apart from the skilled labor.

Exterior- Brick. There will be a lot of extra brick as the window being replaced by French doors is a standard size double-hung window.

Flooring- Hardwood in one room and not sure about the other, but I'm not concerned with it matching as down the road I will be installing LVP throughout (I have dogs and would like to preserve the wood floors currently protected by carpet).

Openings- Both will require a header. Not sure about additional piers, but I have one in the basement already.

HVAC- 2 wall vents will need to be combined into one floor vent.

Electrical- 2 outlets will need to be removed from the walls being removed, but I plan to bundle this into other unrelated work I need done.

I had a structural engineer inspect the house before I bought it and he said opening those walls wouldn't be a problem, but didn't say much about pricing.

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