Hidden Home Improvement Disasters That Could Ruin Your Budget
If there is one common theme in every home improvement project, then it is this: there will be unforeseen changes and their (possibly huge) costs. Here are some home improvement surprises to add to your budget.
Problems lurking in walls and floors
The most common and largest contingencies tend to be associated with household electrical and plumbing systems. Repairing or upgrading them requires opening (and repairing) walls, floors, and ceilings, possibly over great distances, not to mention fixing the problems themselves. It is also possible that mold, termites and other pests or problems are hiding in these walls and floors. All this usually requires the work of experts.
When you dig a wall or floor, you just don’t know what you will find there. It can identify past work in the home that is out of compliance, such as exposed electrical wires, or simply indicate any obsolete features that need to be replaced, such as old pipes just days away from corrosion. Even simple wall dismantling projects can require a lot of work, from redirecting electrical wires and pipes to installing new structural wall supports (see below).
For example, in what was supposed to be a fairly simple bathroom renovation in my house, contractors discovered that the bathroom sink was clearly in the wrong place (or the bathtub was not oriented correctly with respect to the sink), so it was an additional 2000 dollars for the project. There was mold behind the drywall, which cost another $ 3,000 to remove.
If you have an old home, you might stumble upon old wiring that can cost anywhere from $ 8,000 to $ 15,000 to replace (for a 1,500 to 3,000 square foot home), according to Angie’s List . Despite the fact that the project is expensive, obsolete componentswiring to handle and tube oraluminum componentswiring can be a fire hazard, so you need to get an electrician to check your wiring. Even without catastrophic existing conditions, some electrical projects, such as installing solar panels, require upgraded electrical panels with higher capacity, which can also lead to increased costs.
Solution: don’t open walls or floors … just kidding.
Electrical and plumbing equipment in need of renovation or health hazards that need to be removed (such as mold or asbestos) cannot be avoided. Sooner or later you will have to tackle them, so you can do it during renovations, while the walls (and your wallet) are already open. The best rule of thumb is to assume that something will go wrong. Add about 20% buffer to your project or renovation budget so you have enough to cover any unexpected expenses.
Structural Issues
The first question that renovators ask in front of a demountable wall is: “ Is it load-bearing? “The civil engineer needs to answer this question and explain if it can be circumvented. One contractor quoted me a $ 5,000 estimate just for the architect to draw up plans for the support of the upper floors, the costs of the beams, other materials, and manpower needed to open the wall.
You may encounter similar problems throughout your home, whether it is working around your chimney or finding space around a basement filled with pipes and beams. Projects that remove walls, cut through or through support beams, add rooms, or otherwise affect the integrity of your home should involve an architect or civil engineer. This is one of those times when you should hire a professional, not DIY .
Solution: If your budget doesn’t have room for big changes, use an alternate plan. If you find that the wall you wanted to remove is a structural one, for example, you might consider creating an end-to-end or alternative layout instead of tearing it apart completely.
Devices or features requiring additional support
This industrial refrigerator or commercial range hood may seem like the perfect option for your dream kitchen, but it can also increase your renovation costs – in addition to the cost of the appliances themselves. House Logic explains that a commercial refrigerator can weigh 2–3 times more than the average refrigerator and will require the assistance of a structural engineer to reinforce the floor joists. Large gourmet products will also often reduce storage space, and you may need to upgrade your ventilation system to accommodate commercial hoods.
Also, be careful when adding a kitchen island with electrical outlets – depending on the island’s location, you may need to drill a concrete floor to route wires from island to panel, which could cut your renovation budget by $ 1,000, reports House Logic. … The cost of running new electrical wiring and plumbing, even for simple additions like new overhead work lights or an island cooking sink, can cost $ 2,500 or more, depending on your current setup.
Solution: First, choose the appliances and features that are right for your home (and your area), because using high quality options is unlikely to pay off. Second, ask your contractor what structural changes might be required depending on your choice of device and the cost of those changes. Third, try not to change the placement of any major items in your room or kitchen (for example, moving a gas stove to another wall means moving the gas line and incurring additional costs).
Poorly done previous repairs
When you buy a house and a contractor is renovating it, you never want to hear him say, “What were they thinking when they did this?” but it happens. You may find that previous owners decided to coat the parquet flooring under your carpet with layers of vinyl tile with decals. You may find that they willy-nilly lay pipes throughout the house. You can find many other tactics that cut corners (or break the rules), such as faux wood paneling with poor wallpaper.
According to Angie List, if you hear a knocking noise every time you shower, it is a sign of poor water supply outside the walls, most likely caused by the rattling of improperly fastened pipes as water flows through them. It might be a quick fix, or you might have to install completely new plumbing fixtures. You won’t know until you open and look.
Solution: Like floors and walls, it’s hard to deal with when the problem is already in your hands. If you are buying a home, apart from taking a close look at the home, consider what the motivation and likelihood might have been that the landlord would keep the home in good condition (the home I bought was previously rented out, which is why there were so many cheap upgrades). If you’ve already bought the place, prioritize projects that will tidy up your home and prevent further damage. After that, you probably want to focus on the rooms you live in every day that will most influence future buyers: the kitchen, bathrooms, and living spaces. To stay within your budget, know where to spend and where to save on renovations and projects that are likely to add value to your home .
Also, don’t add previous poorly made home improvements with your own versions if you don’t have the skills. And check the contractor carefully to make sure you don’t run into similar issues.
While many of these home improvement surprises are unavoidable, if you catch them early on, you can get on with your work and hopefully don’t waste your remodeling budget.