20 unexpected home renovation costs you should budget for
A few weeks ago, a client of mine got a text from their contractor:
“The stone slab for your kitchen won’t fit in the freight elevator in your condo building. We’re going to need to rent a crane to get it through the balcony.”
CHA-CHING!!! 💸💸💸💸💸
These kinds of unexpected surprises happen all the time in construction. You can’t avoid them completely, but you can try to get ahead of them.
There are dozens of "support" costs that make your renovation possible but aren't part of the actual construction work. Things like permits, material storage, site prep… and the occasional crane rental. They’re the logistics that have to happen but often get overlooked during planning.
The best contractors I know build these into their quotes. In fact, a lot of the items on today's list come directly from contractors I trust who know from experience what to plan for. But even with the most thorough contractor, there are costs that fall outside their scope entirely.
And if you're planning to DIY some of your project, you'll need to plan for all of this yourself.
There are a lot more than 20 items to put on this list — and not every project calls for each of these. But here are some common ones to get you thinking:
Site Prep & Logistics
1. Garbage bin rentals
2. Tree/landscaping protection
3. Temporary power
4. Portable toilet rental
5. Floor protection
6. Equipment rentals, tool setup, staging space
7. Special delivery costs (like crane rentals!)
Security & Site Protection
8. Gates/security cameras, site protection
9. Dust control and containment
10. Temporary doors and hardware
11. Insurance for construction period
Temporary Living & Access Solutions
12. Temporary living costs: rental accommodation, meals out, kenneling for pets
13. Secondary kitchen setup
14. Materials storage; furniture moving/storage
15. Scaffolding installation and dismantling
16. Temporary heating/dehumidifiers during construction
Permits, Cleanup & Unexpected Issues
17. Permits and inspection fees
18. Asbestos/mold testing and remediation
19. Post-construction cleaning
20. Post-construction landscaping
If your reno is on the smaller side, you might not need to think about renting an AirBnB for four months while the house is under construction. But you’ll probably want to think about floor protection, or where you’ll put your stuff while your kitchen cabinets are unavailable.
Trust me, much better to have planned ahead than get the text from your contractor asking for permission to rent a crane.
