The 5 Most Common ‘Hidden’ Costs of a Renovation (and How to Avoid Them with a Transparent Contractor)

If you've ever looked at your bank account after a renovation and been shocked by the amount you saw, then you've already heard this silent cry of despair. Anyone who has ever started a renovation is sure that it will be cheap and painless, because “I've calculated everything.” But experience quickly teaches us that a budget is an illusion, and hidden renovation costs jump out of every closet. Check out our honest contractor roflerdam guide to where you spend money, even if you don't intend to.

Choice and delivery of building materials—the number of trips is often endless

It's funny to think that the delivery of sand or tiles costs the price “on the website.” The reality: your building doesn't have a freight elevator, and there's never enough time. Plus, there's a separate price tag for delivery, lifting, and if the materials have been sitting in the warehouse for more than a day, there's already a line item for “extra charges.” Prepare for extra late-night calls from movers to save a ton of porcelain from jealous neighbors.

Advanced technology — a hidden subscription to the comfort of the future

It seems simple: buy a “smart” power strip, forget about it. But! Installing the system? Running cables, buying a hub, connecting to the phone, and then discovering that the old Wi-Fi doesn't attract the light stream in the hallway. And that “one-time” gadget brings with it an update of the Internet and the router, and several evenings of disappointment. Voice control is gone, the money is gone — the button remains.

Small bathroom fixtures: no one takes fittings seriously

Plumbers sweep it up easily: the faucet, the pipes... wait, where are the connections for the shower? Where are the elbows, tees, check valves, sealant? Plumbers' stories often turn into a TV series with a confusing plot. And the finale: an amount worth a new chandelier disappears from your wallet for a collection of brass plugs that will sit in your closet until you retire.

Finishing touches: varnish, sealant, decorative wonders

The walls are painted — does that mean that's all there is to it? Not really. Finishing touches tend to eat up the renovation budget during the final stages of repair: varnishes, fillers “for painting,” crack fillers, special primers, decorative plaster. Small jars at the price of large bottles of champagne. Before your eyes, a collection of “useless” but much-needed bottles and tubes appears.

Custom furniture — the final boss of your wallet

Buying a wardrobe? Wonderful. But the reality is this: if the space is not standard, you are in for a custom-made epic. The furniture maker comes, fits it, comes again. He brings the wardrobe — but no one thought about the base, and again about the cost. Plus minor maintenance — sawing, silicone sealant, fasteners, assembly “on site.” This is where even the calmest people start googling: “how much does a pallet bed cost?”

Conclusion

Repair is a marathon in which the winner always pays someone else's rules. The only life hack that works: increase every estimate by at least twenty percent. Make a list—and add a hidden cost item to each item. Because the worst thing is when you don't meet the budget and then sit around chatting in the evening: “But I calculated everything!” The most important thing is always to choose a transparent construction quote!