Home Renovation Budget Worksheet

Room-by-room renovation budget worksheet — materials + labor + permits + design + contingency for each room/scope. Auto-totals + contingency stack + cost/sqft check.

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Used to compute $/SF check; helps gauge whether the budget is in line with similar projects.
Reno budgets need contingency. Light cosmetic: 10%. Mid-scope reno: 15-20%. Older home or unknown conditions: 20-25%.
Cash above financing (deposits, design fees, contingency self-funded portion).

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HOME RENOVATION BUDGET WORKSHEET

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Homeowner(s):       Jordan & Casey Taylor
Property address:   482 Elm Street, Portland, OR 97214
Renovated area:     1850 SF
Target window:      July 1, 2026  →  October 31, 2026

PROJECT SCOPE
Whole-house refresh of a 1,850 SF 1920s bungalow: kitchen full remodel (cabinets, counters, appliances, layout open to dining); both bathrooms updated (tile, vanities, fixtures); refinish original hardwood throughout living areas; new windows (12 units, vinyl double-pane); new exterior paint + minor siding repairs; landscape refresh (front lawn + walkway). NOT included: foundation work, roof replacement, HVAC upgrade (separate quote).

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ROOM / SCOPE BUDGET

   Scope                                       | Materials    | Labor        | Permits/Other | Subtotal
   --------------------------------------------|--------------|--------------|---------------|-------------
   Kitchen — full remodel                      |   $24,500.00 |   $18,000.00 |     $2,200.00 |  $44,700.00
   Primary bath — tile + vanity + fixtures     |    $8,400.00 |    $6,800.00 |       $600.00 |  $15,800.00
   Secondary bath — tile + vanity + fixtures   |    $5,200.00 |    $4,400.00 |       $400.00 |  $10,000.00
   Living areas — refinish hardwood (~900 SF)  |    $1,800.00 |    $4,500.00 |         $0.00 |   $6,300.00
   Windows — 12 vinyl double-pane (incl. insta |    $8,400.00 |    $4,800.00 |       $480.00 |  $13,680.00
   Exterior paint + siding repair              |    $3,200.00 |    $6,800.00 |         $0.00 |  $10,000.00
   Front landscape — lawn, walkway, plantings  |    $2,400.00 |    $3,200.00 |       $200.00 |   $5,800.00
   Design + planning fees                      |        $0.00 |    $4,200.00 |         $0.00 |   $4,200.00
   Dumpster + porta-john (project-long)        |        $0.00 |        $0.00 |     $1,800.00 |   $1,800.00
   --------------------------------------------|--------------|--------------|---------------|-------------
   TOTALS                                       |   $53,900.00 |   $52,700.00 |     $5,680.00 | $112,280.00

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ROLL-UP

  Base total:                          $112,280.00
  Contingency (15%):                  $16,842.00
  ─────────────────────────────────────────────
  GRAND TOTAL:                         $129,122.00

  $ / SF (over renovated area):             $69.80

  Owner cash / out-of-pocket:           $12,000.00
  Financing required (e.g. HELOC):     $117,122.00

FINANCING + DRAW SCHEDULE
Funding: HELOC $90,000 limit (Oregon Pacific Bank @ Prime + 0.5%). Draw schedule: 20% on contract sign + permit, 25% on demo + rough-in inspection, 25% on substantial-completion of kitchen + baths, 20% on finals + punch start, 10% retention released after 30-day operability period + lien waivers.

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PREPARATION NOTES

• Contingency at 10% is light — typical only on cosmetic work where conditions are fully known.
  15-20% is standard for kitchen / bath remodels; 20-25% for older homes (>50 yr) or unknown conditions
  (electrical / plumbing / structural surprises common).

• Owner is responsible for permits, design / structural fees, dumpster + porta-john if not in the
  contractor scope, and pre-construction items like asbestos / lead testing (homes pre-1978).

• Material price holds typically expire after 14-30 days for lumber + tile + appliances; lock orders
  in writing once the contract is signed.

• Lien-waiver tracking: keep a per-sub waiver log; final payment to the GC should be conditional
  on the GC providing waivers from every sub of record.

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Prepared by:  Jordan & Casey Taylor     Date: _____________

About this template

A home renovation budget worksheet is the planning document that turns a wish list into a fundable, schedulable project. **Three structural decisions** drive whether the budget survives contact with reality: (1) **Contingency** — under-funded contingency is the #1 cause of unfinished renos. 10% is light and works only on cosmetic projects where the conditions are fully known (paint, fixtures, hardware). 15-20% is the standard for kitchen + bath remodels where demo will reveal hidden conditions. 20-25% applies to homes older than 50 years where electrical / plumbing / structural surprises are nearly guaranteed (knob-and-tube, galvanized supply lines, undersized framing, asbestos / lead in pre-1978 homes). (2) **Materials vs. labor split** — for most resi renos, labor is 40-60% of the total. A budget heavy on materials with thin labor is usually under-funded; a budget that pays for design / planning + permits separately (rather than rolling into a single GC line) is usually more accurate. (3) **Per-square-foot check** — divide grand total by renovated SF and benchmark: kitchen $250-700/SF (mid-grade), bathroom $300-800/SF, whole-house cosmetic $50-150/SF, whole-house mid-grade $150-300/SF, whole-house high-end $300-600/SF (2026 Pacific Northwest market). A budget far below those bands is usually unfunded; far above usually has scope creep. **Financing**: most renovation loans (HELOC, cash-out refi, 203(k) construction-perm, HomeStyle, Title-I) accept a room-by-room budget as the appraisal evidence. The lender typically wants: (a) Itemized scope, (b) Contingency line, (c) Draw schedule tied to inspection milestones, (d) Identified contractor + insurance / license. **Older home triggers**: pre-1978 = lead-paint disclosure + EPA RRP certification for contractors disturbing >6 SF interior or >20 SF exterior painted surface (40 CFR Part 745); pre-1980 = potential asbestos in floor tile, mastic, popcorn ceiling, pipe insulation (state-specific testing rules). **Permits**: most reno work needs at minimum a building permit; structural / electrical / plumbing / HVAC changes need additional sub-trade permits. Permit-fee-as-a-percent-of-job-cost ranges 0.5-2% (some jurisdictions add school / impact / SDC fees that push to 3-5%).

When to use it

  • Pre-design budgeting before contractor selection.
  • HELOC / cash-out-refi / renovation-loan documentation.
  • Contractor bid comparison + value-engineering.
  • Mid-project re-baselining after demo surprises.
  • Post-project actual vs. budget reconciliation.

What to include

  • Homeowner + property + scope summary.
  • Renovated area (SF) for $/SF benchmarking.
  • Target start + completion dates.
  • Room-by-room / scope-by-scope materials + labor + permits.
  • Contingency line (with rationale for %).
  • Owner cash vs. financed split.
  • Draw schedule + lender / financing notes.
  • Older-home triggers (lead, asbestos) noted where relevant.

Frequently asked

Light cosmetic: 10%. Standard kitchen / bath: 15-20%. Pre-1980 home, structural touch, or unknown conditions: 20-25%. Permits / impact fees on top of the work cost. Lenders sometimes set a minimum contingency in their underwriting (typically 10-15%).
⚠ Legal disclaimer. This budget worksheet is a planning aid and not a contract. The eventual binding documents are the executed contractor agreement(s) and change orders. State home-improvement statutes (CA §7159, NY §771, FL §489.147) require those contracts to be in writing above stated thresholds; consult a licensed contractor and (where lien rights matter) a construction attorney for jurisdiction-specific contract requirements. Pre-1978 homes carry federal lead-paint disclosure obligations (24 CFR Part 35; 40 CFR Part 745).
Jurisdiction: United States — operational planning tool. Not a contract. Useful for HELOC / cash-out-refi underwriting (most lenders accept a room-by-room budget for renovation loans). State home-improvement statutes (CA Bus. & Prof. Code §7159 requires written contract >$500; NY GBL §771; FL Stat. §489.147) require the eventual contractor agreement to itemize, but the budget itself is a planning aid.
Last reviewed: 2026-05
Reviewed by ScoutMyTool — consult a licensed attorney for binding use.

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