What Does Remodeling Really Cost?
Understand realistic kitchen and bathroom investment ranges, Good / Better / Best material budgets, where the money goes and why similar projects can have very different prices.
dRemodeling Learning Center
Plan Your Remodel With Confidence
Remodeling comes with a lot of questions.
How much should you budget? Where should you start? What materials should you choose? Should you change the layout? How long will construction take? How do you compare contractors and proposals?
The dRemodeling Learning Center brings together practical answers based on nearly two decades of designing and remodeling Philadelphia-area homes.
Whether you're just beginning to explore an idea or preparing to start construction, use these guides to understand the decisions ahead and make them with greater confidence.
START HERE
Not Sure Where to Begin?
Three starting points cover the questions homeowners usually need answered first: investment, process and preparation.
Explore Remodeling Costs
What Happens From First Conversation to Final Walkthrough?
Learn how discovery, the in-home visit, showroom consultation, design, material selections, construction and project completion work together.
What Should I Do Before I Start?
Learn how to establish priorities, think about budget, define your scope and prepare for the decisions that come before construction.
Browse by Topic
Explore the Learning Center
Costs & Budgeting
Understand what goes into a remodeling budget before major design decisions begin.
View GuidesPlanning Your Remodel
The decisions made before demolition often have the greatest influence on how smoothly a remodel goes.
No published guides in this topic.
Kitchen Remodeling
From layout and cabinetry to appliances, lighting and storage, learn what goes into planning a kitchen around the way you live.
- Illuminating Your Kitchen: A Comprehensive Guide to Lighting Design and Remodeling
- Bright and Modern Stainless Steel Kitchen Renovation
- The Kitchen as a Work of Art: Achieving Lightness with Dark Cabinetry
Bathroom Remodeling
Learn how layout, plumbing, waterproofing, tile, fixtures and shower design affect both experience and investment.
- Eclectic Master Bath Update
- Bathroom Remodeling 101: It’s Amazing What the Right Tile Combo Can Do!
- Not Sure If Your Bathroom Really Needs Remodeling?
Design & Materials
Beautiful materials matter, but understanding how products work together matters even more.
No published guides in this topic.
Construction & What to Expect
Understand what is happening behind the walls and what homeowners should expect while construction is underway.
No published guides in this topic.
More Topics From Our Blog
THE HOMEOWNER'S REMODELING GUIDE
An Idea That Started Years Ago
Years ago, dRemodeling founder Dan Dragomir began writing a book to help homeowners understand remodeling before they found themselves in the middle of it. The goal was simple: share lessons learned from real projects so homeowners could make better decisions and have a less stressful remodeling experience. Those original ideas now become part of the dRemodeling Learning Center.
Why Are You Remodeling?
Before choosing cabinets or tile, understand the problem you are trying to solve.
Establishing the Budget
How to think about the complete investment, not simply a contractor labor number.
Design Before Construction
Why good design decisions should happen before demolition begins.
Understanding Labor & Construction
What homeowners are actually paying for when they hire a professional remodeling team.
Finish Materials
Cabinetry, tile, countertops, fixtures, lighting and the selections you see every day.
Permits & Inspections
Why requirements matter and why they vary by project and municipality.
Unforeseen Conditions
What cannot reasonably be confirmed before walls and floors are opened.
The Real Cost of the Project
Why the complete project investment is more useful than comparing isolated prices.
Building the Right Team
Designer, project manager, carpenter, plumber, electrician, tile installer and other specialists all play different roles.
Understanding the Contract
Scope, inclusions, exclusions, payment schedules, warranties and change procedures.
Before Construction Starts
Selections, ordering, permits, scheduling, preparation and protecting the home.
Construction Begins
What homeowners should expect once the project becomes an active jobsite.
Helping Your Remodel Run Smoothly
Communication, timely decisions, access and realistic expectations can influence the project experience.
Living Through a Remodel
Dust, noise, temporary inconvenience, pets, kids and maintaining perspective during construction.
The Punch List
What happens near substantial completion and how final items are handled.
Life After Remodeling
Maintenance, warranties and caring for materials in the newly remodeled space.
FEATURED GUIDE
The Philadelphia Homeowner's Guide to Planning a Remodel
Before calling contractors or visiting showrooms, understand the decisions that determine scope, investment and timing.
The complete planning guide and downloadable file have not been supplied.
REMODELING COSTS & BUDGETING
Start With a Realistic Investment
Start with a realistic investment. Our Remodeling Cost Guide explains current planning ranges, Good / Better / Best material budgets, real project examples and the factors that influence total investment.
Hall / Guest Bathroom
$30,000-$45,000+Primary Bathroom
$55,000-$100,000+Kitchen - Similar Footprint
$70,000-$110,000+Kitchen - Layout Changes / Expanded Footprint
$110,000-$180,000+Large Custom / Multi-Room
$150,000+Planning ranges are educational and are not fixed package prices. Individual projects are priced according to design, scope, selections and existing conditions.
Explore Remodeling CostsPOPULAR QUESTIONS
Questions Homeowners Ask Us All the Time
How much should I budget before contacting a remodeler?
You do not need an exact number, but a realistic investment range helps the design conversation begin in the right place.
Should I get three remodeling estimates?
Multiple proposals can be useful only when the scope, design responsibility, materials and construction assumptions are actually comparable.
Can I buy my own materials?
Sometimes, but purchasing responsibility, quantities, shipping, damage, warranties and schedule effects should be understood in advance.
Should design happen before I get a construction price?
Preliminary budgeting can happen early, but detailed pricing becomes more meaningful after the layout, scope and major selections are defined.
How much should I budget for unexpected conditions?
There is no single percentage for every home. Age, prior work and how much structure will be opened all affect risk.
Can we live in the house during remodeling?
Often yes, depending on which rooms are being remodeled, the project duration and your household needs.
Remodeling Resources
Latest From the Learning Center
Philadelphia bathroom remodeling
Remodeling a Space-Challenged Philly Bathroom - a Wink to Modern Trends
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Basement Remodeling
Newtown Square Basement Remodel: From Storage to Fun Hub!
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Philadelphia bathroom remodeling
The 6 Key Design Essentials Necessary to a Contemporary Bathroom!
Contemporary bathroom design revolves around minimalistic, streamlined, yet curvilinear design. The combination of man-made items and natural materials really stand out in contemporary baths. Contemporary baths promote smooth profiles instead of overly ornamented mirrors and vanities.
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Philadelphia bathroom remodeling
What defines a Modern/Transitional Bathroom?
A modern transitional bathroom contains both elements of contemporary/modern design with a more traditional approach. Clean lines and soothing design define transitional baths! A neutral palette, such as tans, beiges, whites, and light grays, tie this look together along with warm wood tones and brushed nickel or stainless finishes.
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Kitchen Remodeling
Shaker Style: Philly's Growing Kitchen Cabinet Trend
Shaker style is a style of furniture and cabinet design that was created by the United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing or “Shakers”. The shakers were a prominent religious society in the 18th and 19th centuries who practiced their faith through craftsmanship. They developed great architectural distinction and were pioneers in furniture making. Their style stressed great importance on simplicity, honesty, and function. In examples of shaker cabinetry you will see natural or painted wood recessed panels, defined by simple, clean lines. One could categorize shaker style into “contemporary transitional”.
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Current Projects
Using Metal Tile Edge Trim in Modern Bathrooms
A current client is looking to achieve a fresh modern look and when it came to the shower bullnose - we explored our options from the traditional tile bullnose. A bullnose is a tile that has one finished edge, typically with a gently rounded edge and used to create a transition between the tile and the wall.
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Kitchen Remodeling
Renovating a 1920's Normand-Style Kitchen
An outdated kitchen in a gorgeous 1920’s Normand-style home was in desperate need for a total revamp to bring it into the 21st century. The hexagonal terra cotta floor was uneven and the ceiling light boxes made the short ceiling seem even more oppressive.
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Design Ideas + Tips
TOP 5 REASONS FOR VARYING CONTRACTOR PRICING
The main reason why homeowners reject contractor proposals is because of price. No matter how emotionally invested homeowners are to their remodeling project, it comes down to the bottom line – cold hard cash. I’ve heard them say, “Even if you do deliver the high quality of work you guarantee, with the professional team that you promise, I’m going to the guy next door – he charges almost half as much as you do.”
Read article
Kitchen Remodeling
KITCHEN STORAGE SOLUTIONS
As time progresses, the goals of kitchen design are changing and evolving. One the most important considerations when designing new kitchen spaces is the growing need for more storage. Kitchen and Bath Design News ranks storage as the second most important consideration in kitchen design, behind only customization.
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Kitchen Remodeling
Perfect Kitchen Design Guidelines
Recommended: In a kitchen with three work centers*, the sum of the three traveled distances should equal no more than 26 feet with no single leg of the triangle measuring less than 4 feet nor more than 9 feet.
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Photoblog: Huntingdon Valley Remodel
dRemodeling recently completed another fabulous project! This project consisted of three different spaces that needed urgent updating: a master bathroom, a guest bathroom, and a powder room. The original spaces were elaborate, but aged, and needed a transformation into modernity
Read articleAsk dRemodeling
Have a remodeling question? Send us a question and it may become a future Learning Center article.
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READY TO PLAN?
Ready to Move From Research to Planning?
Reading can help you understand the process. At some point, the questions become specific to your home. Tell us about the space you're considering remodeling, your goals and your anticipated investment. Our team will review your project before scheduling the next conversation.
Design + Materials + Construction | Serving Philadelphia-Area Homeowners Since 2007
