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Understand the pitfalls with “Ballpark Figures” in remodeling.
by Matt Blank
Curiosity led to some of the greatest discoveries mankind has known… and it also killed the beloved cat. Many Lancaster, PA homeowners have thought about remodeling projects for their home, finishing the basement, kitchen renovations, adding a bathroom or family room; but they rarely have any idea what the price tag will be. This isn’t a bad thing. Someone without construction experience rarely understands the remodeling process puzzle, and more importantly, how the pieces fit together: design, selections, demolition, framing, drywall, electrical, plumbing, inspections, etc, etc etc.
This leads to the inevitable question: “How much will my bathroom remodel cost?”. If not their bathroom, then remodeling their kitchen, finishing their basement, adding a room addition…
The difficulty with ballpark figures is the idea that a remodeling project is an item like a car or computer – one product sold by many vendors. Carpentry is a custom art, not just a skilled trade. A company may sell a new bathroom “system”, but that isn’t a custom renovation project.
Custom: No two projects or remodeling companies are the same. The design you choose and the selections you make will determine the cost of your project.
A general contractor may be able to give you an average price for similar jobs; unfortunately “average price” for all of their kitchens, etc, does not mean the same thing as the “ballpark figure” for your specific project. A price range is a reasonable request, just understand what those numbers mean.
Understanding "Ballpark Figure" Ranges:
-Low Price – You think this price is great! However, keep in min this is the bare bones, everything goes right price. Until we actually get in there and see what's going on, we never really know what work will be involved. Beware when the actual proposal comes back and you are shocked to find the price higher than this.
Or worse, the contractor gives you a lowball “estimate” just to get the job, then you steadily watch the price rise. Learn the warning signs of these Horror Stories.
-High Price – This is usually for a higher end, more expensive selections and design. Beward that you are not scared off from the project before you even discuss what can be done within your budget.
Where to start:
Cost vs. Value for Harrisburg/Lancaster/York. This guide will help you begin to understand the average cost of several different project categories and how much you can expect to recoup in home value on your remodeling investment.
Click here for tips on how to find and interview experienced contractors.
About: Matt & Mike Blank of MBC Building & Remodeling, LLC have been making homes happy since 1999. We have hundreds of satisfied remodeling clients across Ephrata, Lititz, Landsiville, Millersville and everywhere else in Lancaster County.
Meet Mike Blank, CGR CAPS, President of MBC
Families are much like “chills”… they’re multiplyin’! Having a common area to spend time with your loved ones, that’s important. We have helped many Lancaster County, PA families realize their dream space.
The first thing you must ask yourself about a family room is – where do we put it?
When considering your home, you may wonder where the best spot is. Below we discuss your 3 main options:
Basement – For years, basements have been home to the family room area – a big TV and sound system to watch all the big games and blockbuster movies. You can practically double your livable square footage. Or, as MBC says, make your available space more livable.
Don’t Forget: You will need an egress window or door to the outside for fire escape, or be putting one in, to secure a building permit.
Addition – Family room additions come in many shapes and sizes; in-laws quarters added off the1st floor, build a 2nd story, or a family area above and garage below – you have many options to consider here. Your budget, your homes style and lot space will help determine the best choice for your situation.
Tip: Check our Addition Cost Calculator for some basic pricing ideas.
Take down an interior wall – is there a pesky wall between the dining and living rooms? We often take down walls to open up space. A header board will need to be installed if any of the walls are load bearing. This will allow you more space to entertain and always be in the same room.
Design tip: light colors & mirrors help open up a room visually.
Home addition, in-laws quarters, basement or taking down walls? MBC Building & Remodeling, LLC can help you figure out is best for your situation! Contact us for a free consultation! Serving Lancaster County, PA, including Manheim, Millersville, Lancaster, Manheim Township, Lititz, Landisville, Lampeter and everywhere in between!
By Matt Blank
What’s hot… and what’s not… in kitchen and bathroom design and remodeling for 2013?
From National Kitchen & Bath Association:
“As we settle into 2013 and a seemingly healthier national economy, some kitchen and bath design trends continue to flourish, while consumer budgets for these projects appear to have shrunk just a bit. To get specific —
* Gray color schemes in both kitchens and baths have witnessed a dramatic escalation since 2010, particularly over the past year. Used currently in 55% of kitchens and 56% of bathrooms, shades of gray are growing in appeal, creating chic, sophisticated spaces that many consumers desire.
* Also, continuing an important trend from last year, transitional-style kitchens and baths have clearly surpassed traditional styles, a longstanding favorite until 2012.
* While the use of quartz finishes was in slight decline last year, it has surfaced as a clear trendsetter this year, coming a close second to granite.
* Homeowner spending on their kitchen and bath remodels was trending upward a year ago, but the latest numbers tell a slightly less robust story. Heading into 2012, the total cost of the average kitchen and the average bath design was $51,050 and $18,575, respectively. As we move into 2013, the figures have dipped to $47,308 in kitchens, while staying steady at $18,538 in bathrooms.
Over 300 National Kitchen & Bath Association member-designers participated in the 2013 NKBA Design Trends Survey, reporting the materials, product types, and styles that they specified in their kitchen and bath designs over the final three months of 2012. While broad trends won’t be evident in every local market, the following are the top overall trends that emerged for kitchens and baths across the United States and Canada.”
General Kitchen & Bathroom Trends for 2013
- Shades of Grey
- Quartz Counters
- Trending “Transitional” Style (a seamless blend of traditional and contemporary)
2013 Kitchen Remodeling Trends
- White Painted Cabinetry
- Glass Backsplash
- LED/Energy Efficient Lighting
- Touch-activated faucets
- Satin Nickel finish faucets on the rise
2013 Bathroom Remodeling Trends
- Ceramic/Porcelain tile flooring.
- Undermounted sinks remain the most requested in bathrooms.
Average Total Costs: No Growth
NKBA members did not see any increase in the average costs of their bathrooms and kitchens. Kitchens actually fell by .08% (around $3700 less than 2012). Bathrooms sunk even less - .017% (about $300 less than 2012). While no growth sounds like a bad thing, these numbers are up thousands of dollars from the bottom of 2011.
You can view and download the complete 2013 report here.
When you want to make your ideas a reality, call MBC Building & Remodeling, LLC in Lancaster County, PA for the Kitchen or Bathroom of your dreams!
Budget: A major step, and one of the first places you should start is developing an investment budget for the project. This isn’t always easy; without experience in these types of large home addition projects, you may have no idea what to expect. If you aren’t sure where to even begin, try our Addition Cost Calculator.
Style: Maintaining the style and aesthetics of your current home are very important when considering an addition. You do not want an eyesore stuck to your house just to cut costs – it is better to be patient and save so you can do it right the first time. Potential buyers will notice this right away… and will keep on moving.
Create a Wish List to start: Bring ideas to the meeting. Involve your family members as much as possible in the interior designing, colors, flooring, bathroom fixtures and all of the other selections made during the design phase. This is a fun family activity, but also since they will be the one living there, their input is important. An experienced contractor can help you make the right choices to keep your budget intact while making sure of a win-win-win project design process.
Location: Should we go off the back? Add a 2nd story? What about a master suite and garage addition? Maybe we should do a garage conversion? You might have several options as to where to put the addition; or you may not. Working with an experience general contractor will give you some trusted guidance as to the pros and cons and feasibility of the different addition placement options you are considering.
Choosing Your General Contractor: Have they done the type of addition you are looking for? Putting a room on the back of a house is not the same as opening up the roof to add a second story. Always ask for work samples, state registration information and references. Check their website for evidence they have the quality and experience you desire.
From Lititz to Conestoga, Columbia to Manheim, MBC Building & Remodeling, LLC knows Lancaster County, PA home additions.
After the hustle and bustle of
the daily grind, we all deserve to come home to a luxurious place to
unwind. Your home’s bathroom, although often overlooked, could be your
personal retreat.
While planning a bathroom makeover, it’s best to start from the ground up. The floor
is the priority, because it’s the most permanent part of the room.
Options range from luxury vinyl, to natural stone, to porcelain or
ceramic tile, to marble. Tiles and marble may have a higher price tag,
but they are durable and long-lasting. Vinyl on the other hand, is a
lesser expensive option for a remodel, especially coupled with the
intent to sell.
The right style and color of
flooring can also make a bathroom feel much larger than it is. A
light-colored marble floor with a thin, complementary-colored vein adds
luxury, while also keeping the space fresh and airy.
Cabinetry is
the next step in the remodel design and has the potential to be the
largest cost in your budget. A cost-saving alternative is to give your
current cabinets a facelift with a coat of bright, white lacquer.
Another option is to reface
your current cabinets. This involves replacing or upgrading the cabinet
door and drawer fronts and retaining the cabinet base. If the existing
cabinets can not be maintained, there are many styles to choose from,
including custom-made wood cabinets, oak panels washed in white,
mirror-on-mirror treatments, warm pecan-stained oak, contemporary metal
drawers or soft frosted glass panels.
Selecting the countertops is your next step. Often times, marble or granite can be purchased at a discount from a stone scrap yard.
Laminate or Formica are two
other great options, which will give you similar look to marble or
granite at a fraction of the cost.
The finishing details and accessories have the ability to take a nicely remodeled bathroom and make it into your luxury get-away.
Hardware is a
simple way to add your personal touch and style. Whether it’s modern
with clean lines or old and vintage, it’s about what makes you happy.
Let the sunshine in! A
skylight may be just what you need to allow natural light into your
space. A skylight is also quite private.
For windows that need a covering, bamboo or other natural fibers add tranquility and warmth, while allowing natural light to pass through.
Turning your bathroom into your
personal retreat is all about reflecting your style, attention to
detail and selecting the right materials.
Fact: You get what you pay for when remodeling.
Car Sense is a no-haggle way to
buy the car you want. You research the make & model, and you can
trust great service and the right price. Many inexperienced homeowners
treat remodeling they same way; they decide it’s time for a new kitchen,
and all they need to do is shop around for the lowest price.
Remodeling is not a product and
it definitely isn’t a commodity – it is a service, plain and simple.
This is sometimes easily forgotten, especially in an era when Carpentry
is not given it’s proper due as a professional trade; it was in fact
once considered the artist’s trade.
No two remodelers are the same…
no two remodels are the same either. Deciding you are building a
kitchen addition isn’t the same as deciding on the new Samsung TVs. It’s
more like computers- brands, not models. What you save buying an off
brand can easily cost you when the product quickly fails and you are
left at square one.
MBC Building & Remodeling, LLC spends a lot of time discussing best practices for choosing a remodeler in and around Lancaster County, PA.
We hear so many Horror stories, even locally, from homeowners who thought all builders were the same, and that amazing low price was just their luck…
How many horror stories do you
need to hear to realize that ‘too good to be true’ lowball offer is just
that. And having a true professional contractor to come after and fix
the subpar work the cheap guy completed (or didn’t…) is going to cost
more to fix than to do it right the first time.
What To Do
What do you want – the Lincoln, the Ford… or the Lemon? Considerations for choosing your remodeling contractor based on Quality and Value – NOT price alone.
1. Better materials
– this is often a main thing not considered by the average remodeling
client, especially the first-timers out there. Also consider pricing is
low due to big Home Improvement warehouses carry lower quality product
lines.
2. Better craftsmanship – higher % increase of home value after project.
3. Better warranty – Most contractors offer no warranty. Some offer a year.
(P.S. MBC offers 5-years.)
4. Peace of mind
– You need to trust this person and their crew inside your home, around
your family, your pets, and with the fact you are paying them at work
intervals and/or start of phases and not all up front. PA State Law allows no more than 1/3 down payment, excluding special order items.
Ask Your Yourself:
• Is a professional someone who makes money… or pays taxes?
• Gives their employees 100% health insurance coverage?
