2020 Cost Guide for a Home Remodel in Dallas

Sweeten’s 2020 guide to remodeling costs in Dallas; including kitchen, bath, whole home, and outdoor, plus outdoor deck & patio costs

UPDATED: Read our most up-to-date Dallas Kitchen Remodeling Costs and Bathroom Remodeling Costs

Dallas is the ninth-largest city in the United States. It’s a headquarter for multiple Fortune 500 companies like American Airlines. There’s the Dallas Cowboys as well as real cowboys. And of course, there’s BBQ. Dallas is a thriving city and a great place to renovate your dream home. Sweeten‘s guide to home remodeling costs in Dallas provides a jumping-off point to get you on your way. Sweeten matches home renovation projects with vetted general contractors, offering guidance, tools, and support—for free..

Developing a budget is your first step to your dream home. Sweeten contractors will want to sit down with you and inspect your home to reach an accurate number. 

Here’s a quick overview of budgets for some typical renovation projects:

  • Gut renovation: starting at $80 – $100 per square foot (psf)
  • Low-end kitchen remodel: starting at $10,000 – $15,000
  • Mid-range kitchen remodel: starting at $25,000 – $30,000
  • High-end kitchen remodel: starting at $40,000
  • Low-end bathroom remodel: starting at $8,000 – $15,000
  • Mid-range bathroom remodel: starting at $15,000 – $25,000
  • High-end bathroom remodel and expansion: starting at $30,000
  • Deck composite: $19,000 or $60 psf
  • Wood deck: $13,000 or $40 psf

2020 Dallas remodeling costs per square foot

In 2020, a total gut renovation in Dallas that brings your home down to its bare bones and remodels it to your liking, starts at $80 – $100 psf for a home that has low-range finishes. This means materials such as laminate flooring and countertops, value-brand appliances, and basic tiles from big box stores like Home Depot. Both Sweeten contractor Joel and Sweeten contractor Kyle, both based in Dallas, have worked on renovations that came under this budget range. These scenarios, however, are dependant on the scope of work and existing conditions.

Although a gut renovation is a big project, consider doing it all at once to get you the best bang for your buck. You’ll also have your dream home much quicker than renovating room by room. 

As a guide, Joel advises clients to tie the price of your kitchen (or bathroom) renovation to the price of your home. You should only spend between 10 and 20 percent of the value “to really cap the budget at the return on investment,” Joel said. So for a $300,000 home, aim to spend between $30,000 and $60,000 on a bathroom or kitchen remodel, which will be a major slice of a gut renovation project. 

Before getting started, Kyle suggests homeowners should research other recent remodels in the area to see what materials and appliances were used. This is important if you want to resell quickly so you don’t end up with a low-end renovation in a high-end area or vice versus. If this is your forever home, then your personal taste is more important than whoever you might sell to years later.  

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How much a Dallas kitchen remodel costs per square foot in 2020

  • A Dallas kitchen renovation in the best-value range can start at $10,000 and reach $15,000. A kitchen renovation in the best-value range can start at $15,000, according to Kyle. To get a new kitchen at this price, it needs to be a rip-and-replace job, meaning a layout of the kitchen must stay the same with pipes and appliances remaining where they are. Cabinets are the highest ticket item in a kitchen budget, said Joel. To keep costs down cabinets can be re-stained or re-painted. The next step up is pre-fab followed by semi-custom. Fully custom costs the most, he said.

  • A mid-range kitchen remodel in Dallas has costs starting at $25,000 – $30,000. What does a mid-range kitchen look like at this starting cost? The kitchen layout must remain the same as a rip-and-replace: swap your old oven for your new one and your old sink for your new sink. You can get a stainless steel sink with single-lever faucet, laminate countertops, a built-in microwave, new appliances, custom lighting, and semi-custom cabinets. An island could also be added. Moving plumbing, gas, and electrical, reconfiguring the layout, or choosing custom features will increase the budget.
  • For an upscale kitchen, labor costs and a refresh with select high-end materials such as marble or quartz countertops, imported backsplash tile, and high-quality fixtures start at $40,000.

The upscale kitchens Kyle has worked on were budgeted from $50,000 and up. A big chunk of those budgets were for custom-made cabinets, as well as quartz countertops and expensive backsplashes. “Adding French doors or moving walls to create a larger kitchen…” also brings up the price, Kyle said. As will above and below cabinet lighting, moving plumbing, and custom-built islands, he said.

There are plenty of variables in most materials, Joel said. For example, with quartz, you can spend $2,000 or $7,000 depending upon the quality. “It just comes down to not overbuilding for your house,” Sweeten contractor Joel advised.

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How much a Dallas bathroom remodel costs per square foot in 2020

  • At the low-end, expect a rip-and-replace bathroom with no behind-the-wall surprises to start at $8,000 – $15,000. These are typically smaller master baths or guest bathrooms. The layout will remain the same where plumbing doesn’t move, Kyle said. This budget won’t include any issues like leaks or mold discovered once the project begins. Materials will include a prefabricated vanity, ceramic tile, and fixtures from big-box stores.
  • In the Dallas area, a mid-range bathroom can start at $15,000 – $25,000. The average cost for this price range remodel is about $20,000 or $570 psf, as per Remodeling‘s Cost Vs Value report. The key to a budget in this range is rip-and-replace. This means keeping the layout the same and swapping out an old toilet for a new one, an old vanity for a new one, etc. That way, no expensive plumbing work is needed.

The example project for this budget is a 35-square-foot bathroom. You can install a new porcelain-on-steel bathtub, ceramic tiles, and a recessed medicine cabinet with built-in lighting. More than 55 percent of your budget can be recouped in the value the project adds to your home.  

  • For a high-end bathroom remodel and expansion, the cost can start at $30,000This budget includes a three-piece bathroom (tub/shower combo, toilet, and sink) for a typical 5’ x 7’ space. The cost increases with features including a double vanity, creating a separate shower from the tub, specialty tile, a custom vanity, or a toilet with additional functions.

“Cost drivers are things like removing an existing tub or shower to install a new standalone tub,” said Sweeten contractor Kyle. It can also include building larger showers, moving walls to expand bathroom size, custom vanities, and frameless glass shower enclosure.

2020 costs for outdoors & deck remodeling in Dallas 

Dallas is a city perfect for outdoor entertaining, whether it’s a crisp winter night in front of the fire pit or a cold beer paired with a hot summer evening. An outdoor area is often the cherry on top of a dream home remodel. It’s the project to really let your creative juices flow. There are endless options to make your outdoor area your own with extensive outdoor kitchens, gas fireplaces, fans and misting systems for cooling, custom lighting, and landscaping. 

A basic wooden deck will likely cost $40 psf or $13,000 for something in the 320 square foot range, according to the Cost Vs Value report. A deck made from composite, a mix of wood product and plastic, will cost just under $19,000 for the same size or $60 psf. This material tends to last longer and requires less maintenance. 

2020 Remodeling costs in Dallas: Permits

Dallas is experiencing a lot of new building construction. This has resulted in a more rigorous approval process compared to approvals for existing homes. 

There are numerous cities and towns that make up Dallas. Each one has its own building department and its own fee structure for permits. Your Sweeten contractor will likely put an estimate in the budget for building permits, which will be determined by your end costs or square footage of your project.

The upmarket suburb of Highland Park bases building permit costs on square footage. The permit for a 200 square foot kitchen renovation costs $490, according to Highland Park’s calculator.  

In the city of Addison, building permit fees start at $40 for projects under $500 in value. Fees then increase with the project’s budget. For example, a project with a budget between $2,000 and $25,000 will have a base cost of $115 with an additional $23 per $1,000 for estimated costs over $2,000. That means the permit for a $20,000 mid-range bathroom remodel will cost $529

Building permit fees in Cedar Hill, southwest of the city’s center, are determined by square footage. There is a set fee of $400 for any renovation of less than 1,250 square feet. For each additional square foot over 1,250, the permit increases by $.60. After 2,500 square feet, it increases by $.40.

Enjoy making your Dallas home your own. Understand the costs and find the right renovation team to bring your vision to life. Post your project on Sweeten and you’ll be one step closer to your home sweet home. 

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Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, scope, and style. Follow the blog, Sweeten Stories, for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation with Sweeten.

How much does it cost to remodel a house in Dallas?

If you’re planning a gut renovation (taking a home down to the studs and building it back up,) and are using budget-level finishes, expect to pay $80-100 psf in Dallas, Texas. A good rule of thumb for Dallas homeowners is to limit spending on a renovation project to 10-20% of your total home value. This helps control the budget while ensuring you’ll get maximum resale value for the renovation itself.

How much does a kitchen remodel cost in Dallas?

Budget-conscious Dallas homeowners should budget $15,000 and more for a simple kitchen remodel. A higher, mid-range Dallas kitchen remodel will start in the range of $25,000-$30,000; but requires a rip-and-replace (no layout changes!) Higher-end kitchen remodels in Dallas will cost $50,000 and up; for layout changes, custom work, and premium materials.

How much does it cost to remodel a bathroom in Dallas?

A simple rip-and-replace Dallas bathroom remodel will cost between $8,000 – $15,000, for a small master or guest bathroom. Mid-range bathrooms see costs increase to the $15,000-$25,000 range. Premium bathroom remodels in Dallas start around $30,000, but costs increase if you’re swapping showers or tubs out, discover hidden issues, or get specialty tilework.

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