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Ariel Skelley/Getty Images May 25, 2022 Zach Wichter is a former mortgage reporter at Bankrate.
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Sophie Martin 1 minutes ago
In this crazy housing market, more homebuyers are seriously considering fixer-uppers, or settling fo...
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Noah Davis 14 minutes ago
The categories she identified more or less fall in order of necessity: structural renovations, funct...
In this crazy housing market, more homebuyers are seriously considering fixer-uppers, or settling for properties that may not have everything they want or need from the day they move in — to say nothing of those who are and other contingencies in their contracts, which could lead to even more surprises on closing day. If you recently bought a house that , the crucial first step is getting a handle on exactly what work needs to be done (versus what would just be nice to have) and how much those must-do items will cost. When budgeting, it’s helpful to think of these projects in three broad buckets, according to Liz Lovery, an interior design and DIY social media influencer who participated in a .
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Nathan Chen 36 minutes ago
The categories she identified more or less fall in order of necessity: structural renovations, funct...
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Ella Rodriguez 28 minutes ago
It includes things like the foundation, walls, floors, roof, windows and doors, all of which need to...
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Evelyn Zhang Member
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The categories she identified more or less fall in order of necessity: structural renovations, functional/systemic renovations and interior renovations. Here’s what you need to know about each home renovation category, and how to plan for related projects.
Structural home renovations
You don’t have a house without a structure, which is why this is category number one.
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Natalie Lopez 32 minutes ago
It includes things like the foundation, walls, floors, roof, windows and doors, all of which need to...
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Kevin Wang 48 minutes ago
“Are we talking about repairs, routine maintenance or home improvement?” he says. Repairs come f...
It includes things like the foundation, walls, floors, roof, windows and doors, all of which need to be in a state of good repair to ensure your habitat is inhabitable — and stays safely livable for the long term. You should also consider why you’re doing the work, says Ari Rasekh, co-founder of , an app that helps homeowners keep track of their property’s maintenance needs.
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Scarlett Brown Member
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“Are we talking about repairs, routine maintenance or home improvement?” he says. Repairs come first. “Routine maintenance is to avoid a repair and home improvement is by nature more optional.
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Charlotte Lee 94 minutes ago
When I look at prioritizing, I look at those factors.” While some structural projects can be more ...
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Of course, the costs will depend on the size and location of your home, the materials you choose and...
When I look at prioritizing, I look at those factors.” While some structural projects can be more of a wish-list item, like adding an extension to your home, the majority of them fall into the vital-repair category: Work that tends to be more necessary than discretionary, like dealing with a leaky roof or a seriously cracked foundation. There’s a huge amount of variability, price-wise, with structural projects. For example, typically costs between $5,601 and $11,729, while replacing windows costs between $175 and $1,800 , according to Angi, the contractor search service site.
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Isabella Johnson Member
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Of course, the costs will depend on the size and location of your home, the materials you choose and local labor charges. You should always build a little extra into the budget, too.
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Andrew Wilson 15 minutes ago
Since the start of the pandemic, shortages and supply-chain problems have caused construction materi...
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Since the start of the pandemic, shortages and supply-chain problems have caused construction material costs to rapidly increase, with costing between $12 and $20 per panel, according to HomeAdvisor powered by Angi, nearly a over 2021 prices, per the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). Rasekh says doing regular maintenance can help homeowners avoid more serious and expensive sudden repairs. He advises his customers to budget between 1 and 4 percent of their property’s value for maintenance every year.
Functional systemic home renovations
This next-most-important category includes systems that keep your home functioning: plumbing; heating, cooling and ventilation (HVAC); electrical wiring; and other necessities.
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Ryan Garcia 4 minutes ago
Repairs in this category can still be urgent. If your toilet is spraying water all over your bathroo...
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Lucas Martinez Moderator
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Repairs in this category can still be urgent. If your toilet is spraying water all over your bathroom, for example, you’ll want to address that ASAP. Even updates to small fixtures can be extremely important.
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“There are over 25,000 fires in the U.S. each year where smoke alarms were present and should have been working but failed to do so,” Rasekh says.
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Grace Liu 38 minutes ago
Once again, costs for systemic repairs can vary widely by location, materials and other factors abou...
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Much of that price goes towards labor. It can be hard to anticipate when one of your home’s vital ...
Once again, costs for systemic repairs can vary widely by location, materials and other factors about your home. A costs between $5,000 and $12,500, while (replacing pipes or running new ones) costs between $2,280 to $5,120 on average, depending on the size of the property.
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Natalie Lopez 22 minutes ago
Much of that price goes towards labor. It can be hard to anticipate when one of your home’s vital ...
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“Putting aside contingency for those types of scenarios and being on top of your preventative main...
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Mia Anderson Member
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Much of that price goes towards labor. It can be hard to anticipate when one of your home’s vital systems will need a repair, which is why Rasekh says it’s important to always have emergency funds in the bank.
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James Smith 66 minutes ago
“Putting aside contingency for those types of scenarios and being on top of your preventative main...
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“Putting aside contingency for those types of scenarios and being on top of your preventative maintenance can really save you in the long -run,” he says.
Interior home renovations
By nature, interior renovations are the most discretionary, but they’re also often the most exciting for new homeowners. Part-functional and part-decorative, they include things like new paint, appliances, hardware, window treatments, furnishings and fixtures — all the design-for-living elements that make a house a home.
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Amelia Singh 6 minutes ago
This category is also where cost can be the most variable because homeowners have an almost infinite...
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Henry Schmidt 9 minutes ago
For example, a (changing both the size/layout and features of the room) averages between $25,000 and...
This category is also where cost can be the most variable because homeowners have an almost infinite array of styles, materials and finishes of various qualities to choose from. You can spend as little as $195 on a new bathtub, or as much as $500,000 on a chandelier. Of course, interior renovations also often include upgrades in the structural or systemic categories as well, which can make superficial home improvements or renovation projects more expensive.
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Ryan Garcia 73 minutes ago
For example, a (changing both the size/layout and features of the room) averages between $25,000 and...
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Lucas Martinez 16 minutes ago
In general, interior renovations are the lowest priority. A or peeling paint may be annoying to look...
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Liam Wilson Member
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For example, a (changing both the size/layout and features of the room) averages between $25,000 and $40,000, while a similar runs $10,000 to $25,000. While it’s discretionary, you have to be disciplined with this category, since it’s so easy to overspend — especially when stylistic changes start involving structural ones.
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Lucas Martinez Moderator
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In general, interior renovations are the lowest priority. A or peeling paint may be annoying to look at, but it won’t force you out of your home like a wall that has lost its structural integrity.
Other home renovation tips
Home renovation is a huge undertaking, and almost invariably takes more time and costs more money than homeowners expect.
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Madison Singh Member
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Rasekh says it’s a good idea to set 20 to 30 percent of the total cost of your project aside for the unexpected — that’s up to 30 percent on top of the project’s original cost estimate. He adds that it’s important to get multiple bids, especially if you’re getting ready for a major renovation.
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Chloe Santos Moderator
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“Get a few different contractors in there, you’ll learn from them, not just for price comparison’s sake, but also the factors to consider,” Rasekh says. “Make sure you’re not overextending yourself too much financially.”
The bottom line on home renovation budgeting
Home renovations are a big undertaking, and can involve many twists and turns, fast decisions and nasty surprises.
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Christopher Lee 150 minutes ago
Whether you opt to divide your budget into three buckets — structural, functional and internal —...
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Whether you opt to divide your budget into three buckets — structural, functional and internal — or use some other approach, the important thing is to plan, and anticipate. Organize your projects early and allocate your spending carefully. And stick to your budget, being sure to set money aside for the issues that invariably pop up.
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SHARE: Zach Wichter is a former mortgage reporter at Bankrate. He previously worked on the Business desk at The New York Times where he won a Loeb Award for breaking news, and covered aviation for The Points Guy. Troy Segal is Bankrate's Senior Homeownership Editor, focusing on everything from upkeep and maintenance to building equity and enhancing value.
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