How Much Does it Cost to Remodel a Whole Home in Cedar Falls?

It’s a new year and you’ve decided you’re ready for a home remodel. Before you get too far into planning your Central Iowa home renovations, you’ll have to get down to the nitty-gritty and figure out how much your remodel is going to cost. That’s easier said than done since costs are entirely unique to your project. The price of your remodel will come down to a multitude of factors including your home’s condition, the magnitude of your remodel, and the quality of materials used. Keep reading for more on remodeling cost factors and how to estimate the cost of your Cedar Falls home improvements.

Home Size, Age & Condition

Any home remodel starts with what you already have, so take a look around your home. What kind of condition is it in? How old is it? If you have an older home with any interior, exterior, or structural damage, you may need your remodel to start from scratch. That comes with a higher price tag; the cost to gut and remodel a house ranges from $100,000 to $200,000 according to Home Advisor. With the cost to rebuild a house being so significant, the price tag to remodel an older home might be much larger than remodeling a newer home, which generally requires fewer upgrades. The size of your home, and how much of it will be remodeled, also plays a large role in the overall price. Be sure to factor the current state of your home in as you determine which home upgrades are necessary for your remodel.

Scale & Quality

Now it’s time to ask yourself what you’re looking for in a remodel. Whether you want to go all out or opt for budget-friendly options, the scale of your project is one of the main determinants of your budget. 

A low-end remodel can cost as little as a few thousand dollars and consists of cosmetic work such as painting, replacing trim or redoing the floors, cabinetry, and countertops; while a midrange remodel uses higher quality materials and usually entails new lights, siding, and flooring, costing anywhere from $40,000 to close to $100,000. The cost of an upscale remodel usually exceeds $100,000 and caps out at around $200,000, affording custom features, structural and foundation repair, layout changes, custom cabinetry, HVAC and roof replacements, professional interior design, and more. 

Because midrange and upscale remodels also use higher quality materials, the scale of your remodel will cause the cost of renovation per square foot to fluctuate. The more expensive your materials, the higher your price per square foot will be. So, spend time nailing down the scale of your project — you’ll need that information when you go in search of cost estimates, but more on that below!

Get an Estimate

Once you know your home’s condition and what you want out of your remodel, it’s time to see what it’ll cost to make it happen. Begin by seeking price guides and estimates from well-respected websites. You should also research local cost resources such as Remodeling Magazine’s Cost vs Value report, which provides local averages for the cost, resale value, and return on investment of various remodeling projects. Use these resources to get a general estimate of your remodel, or you can price out your remodel project by project to get a deeper understanding of where your money is being spent. 

For example, if you’re planning a major kitchen remodel in Iowa, you can get a base price — $72,228 for midrange or $142,342 for upscale — from the Cost vs Value report. From there, you can use cost resources to figure out what your expenses for the project will be. You can get even more specific by using measurements of your home to price out flooring, kitchen cabinet costs per square foot, and other individual costs. Follow this process for every home improvement you want to make and you’ll have a detailed expense list at the end!

As a general rule, you can never have too many estimates. So, in addition to your research, call a local remodeler to get an estimate. An industry professional can take into account the specifics of your home to give you a more accurate estimate. Plus, with their insider knowledge, a remodeler can warn you about costs that you may not have otherwise anticipated. While you’re at it, you may as well call up more than one local remodeler — you’ll want multiple estimates to go off of and why not start finding a builder for your remodel? You can contact Home Indeed for price estimates on your Iowa remodeling project or check out Why Home Indeed? to see what sets Home Indeed apart from the competition.

Return on Investment

By now you should have a pretty good idea of what your Cedar Falls remodel is going to cost. But don’t stop there. It’s in your best interest — and the best interest of your financial future — to take a look at what your return on investment will be once your project is said and done. 

ROI compares the cost of a remodeling project with resale value to determine which projects will add the most value to your home. So, if you’re wondering, “Is fixing up a house worth it?” ROI is the measurement that can tell you. You can compare the ROI of any two remodeling projects to help you decide which one is worth the investment and which one you should discard. If you’re choosing between a bathroom addition or kitchen remodel in Iowa, for example, the Cost vs Value report indicates that a minor midrange kitchen remodel can yield a 69.4% ROI, while a midrange bathroom addition has an ROI of only 51.1%

Fed up with just thinking about your remodel? Get things started with Home Indeed! We create unique homes in Iowa that have just as much personality as our clients. Read about our services to learn more about Home Indeed.