Question for Home Builders/ Remodeling guys

[macdawg]

I'm looking at a house with 1135sq ft upstairs and about 540sq ft downstairs.

I'd like to add hardwood flooring to the majority of the upstairs including putting wood flooring on the stairs, how much would that cost?

All new kitchen counters in a fairly large kitchen would cost how much? Some kind of granite tile/marble tile would be nice.

price for new thermopane windows for the whole house?

new deck sliding door?

new light fixures?

paint the house?

new interior doors?

new carpet downstairs (about 500sq feet)

Lastly, a 20'x16' deck, non elevated?

Am I looking at 10 grand here? 30 grand? More?

[Mr. Flopnuts]

Paging Phil. Phil to the customer service counter please.

[Brock]

Hired labor would put that well above 20 grand, IMO. Just in labor.

[DaneMcCloud]

Am I looking at 10 grand here? 30 grand? More?

In my experience, I'd say at least $30k.

[Iowanian]

Where at? What kind of wood for flooring? real hardwood or laminate?
How many windows, big ones? What quality?
You can get cheap, simple light fixtures...or $300 Hunter Ceileing fans.
Redo the kitchen? Counters and cabinets? You could spend $2500-$10k there without blinking.

Windows will cost 250-300 each on average, plus install per hole, plus any flashing/trim etc...

You doing the labor? Hiring contractors?

The deck alone will be $3k or more.


How ever much you determine it will cost....add 40%.

[MahiMike]

"I'm looking at a house with 1135sq ft upstairs and about 540sq ft downstairs."

Sounds top heavy.

[Stewie]

Why would you buy a house like that if you're not a do-it-yourselfer?

[MahiMike]

Depends on the neighborhood and the labor. As soon as you say granite, then I figure you're looking to have quality throughout. I've re-habbed a dozen homes but never done granite. For that, you can either buy custom made or have 12" pieces laid out. One's twice the price of the other.

Windows are expensive but I called Windows Direct and they installed 14 vinyl, double-paned windows for $3200.

Expect to spend 50% on materials and 50% on labor. I typically have my crew do whatever they can and what's left (like windows, carpet) I get a separate estimate.

[Iowanian]

I'm about 3/4 done with a home project, can do alot of it myself....and have over the last year+. I regularly ask myself wtf I was thinking, and stopped watching house-flip shows that make projects look too easy.

I have turned a relative turd into a pretty nice home though.

[macdawg]

going to try and answer here:

Where at? What kind of wood for flooring? real hardwood or laminate?
How many windows, big ones? What quality?
Johnson County, northern side, shawnee, roeland park,prarie village area, real hardwood, probably about 14 windows, want high quality stuff, where it can fold down away from the wall for cleaning, etc.
Redo the kitchen? Counters and cabinets?
no new cabinets but new counters, and the tile the lower part of the walls where the meet the kitchen counter.

Sounds top heavy.
I don't think the numbers I quoted included the garage, or laundry room, just finished basement area

Why would you buy a house like that if you're not a do-it-yourselfer?
My do-it-yourself and remodeling experience includes nothing more than watching house flipping shows. I would only be able to personally do the easiest projects without help from someone who knows what they are doing. Reason why I am wondering the cost of these things is this, I put in an offer on a house, I am paying a little more per square foot than what is normal in the area, and I'm also paying about 30k more than what they bought the house for a few years ago. They are contractors and I'm basically buying a flipped house. Roof is new, plus everything I mentioned, nice, nice counter tops, real hardwood flooring (not laminate) that is stunning enough to make me want to buy the house. But no one wants to feel like over-paying for a flipped house. The house was off the market in 2 months, listed for 180, then dropped to 175, then I got closing costs & paid 172 for it and 5.5% fixed rate. They bought it for 144 & did all this to it. So I guess after they did all this price went up 28k. FHA appraisal said it was worth 173,950. I was told by my realtor its illegal by federal law for appraisers to inflate home appraisals and appraise homes for more than they are worth. But I'm a first time buyer, I fail to see how appraising is an exact science, I love the house and all the upgrades and its a classy house but once I found out I'm paying 28k more than what it went for a few years ago I'm not as confident in my choice.

[MahiMike]

Do all the shopping, painting and landscaping. Let your guys do the rest.

[Iowanian]

Appraisals are based off of comparable sales.

They find sales of at least 3-4 other homes with similar square footage, bedrooms(# and size) bathrooms, garage and condition within a certain amount of time, in the same area that are "normal arms length transactions". There are other factors, such as condition and amenities....but thats how they come up with their numbers.

[Valiant]

I'm looking at a house with 1135sq ft upstairs and about 540sq ft downstairs.

I'd like to add hardwood flooring to the majority of the upstairs including putting wood flooring on the stairs, how much would that cost?

All new kitchen counters in a fairly large kitchen would cost how much? Some kind of granite tile/marble tile would be nice.

price for new thermopane windows for the whole house?

new deck sliding door?

new light fixures?

paint the house?

new interior doors?

new carpet downstairs (about 500sq feet)

Lastly, a 20'x16' deck, non elevated?

Am I looking at 10 grand here? 30 grand? More?

I like colored/designed concrete flooring for basements.. thats just me though..

[RJ]

I can address the wood and carpet questions.

Carpet prices range from about $2.00-$6.00 per s/f, installed with pad. My average customer is probably spending from $3-4, installed with a reasonaby good pad. Most of my business is residential remodel, like yourself. As flooring prices go, carpet is your least expensive option assuming you don't want to do your own installation.

Wood floors have a very wide range of prices and labor costs will vary based on the specifics of your job. Also, a good wood installer will charge considerably more for the stair labor than the rest of the floor. If you're just looking for a ballpark number, I'd figure an installed price for a decent wood with all the stair noses and various moldings to come in around $10 a s/f. You might spend less, you might spend more, but that should be close enough to create an approximate budget.

If you're looking for ways to cut the costs, you might consider carpet on the stairs. The difference is significant.

Depending on your taste and your wallet, you could easily drop 15K on carpet and wood.

[Coach]

Question.

Is basement finished or unfinished?

[MIAdragon]

I like colored/designed concrete flooring for basements.. thats just me though..

Ive seen several high end countertops done in that, it looked great.

[DaneMcCloud]

I spent $10k on kitchen cabinets and installation, $5k on granite countertops, $10 per square foot installed for wood and/or tile flooring, $500-750 per window (Jeld-Wen dual glaze, high solar not including installation).

I hope this helps.

[Valiant]

I spent $10k on kitchen cabinets and installation, $5k on granite countertops, $10 per square foot installed for wood and/or tile flooring, $500-750 per window (Jeld-Wen dual glaze, high solar not including installation).

I hope this helps.

Is this California cost of living prices??

Could be couple k cheaper if he is in the midwest..

[DaneMcCloud]

Is this California cost of living prices??

Could be couple k cheaper if he is in the midwest..

Yes, but I think it's pretty consistent across the board.

If anything, labor is less expensive in SoCal due to all of the available contractors and workman. Plus, it's extremely popular to buy and flip here. Some people have seriously made a fortune doing so.

[Phobia]

Yeah, that's a lot of work. $25-35k easy. We might be able to help depending on your timeline. Drop me a PM if you're interested.

[Phobia]

Ive seen several high end countertops done in that, it looked great.

We've been doing concrete countertops for a couple years. I'm moving more and more into a daily sales and administrative role in my company but I still get dirty when it's time to fabricate some custom concrete counters. For some reason I really get a kick out of that.

[SAUTO]

We've been doing concrete countertops for a couple years. I'm moving more and more into a daily sales and administrative role in my company but I still get dirty when it's time to fabricate some custom concrete counters. For some reason I really get a kick out of that.

DO YOU have to seal the concrete. i've been kicking around the granite thought for a while. have a friend who installs granite, but who knows how that will go. you know what i mean?

[Phobia]

A lot of people leave their concrete unsealed and let it build a patina. But I seal it most the time, yes.

[cdcox]

We've been doing concrete countertops for a couple years. I'm moving more and more into a daily sales and administrative role in my company but I still get dirty when it's time to fabricate some custom concrete counters. For some reason I really get a kick out of that.

On one of the DIY shows (Kitchen Rennovations, if I remember correctly) I saw them do concrete counter tops a couple weeks ago. They poured them into a melamine mold. They even made a concrete sink using an inner and outer mold.

The thing that struck me was that they didn't do any sanding. If I remember correctly, when you did your first concrete counter a few years ago, you sanded it for a long, long time (40 hours to 60 hours?). Do you still do that? Any comments on this short cut method?

[SAUTO]

A lot of people leave their concrete unsealed and let it build a patina. But I seal it most the time, yes.

do you have to seal it occasionally?or just once? what about price compared to granite? what about the bacteria in the pores of unsealed concrete?

[Phobia]

do you have to seal it occasionally?or just once? what about price compared to granite? what about the bacteria in the pores of unsealed concrete?

You seal it periodically, yes. Similar to granite. Yes, for kitchen use I would definitely seal. Basement bar or bathroom? You could do the patina thing.

[SAUTO]

You seal it periodically, yes. Similar to granite. Yes, for kitchen use I would definitely seal. Basement bar or bathroom? You could do the patina thing.

what about cost compared to granite(sorry for all the q's) how long to knock out some countertops?

[Phobia]

On one of the DIY shows (Kitchen Rennovations, if I remember correctly) I saw them do concrete counter tops a couple weeks ago. They poured them into a melamine mold. They even made a concrete sink using an inner and outer mold.

The thing that struck me was that they didn't do any sanding. If I remember correctly, when you did your first concrete counter a few years ago, you sanded it for a long, long time (40 hours to 60 hours?). Do you still do that? Any comments on this short cut method?

I didn't have any of the proper tools at the time. Now I can get my sanding done in a couple hours.

Those DIY shows are all crap. They condense 20 hours of work into a 20 minute show. They sanded it. They just didn't show you.

The more sanding you do the more aggregate and color undulations you can expose. I like to sand it. It makes for a more natural looking product in the end.

[Phobia]

what about cost compared to granite(sorry for all the q's) how long to knock out some countertops?

More expensive than cheap granite. Cheaper than high end granite. Big kitchen? $75-85 sq ft. Small project will be a little more.

[SAUTO]

More expensive than cheap granite. Cheaper than high end granite. Big kitchen? $75-85 sq ft. Small project will be a little more.

thanks for the info.:clap:

[Manila-Chief]

You seal it periodically, yes. Similar to granite. Yes, for kitchen use I would definitely seal. Basement bar or bathroom? You could do the patina thing.

It's interesting that granite has to be resealed.

Gotta a question about concret ... can you sit hot pans on it?

[Bugeater]

Good lord. Find a different house.

[Coach]

Question.

Is basement finished or unfinished?

?

[Phobia]

It's interesting that granite has to be resealed.

Gotta a question about concret ... can you sit hot pans on it?

Sure, it won't hurt the concrete but it can damage the sealant/wax, depending on the product(s) you choose.

I'm partial to build-in trivets.

http://www.concretenetwork.com/photo-gallery/images/400x400Max/countertops_2/90016-ca-dewulf-concrete-concrete-drain-board-trivet_10982.jpg

[macdawg]

basement is finished