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[homedecor1]

1. not really! I would never go thru big box store too much mark up cuz' everyone gets a slice of the pie, as they say!

I had my kitchen (small galley style - total 12 cabinets) w/granite and full solid wood Kraft maid cabinets:

quotes ranged from $6,500 - 10,000 

and that did NOT include  electrical, plumbing....

I shopped around for a private contractor...not easy here in FL (most are not trustworthy or UNlicensed which I found out the hard way during this remodel).  

I finally found a contractor to do my kitchen but I bought ALL the materials & of course, cabinets. Final cost was more than I expected and I didn't even get my new flooring.

Just got a price for my small guest bathroom to remove tub, put in walk in shower, new cabinet, countertop, plumbing, lighting - $3,400-$5,000

😳😳😳😳😳😱😱😱😱😱😱 are they crazy....I'll just repaint and refresh....I can't imagine what my master bath would cost!! I got 3 private contractor estimates.( I'm posting pic to show how small this bath is)

I honestly believe prices are based on "greed"here they are building homes, shopping centers, etc. these contractors don't want small jobs so they give excessive estimates but when they're slow they are going to beg for small jobs to keep "food on their table!" JMO

[Sooner]

Often in bathrooms you run into "issues."  We had the shower floor removed and a new pan installed, took it back to the studs and raised the ceiling, found a few studs that we replaced because of some earlier dampness on the outside wall, put in new insulation and replumbed the shower head to be higher, etc. etc.  Oh and redid the sill too and installed frameless glass shower doors. 

Now we added some of those modifications along the way as we found out they could do it and we could afford it.  So we were happy with the people that did the project, and thought they gave us some good options along the way.  

We were really fortunate judging from a lot of stories I head about remodels. 

[homedecor1]

@151949

You are so right!!!!! We purchased in over 55 and 70% are snowbirds (inc all my neighbors) so wierd they don't care for the homes like a full time homeowner. 

For example, we are a end unit in a 5 villa group. We needed a new roof (it was going on 20 yrs old), asked neighbors (attached) if they wanted to take advantage of discount if did theirs too -- nope. 

Of course, they need it just like us, but not a priority. I just called our BOD because they have horrible trees and overgrown yards in back (not contracted thru our landscape program we are responsible)! That was 3 weeks ago....still a jungle in the back yard & with everyday rain it's a mess.

I don't personally know them (just to say hi if I see them when they are here) or I would call them myself!

ugh!!!!

[Ms X]

I would consider such an estimate a personal insult.  What a load of nonsense!  Just leave it as it is.  Paint the walls.  Buy a new shower curtain.  I could never do without a tub myself, and that will be the case for at least some potential buyers should you decide to sell.  In the winter when I'm chilled to the bone, there's nothing like a hot bath.  Further, a bath followed by a shower makes one cleaner and more relaxed than just a shower.  I'd never get rid of a tub.  I love those old Victorian tubs with the feet.  I wish I had one of those in my bath.

[LTT1]

@house_cat@homedecor1@Sooner@queendiva@Ms X

Each time we did major inside modeling it seemed to end up being $20,000.

Kitchen...replace countertops/tile the floor/paint all walls cabinets doors 

Master bedroom and bath re-do (with a decorator)

The advantage of having a decorator (friend of a friend) -- she had "people" lined up already for jobs.

[novamc1]

I have a somewhat larger home than yours, but our master bath is quite small and became totally disfunctional for my husband, while also causing serious ceiling problems  in the room below.  We had no choice but to do a complete bathroom remodel two years ago. Knowing we were going to be selling in the next couple years, with the home being torn down after we left, we did NOT want real fancy or costly  stuff put in.

  We did away with the tub, got a new walk-in shower with glass doors to make access easier for my husband, got a new taller  toilet  (also for the DH's benefit) and some simple cabinetry under the new sink and countertop.  The only splurges were some above-average-priced chrome hardware in the shower.

.  Cost was $36,000+, so I'm not surprised by any remodeling prices these days.  When you see the messy, hard and lengthy  demolition work required, you can understand some of the cost.

Tearing out tile (especially if its on all the walls and set in "mud" (meaning concrete instead of glued onto drywall), removing and carrying off  the heavy porcelain bathtub, setting new tile on the floor and in the new glass-doored  walk-in shower--it's a lot of labor and a back-breaking line of work.

Lifting just one box of 14x14-inch ceramic tiles is a little too much for me, much less carrying multiple boxes upstairs and pounds of old smashed tiles and an old tub back down.  WHEW!!

[Tigriss]

@house_cat it does seem that you called firms, but if I'm not mistaking, you live in the LA area.  That is a very, very expensive area, so the mark up and prices are going to be much higher, but should be that expensive for what you are wanting.  I think they gave you a gutted down and rebuild price.  Shop around to some smaller and private contractors or talk with neighbors who've had work done and see who they went with.  I'm sure they can recommend you some people.  We don't really deal with contractors much down here since we do most things ourselves or friends of family/friends.  Unless there is massive water damage, your project shouldn't be much more than the cost of the materials since materials vary so much.  I would write down specifically what I wanted done, suggested materials/finishes, and take that to the contractor's appointment.  You can tell if you have damage, most of the time, by looking for signs of mold on the joints between the tub and wall tile, the tub and floor, under the sink, and if there are any "soft" places in the tub tile surround by pressing on them.  

Please take no offense......

I do know you are not a spring chicken, who is anymore, and think that a walk in shower is perfect as people get away from the in/out of baths.  I would even recommend a lipless shower so that you don't even have to lift your foot to walk in, you just walk in, plus cleaning is easy because it is just a tile floor sloped to let the water drain.  You can take a mop and the shower head to the whole thing!  You can also go with a slip resistent tile to make sure you don't slip in the shower.  The lipless shower makes being independent as we age eaiser by allowing a chair to be rolled in or a shower chair to easily be placed in it along with grip bars. 

Either way you go, shop your project out to smaller firms.  The larger firms have nice offices because of their prices.  Larger overhead cost means higher prices for the customer.  Also, doesn't your area have a minimum working wage versus the federal wage.  That will add to the price a bit, but not 10-20K.  My prayers are with you!

[RedTop]

I think that price tag is outrageous for what you want done, but again, you are in CA, and things are done differently there than here in WV.  

In 2007 we paid WV Rebath $8,000 to remove our one piece fiberglass tub and shower in the main bathroom, and the one piece fiberglass shower unit in the master bath.   The contractor installed Duroc in both bathrooms, new tub and wall surround, and new custom made shower base with wall surround.   They were here 4 days.   

Last year we did a kitchen update; custom built cabinetry, Formica countertops, new ceramic floor tile, new wall tile, added a new outlet, and a new refrigerator for $15,000.   The job took 9 days from start to finish.   

We would never have been able to do either job with a CA contractor!    Yet another reason I'm grateful to be living here in West Virginia.  

[homedecor1]

@LTT1

a good friend of ours inherited a nice sum of $$ several years ago.

her home was in desperate need of updating -- and omg she used all of it to hire a designer and wonderful contractors.  Everything was redone right down to the studs -- it's  gorgeous and if I had a nice relative to "gift" me .... Believe me I'd get a designer!

i still can't imagine how they transformed the home (looks likes a home out of a coastal living magazine) - interestingly, she even had her furniture (which was good stuff) recovered or bought new.

I know things I've picked for this house were based on "pocketbook" vs. what I wanted...but that's ok because I don't plan on living in this house more than another few years.

[LTT1]

@homedecor1@house_cat

The decorator cost for our remodel (very basic) included beautiful throw pillows for our bed and DDs. Also, our shower curtain (have always loved the print); two lamp re-wiring with custom shades. All of the hardware; vanity top; new tub and shower walls; wall papering for bath; picture.

Early on, we opted for plantation shutters, which I love to this day.

My friend had this decorator girl in redoing pher home at least twice per year!