February 2011
Homeowners have many important questions about their Living Room Restoration Project. How much will it cost? How long will it take? What problem areas do I need to watch out for? Can I recover my Living Room Restoration investment when I sell? Can I do some of the work myself? What can I do to make sure that the work is done right?
Costs, materials and best practices for the example Living Room Restoration project will help you answer these questions. Use this information to develop a budget, bid requirements, hiring contracts and a project plan.
Use the following information to understand your options, make good decisions and get quality work at a fair price.
The approximate costs and value of a typical Living Room Restoration project are summarized below. Use higher estimates for larger metropolitan areas and the lower estimates where home prices are below the national average. Adjust costs for substitutions or refinements in the last section. For size differences of up to 25%, scale total costs in direct proportion to the size of your project. Use the adjusted costs as a basis for setting a material budget and for comparing contractor bids (if you choose to have a professional perform the work).
| Project description | Restore living room. Update flooring, doors, switchplates and decorative hardware to original condition.Install new window treatments. Use above average grade of materials, fabrication and installation quality. Estimated costs do not include furniture and flat screen television. |
| Project size | 205 square feet of renovation |
| Material and labor cost | $6,507 - $7,592 |
| Material cost | $3,285 - $3,833 |
| Do-it-yourself assessment | The typical Living Room Restoration project can be completed by a moderately skilled do-it-yourselfer; as with any project, high quality Living Room Restoration requires attention to detail and careful planning. |
| First year Return on Investment - ROI | Returns vary widely and are affected by the range of home prices in your neighborhood, the overall condition of your home and sensible design choices. A high quality Living Room Restoration project in an appropriate neighborhood can return as much as 77% - 91% of its initial cost. |
| Long term Return on Investment - ROI | Actual returns vary widely and are affected by the range of home prices in your neighborhood, the overall condition of your home and sensible design choices. A good quality Living Room Restoration project in the right neighborhoods can return 61% - 72% of its initial cost. |
| Green rating | Living Room Restoration projects can incorporate renewable or sustainable resources and environmentally friendly materials. |
Review these tips, design suggestions, options and lessons learned before finalizing your Living Room Restoration project plan.
The following list includes major work tasks commonly performed during Living Room Restoration. Use this list to understand the timing and sequence of different steps in the Living Room Restoration project. Click any Task name for a complete written specifications, FAQs and quality checklist for the task - this essential information will help you control Living Room Restoration project cost and quality.
| Task | Service Provider | Duration | Do-it-yourself difficulty | Target cost |
| Develop Living Room Decorating Ideas | Interior Designer | 3 to 5 d | Level 3 - Complex, Difficult | $380 - $635 |
| Prepare Living Room Design | Interior Designer | 3 to 5 d | Level 3 - Complex, Difficult | $380 - $635 |
| Select Living Room Furniture | Interior Designer | 3 to 5 d | Level 2 - Challenging | $285 - $476 |
| Specify Materials | Interior Designer | 2 to 15 d | Level 2 - Challenging | $190 - $317 |
| Remove Carpet | Demolition Laborer | 1 d | Level 1 - Basic | $0.13 - $0.21 per square foot |
| Remove Wallpaper | Painter | 1 to 3 d | Level 1 - Basic | $3.65 - $6.12 per square foot |
| Repair Wall | Drywall and Plaster Contractor | 1 to 3 d | Level 2 - Challenging | $34 - $60 |
| Remove Paint From Wood | Painting Contractor | 1 to 2 d | Level 1 - Basic | $8.45 - $14.37 per square foot |
| Remove Trim Paint | Painting Contractor | 1 to 2 d | Level 1 - Basic | $3.75 - $6.31 per linear foot |
| Refinish Wood Molding | Painting Contractor | 2 to 4 d | Level 3 - Complex, Difficult | $7.45 - $12.52 per linear foot |
| Paint Ceiling | Painting Contractor | 1 to 3 d | Level 2 - Challenging | $0.46 - $0.76 per square foot |
| Paint Living Room | Painting Contractor | 1 to 3 d | Level 2 - Challenging | $0.66 - $1.13 per square foot |
| Refinish Floors | Wood Flooring Refinisher | 2 to 4 d | Level 3 - Complex, Difficult | $0.73 - $1.30 per square foot |
| Install Wallpaper | Wallpaper Installer | 1 d | Level 2 - Challenging | $3.03 - $5.31 per square foot |
| Install Wall Sconce | Electrician | 1 to 2 d | Level 2 - Challenging | $180 - $314 per fixture |
| Install Light Switch | Electrician | 1 d | Level 2 - Challenging | $98 - $165 |
| Install Ceiling Speakers | Electrician | 1 d | Level 2 - Challenging | $128 - $226 per speaker |