Often, the wishlist for a remodel is bigger than the budget available.

So, what are the factors that drive the cost of a remodel?  It really comes down to 3 things:

Quantity, Quality and Complexity.

Every project involves some combination of these 3 factors, and each is a driver of cost.

How does Quantity, Quality and Complexity affect your remodeling costs?

Quantity is pretty simple; do a smaller project and it should require less material and less time to construct.   

Quality is obvious in concept, but there’s a little more to it when talking about construction projects.  There is the quality of the raw materials, the quality (or skill) of the labor, and then there’s the type of quality that falls under the heading of ‘doing it the right way’. So, you might ask, ‘can I find somebody cheaper?’  Well, typically cheap pricing is based on cheap work, and nobody wants shoddy workmanship.  Lower quality may equal lower cost in the short term, but usually results in greater cost in the long run- often orders of magnitude greater than the cost of having done it right in the first place.  While we here at MK do not compromise on our high-quality standards, not all other construction companies can say the same (buyer beware).

‘Cheap’ can be expensive, here’s an example.

We recently were called to fix some serious problems this deck was having.  Our clients paid a contractor about ten years ago to construct this deck and railing.  There were a myriad of problems include settling, poor fit and finish to the composite railing system and those weird looking metal brackets holding the railing posts- just to name a few.   The only way to remedy the problems was to completely rebuild the stairs and landing and re-do almost the entire railing.  In the second photo you get a sense of just how much work was involved.  Basically, in ten years they paid to have their deck built twice.

Before

Complexity can be one of the biggest factors in the cost of a project, and is typically the one that is least understood by the average customer.  Addressing complexity is perhaps the most important benefit of working with a Design/Build firm, as this factor is dealt with in the design with input or oversight from the same entity that is responsible for the construction.  Some examples of complexity can include the type of materials, the way that new work integrates with existing conditions, access to the site or even the conditions set forth by the property owner.  As a Design/Build firm, we can diagnose those factors early and address them with our clients, often times finding a better way to achieve the end result.

If the project you are considering is over budget, it’s not too late to get expert input.  We’ll help you look at the Quality, Quantity and Complexity to find ways to bring costs back in line.  Call us for a consultation today.