Gut Reno Estimate?
I’m looking to buy a 2 family brick from the early 1900. i was told it will need a TOTAL GUT RENOVATIONS. My broker said it will cost me $100K. The engineer that did the inspection said it would cost at least $250K. A contractor that came for estimate $80K. This prices are so different….
I’m looking to buy a 2 family brick from the early 1900. i was told it will need a TOTAL GUT RENOVATIONS. My broker said it will cost me $100K. The engineer that did the inspection said it would cost at least $250K. A contractor that came for estimate $80K.
This prices are so different. Who is right? Help!!
Howie @ Father & Son
718-467-1200
Agreed. Can ban, bkny, and denton provide some referrals?Thanks.
Could ban and bkny provide the contact info for the contractors mentioned? I need to get some work done and need an estimate.
I also had a tight budget but was only gutting 2 floors of a 3 family brownstone in Windsor Terrace. I was also a newbie to the whole process. I received 3 documented ballpark estimates in the beginning which I thought was the norm until another contractor sent me an ITEMIZED estimate. To my surprise he had every detail of the job itemized which helped me remove or reduce the cost to my budget. Needless to say I hired them and was pleasantly surprised by this companies professionalism and honesty. I would definitely include them if you are still bidding out the job. The company is AllRenovation and I personally dealt with Pietro the owner. You can find them via their website…
http://www.allrenovationllc.com
Good Luck,
A.S.
P.S. My job is listed on AllRenovation’s website as Windsor Terrace brownstone.
honestly, start with an architect…to me a gut includes replacing structural members like beams that have failed due to rot or inappropriate construction in the past (relocating a toilet by sawzalling 5 inch holes in beams)…as much as i feel that they are often fools,(being a contractor), no one else is qualified to give you a feel for what will be involved , since they are the guys who will put their license on the line when drawing up and signing off on plans with the dob, which is making everyone jump through higher hoops with every passing year
Jim, thanks for the recommendation on Ronald. We will give him a call.
msrutland, I would recommend Ronald Baker (718) 404-4572. He does good, solid work, is extremely conscientious about doing right by the client. I’m an architect and I’ve been recommending him for my jobs for years. He almost always gets the job because his prices are lower, but the quality of his work is still very high. Ron lives in the area and has a lot of experience in this kind of work. Please call him and tell him I sent you. He’ll be happy to provide you with a detailed free estimate.
Jim Hill, RA, LEED AP
Urban Pioneering Architecture
All the advice above about price estimating is totally on point.
I am 2 floors down on a near gut in Park Slope and running at ~$175K so far (including all appliance, fixture, material, permit, architect, engineer, expediter, etc fees). Of that contractor & subcontractors has accounted for ~$130K.
What I don’t agree with is all the statements warning of how horrible the experience is. Yes there will be frustrations and compromises (mine have mainly been related to permit delays and navigating the expeditor/architect to get them through).
But overall it has been fun and rewarding even though we live with a lot of dust. There is something wonderful about seeing a space that was previously so neglected and run down come back to life. And within the confines of your rough space and budget, you get to pick how you want to have it. It’s great to live in a space that is custom-made for your tastes and needs.
My advice would be to find people you trust (especially the contractor) and let them do their jobs, stay pragmatic, and remember almost anything at the “surface design/taste” level can be redone down the road if you end up hating it.
If you do go down this path – good luck.
Miss Muffett….I have a friend who has had two major projects done in Greenwich, CT and you are definitely correct. People up there really pay much, much higher prices than in Brooklyn. I have experience with renovations, one a total gut including floor joists, in PA and MA and the prices are far, far lower.
I would assume that there’s a lot of that going on to a degree between BH and BS.