Renovate Small Home

Ideas, costs, tips and plans - the information you need for a successful Small Home Renovation project

December 2021

Homeowners have many important questions about their Small Home Renovation 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 Small Home Renovation 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 Small Home Renovation project will help you answer these questions. Use this information to develop a budget, bid requirements, hiring contracts and a project plan.

Small Home Renovation - Project Overview

The approximate costs and value of a typical Small Home Renovation 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 descriptionRenovate all rooms other than kitchen and bathrooms in a small home. Update molding, flooring, doors, switchplates and decorative hardware. Add built-in speakers and modern recessed lighting. Install new window treatments. Use above average grade of materials, fabrication and installation quality.
Project size880 square feet of renovation
Material and labor cost$16,407 - $19,142
Material cost$10,089 - $11,771
Do-it-yourself assessmentThe typical Small Home Renovation project can be completed by a moderately skilled do-it-yourselfer; as with any project, high quality Small Home Renovation requires attention to detail and careful planning.
First year Return on Investment - ROIResults vary widely and can be affected by the range of home prices in your neighborhood, the overall condition of your home and sensible design choices. A high quality Small Home Renovation project in an appropriate neighborhood can return 93% or more of its initial cost.
First year Return on Investment - ROIReturns will be impacted by the range of home prices in your neighborhood, the overall condition of your home and sensible design choices. A high quality Small Home Renovation project can return as much as 67% - 78% of its initial cost
Green ratingSmall Home Renovation projects can incorporate renewable or sustainable resources and environmentally friendly materials.

Small Home Renovation - Project Plan and Details

The following list includes major work tasks commonly performed during Small Home Renovation. Use this list to understand the timing and sequence of different steps in the Small Home Renovation project. Click any Task name for a complete written specifications, FAQs and quality checklist for the task - this essential information will help you control Small Home Renovation project cost and quality.

Do you expect to spend more than $250 on your Small Home Renovation project? If so, it is important create and manage a detailed plan for all project activities.

TaskService ProviderTimeDifficultyBasic Cost Range
Prepare Home Remodeling IdeasArchitect5 to 15 d$1,030 - $1,720
Create Decorating IdeasHome Decorator2 to 15 d$578 - $966
Specify MaterialsInterior Designer2 to 15 d$258 - $431
Prepare Home Remodeling BudgetGeneral Contractor3 to 5 d$578 - $966 per project
Install Wall InsulationInsulation Contractor1 d$1.51 - $2.65 per square foot
Insulate AtticInsulation Contractor1 d$1.86 - $3.35 per square foot
Install Can LightingElectrician1 to 3 d$211 - $361
Install Crown MoldingFinish Carpenter1 to 2 d$9.36 - $16.34 per linear foot
Install French DoorsFinish Carpenter1 d$1,494 - $2,688
Install Interior DoorFinish Carpenter1 d$260 - $447 per door
Install Replacement WindowsFinish Carpenter1 d$573 - $1,013
Install Door LockFinish Carpenter1 d$212 - $377 per door
Install MoldingFinish Carpenter1 to 2 d$4.80 - $8.30 per linear foot
Paint MoldingPainting Contractor1 to 3 d$1.81 - $3.07 per linear foot
Paint RoomsPainting Contractor1 to 3 d$5.74 - $9.79 per square foot
Install Bamboo FlooringFlooring Contractor1 to 2 d$8.15 - $14.10 per square foot
Install Light SwitchElectrician1 d$155 - $261
Install Window ShadesFinish Carpenter1 d$127 - $223

Small Home Renovation - Proven Ideas and Project Tips

Review these tips, design suggestions, options and lessons learned before finalizing your Small Home Renovation project plan.

  • To maximize return on the Small Home Renovation project, limit cost to no more than 6.5% of home's total, post project value
  • For best home resale value, follow a consistent design and decorating theme throughout the home
  • To keep Small Home Renovation costs low, do not move walls or relocate plumbing fixtures or electrical boxes
  • For best resale value, select a taste neutral design for your Small Home Renovation
  • For best resale value, select components, appliances, finishes and fixtures of comparable quality
  • Recess speakers into walls or ceiling to share media system access and create room ambiance
  • Use separate, individually controllable lighting circuits for ambient and task lighting
  • Use furniture, fixtures and accessories scaled appropriately to the room size

Hiring Local Professionals

How to hire a trustworthy pro contractor for your project

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