Remodeling newbie seeks advice.

[Dora]

We sold our house and we're now on the hunt for our next house, and we're considering a fixer-upper. Is it possible to do an interior update of a 40 year old house for $40K?

I'm estimating it could cost $15K for floors (at 1900 sf), but I don't know what to estimate for cabinets, counters, lighting & plumbing fixtures, etc. Nothing real fancy - formica countertops, for example.

Also, in your experience, how long does it take to do this kind of work? We would not be living in the house while the work is being done, which should ease matters.

:shrug:

[Kingshakabobo]

1. Maybe you can take a generic measurement to Home Depot and get some quotes.

I know you can sit down with an associate and get a quote on the spot for a kitchen. Since this will be your largest expense, the kitchen will be a good place to start. I'm pretty sure you can get a quote for floors too......I never priced any floors at Home Depot.

You probably can't beat their prices on materials but I think their install prices are high.......anyway it's a good place to start.

[Stinky The Clown]

2. $40K is doable .... if you're careful

One big question .... you gunna do this yourself or contract it out? There ar pros and cons to each.

Contract it out - get a guarantee (of sorts), get it done on time (sometimes), get it done right (mostly), pay more for the same result (much more).

DIY - takes forever, no guarantee but at least you know what's been done, many opportunities to learn by making mistakes, save big money (unless you mess it up so bad you have to pay to get it ripped out and redone).

If the work is all cosmetic, the $40K is quite possible. If there's some unforseen problem(s), all bets are off.

One tip about fixer-uppers .... cosmetic neglect in a house is often a sign of more serious deferred maintenance.

[Dora]

3. DIY? No Way!

We would hire a contractor to Manage The Work, and my husband would probably contribute some labor if the contractor is willing. Paying for mistakes concerns me about DIY projects. We've been there.


I'm sure I'll come back here when we know more about the house. I know one thing for certain - whatever we buy - I'm not papering any more floors this year!

[jschurchin]

5. DIY, no way????

Hate to burst your bubble here Dora, but if you think, even for a second, that you can do a top to bottom remodel on a 2,000 sf house for 40k with a contractor...................well then dear, may I have some of what you are smoking?

No seriously here. To be safe I would double your figure, then I would feel comfortable. When you said 15k for flooring(one of the least expensive parts of remodeling) I knew you were in trouble. You would be better off finding a house that has the look you desire that you can move into. But if you insist on going the remodel route, make sure you can borrow enough to do the job correctly. If not, neither you or your husband will be happy. And this, my dear, is not good.

[Dora]

6. Bubble bursting is why I posted,sir.

I'd love to find a ready & perfect house, but I'm keeping my mind open to all possibilities. It's a crazy market here in Austin. It's hot and soft all at the same time - a buyer's market in some areas, and a seller's market in others.

We are blessed with having a close friend who is a contractor. BUT he is too busy this week for me to bounce these kind of questions off of him, which is why I turned to the collective expertise of DU's DIY room.

I'll know more when I can finally get inside the property and get a look at it with my own eyes. Our agent wouldn't let us in until we submitted our app for preapproval - which I did successfully this morning. I hope to see the property tomorrow or this weekend.

All the exterior lines are square to the eye, there's no water collection or flow-through on the property (hilltop), slab foundation, 1967 construction, 4-sides brick veneer with no cracking. Our tastes are frugal with an eye on function and longevity, not design trends. We would probably carpet 2 bedrooms, and do wood or cork in the rest of the house, possibly true linoleum in the kitchen. I know that labor is one of the biggest costs of contracting out this kind of work. We are lucky enough to have some flexibility in terms of how much we decide to use as a down, how much to hold back for updating. The available budget for remodeling could flex to +/- $60K. I'd like to be able to put away a chunk of money into an IRA when all is said and done, which is why I cited $40K as a budget.

Thanks for the input. If you have other thoughts to add, I'd like to hear them.

[jschurchin]

7. I'd be more than happy

to add some thoughts.
And just so you don't think I'm blowing smoke up your behind here is a little about my qualifications. I was a framing carpenter from 1983 to 1987, quit building homes to get an associates in electrical engineering. Didn't care for electricity so started an apprenticeship with a master plumber in 1991. Got my masters plumbers license in 1996 and my universal refrigeration certificate in 1998. I left the building trades in 2004 because of health issues.

Now back to your house. Your kitchen will be your biggest expense. Between cabinets, appliances and plumbing fixtures you should budget between 10-20k. I know it's a wide range and it really depends on your taste. Cabinets are EXPENSIVE, low level will run about 3k, as you add things such as a pantry, built in microwave, built in fridge etc. it can easily go upwards of 7k.
Appliances are also steep. Fridges can go from 500 to 1,500, stoves anywhere from 250 on up, and we need a microwave.
Plumbing fixtures aren't too bad. Dishwasher 250 and up, Sink 100 to 500, faucet 100 and up, disposal 75 to 350.
None of this includes labor, so you can see it will add up quickly.

And Dora, this is just the kitchen.

Please DO NOT let me discourage you, this is not my intent. I am just trying to get you to understand all that is involved in doing a total remodel. Get bid's, LOTS OF THEM. Contractors are hurting in todays construction industry for work. Do not be afraid of collecting a lot of bids. Check reputations, this is very important. You don't want Joe Fly by Night working on your house. Also check on performance bonds. These are guarantees that the work will be done on time and budget.

Good luck with your home Dora. If you have any questions, or just want to tell me to go "F" myself, post it, I check often.

Peace,

John

[Longhorn]

8. Actually, contractors are not hurting for work here in Austin.

At least, my husband is booked through the fall and people continue to call. Clients are willing to wait several months and he's a high-end remodeler. I think it's even harder to find people for the smaller jobs.

[TygrBright]

9. And in the kitchen, don't forget...

...lighting fixtures, and probably re-routing the wiring and increasing the number of outlets available, since people use many, many, many more small appliances now than they did 40 years ago. Ventilation, exhaust fan/hood. Water filtration and/or purification? Good bet that the pipes aren't so hot after 40 years, but if they're still sound you might not want to rip out and replace them all, if you can put in a carbon-filter or reverse osmosis system.

Counters and/or backsplashes. Even formica (best value for money, IMHO,) can be pricey if you have an odd configuration that requires custom fitting/contouring. If there are window(s) and outside door(s) in the kitchen check to see if there are rot issues, kitchens often have moisture problems and fluctuating temperatures that can cause problems over 40 years. You may need to improve insulation or replace frames or even whole windows/doors.

"Real" linoleum, is a wonderful kitchen flooring but can be very pricey compared to the better vinyl and pseudo-wood materials, also good choices.

(not so?) helpfully,
Bright

[TygrBright]

4. Just be certain you get a thorough home inspection...

...by a licensed home inspector who is not trolling for contracting business. Be sure the inspector checks for structural soundness, major systems (HVAC, plumbing, electrical, etc.,) and thoroughly evaluates the house's cladding, roof, and the little stuff like exterior soffits, porch supports, flashings, masonry trim, etc.

If those are all OK, or mostly OK, you can probably manage a kitchen for $40K. Bathrooms might be iffy, but maybe doable if you're not going for anything fancy. Paint might be another coupla grand depending on what's there now. Forget about replacing windows and doors on that budget.

And no matter how carefully you budget, supervise, work with a good contractor, etc., it'll cost 20% more than you plan. Guaranteed. Keep that in mind when you're budgeting.

helpfully,
Bright

[youthere]

10. If you are careful, creative and willing to get your hands dirty...

40K COULD do an entire (interior only) remodel. But not with a contractor. No way. No how.
My husband and I have remodeled our house (2200 sq.ft of old neglected farmhouse) including wiring, plumbing, plaster, paint, carpet etc...but we did ALL the work ourselves with the exception of the carpet we had professionally installed in the living room (it required a seam and we didn't want to mess with it). We've spent considerably less than 40K, but that has been from doing the work ourselves a room at a time AND did not include any work to the upstairs bathroom or the kitchen. In fact, we just had the kitchen plan drawn up this morning and the cabinets alone are going to run us about $8000. The counter top another $1000 and we haven't even looked at flooring. The faucets were around $300 and I KNOW I'm going to need a new dishwasher...keep in mind, this is just material..we're doing the work ourselves.

I'm afraid $40K isn't going to go very far if you are hiring the work done, BUT it might get you a fairly decent kitchen.

[BlackVelvet04]

11. Just to give you an idea of the cost of things:

I just did work in my kitchen....I had a 62" lower cabinet added to the kitchen. It was custom made to match my other cabinets and cost me $1070 for the cabinet. We had new counter tops put on the new cabinet as well as the old cabinets and that cost about $800 (the counter tops are an upgraded etched Formica.) The back splash cost me roughly $525 for labor and materials. That totals $2395. We replaced a light fixture and faucet which was an additional $250. Fortunately my husband could do the light fixture and faucet. We also had to move an outlet which my husband could do as well so I don't know what the electrical work would have cost us.

$2645 for a partial kitchen re-do.