{design basics} The Cost of Renovating

{Vancouver Special project by Iconstrux}

Recently I’ve had a few conversations with totally different people in which the real costs of
renovating have come up. People are always shocked – terribly comically shocked – when they find the real costs of various items or installation. To be fair, most of what people see about renovating is on TV which never addresses the real value of anything (or real timelines for that matter). And most designers or renovators don’t share this upfront because they don’t want to scare anyone away. This becomes a vicious cycle, because the real numbers then actually do scare people away simply because they’ve never had to consider them before.

Ugh. Reality is such a bitch.

I think it’s important to keep some figures in mind. (And some other designers agree – Ramsin Khachi for example – and I’m sure there are others out there.)

{Vancouver Special project by Iconstrux}

The costs of any given project can range hugely. So here are a few ball park figures:

tile – basic ceramic tile – $5 sq.ft., slate – $20 sq.ft., glass mosaic sq.ft. $25+
quartz or granite countertops $100-$200 per linear foot
sink faucet – $300 (low) to $3000+ (high)
recessed light & installation – $100+
pendant light – $80 to $3000+
Kitchen cabinets – low $3000-$6000, midrange – $6000-$15,000, high $15,000+
Bathroom vanity – $400 (Ikea), $3000 (premade but nicer quality), $6000+ (custom)

These would be material costs alone. You still need a qualified installer or your expensive hardwood floor might end up shrinking away from your baseboards because it wasn’t climatized correctly (a total nightmare).

Obviously there are different levels of quality out there, and there are ways to get “the look” for less. But at the end of the day if you want a luxury kitchen with a built-in Subzero, marble countertops, and custom cabinetry be prepared to pay $100,00+ for your beautiful dream to come true. I’m not suggesting that everyone needs to spend that much on their renovation by the way! I’m simply saying that if nothing but a marble countertop will do, make sure you get yourself a good one and be prepared to pay for it. The same things are true no matter how much money you spend.

{Vancouver Special project by Iconstrux}

With careful planning and quality workmanship, you will still love your project when the stressful renovation period is finally over. In the end, it will have been worth it, because everything was carefully selected by your designer to work together and everything was installed properly by qualified tradespeople. These are the “extras” that people balk at paying for, but believe me, seeing your new glass mosaic tile installed incorrectly is not a mistake that you want to make.

The bottom line is, like with everything else in life, you get what you pay for with your tile, your appliances, your contractors and especially with your design advice.

If you are looking to give your space a dose of fabulosity – whether you are splashing out or on a budget – drop me a line. Check out my Hire Me! page for more details.