A renovation blows its budget when whole chunks of cost go unplanned. The Renovation Budget Planner organizes the job the way you think about it — by area (Kitchen, Bathrooms, Rooms, Exterior, Systems) — and adds the costs people forget: permits, demolition and dumpster, temporary living, and a contingency reserve.
Pick your project and scope, then edit each line in place. You get a running total, a spend-by-area breakdown, a real-date timeline anchored to your start and target-completion dates, and an optional staged-contractor payment schedule — saveable, shareable, and exportable to CSV or PDF.
What you can do
- Budget by area: kitchen, bath, rooms, exterior, systems, whole house
- The costs people forget: permits, demolition, temp living, contingency
- Real-date timeline anchored to start, permit, and completion dates
- Optional staged contractor payments: deposit, progress draws, final
- Saved scenarios, sharing, CSV export, and PDF export
Frequently asked questions
What should a renovation budget include?
Beyond materials and labor for each room, budget for permits and inspections, demolition and dumpster/haul-away, any temporary living costs, and a contingency reserve for surprises found once walls open. The planner seeds these so they are not forgotten.
How much should I set aside for contingency?
A common rule of thumb is 10-20% of the project, higher for older homes or full gut jobs where hidden conditions are likely. Contingency is an editable line you can set to whatever fits your risk.
Ready to plan?
The Renovation Budget Planner runs entirely in your browser. Free, no sign-up required to use it.
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