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You love your home, and you love living in Atlanta. But there may be some parts of your home that you don’t love. Or maybe you just bought a new home, and you know you want to update it to suit you. We see renovation projects in Atlanta at a wide range of costs. Often, homeowners want to maximize their scope on a minimal budget. Luckily, there are a handful of tricks that can help you save on remodeling in Atlanta. 

Sweeten matches home renovation projects with vetted general contractors, offering guidance, tools, and support—for free.

Remodel smaller and smarter

For years, one of the draws of living in Atlanta was that you could own a large house for the same—or less than—what you would pay in northern cities. Atlanta ranks number two in the United States in home sizes. In fact, Atlanta’s average home size is just under 2,000 square feet. But sprawl has its price, which means large homes and large remodels come with higher costs. 

Find ways to remodel that don’t involve creating a new foundation or building upward. If you can, stay within the existing footprint of the house. Explore rooms that are no longer used for their intended purpose and convert them. Tour the house with your contractor and find walls that you can open to expand two rooms into one large room.

Look into Atlanta’s green remodeling incentives

Green or eco-friendly remodeling helps the environment and can certainly help you save on remodeling in Atlanta. 

Many homeowners may not realize that they can take advantage of a host of green remodeling incentives. These incentives can reduce the cost of remodeling. Some of the incentives include tax credits, loan programs, tax exemptions, and rebates.

Speak to your contractor about your interest in green remodeling. You may also want to have an energy audit done before remodeling begins.

Tailor the HVAC to Atlanta’s weather

Heating and cooling are different in Atlanta than in other cities. Systems that work in Chicago, Los Angeles, or New York aren’t always applicable in Atlanta. 

In a city with fewer than 50 days per year below freezing, Atlanta homes don’t need the kind of robust furnaces or heat pumps found in other areas of the country. And maxing out your A/C isn’t always the answer, either! Your A/C should be tailored specifically to Atlanta’s weather and to your own house. Also, it’s smart to explore passive cooling methods with your contractor.

Make use of Georgia’s solar power and natural light

Atlanta is one of the sunniest cities in the United States, with at least 60% of the days per year being sunny. Use this to your advantage! Concentrate on improving windows on the south side of your house. Rooms that have plenty of large windows rely less on artificial light. This saves money on electricians’ costs and on the cost of extensive artificial lighting. 

At the same time, make sure that these windows have low-e solar coating. Add draperies to block sun during the brightest part of the day.

Remodel with mold in mind

Atlanta can get humid—extremely humid. Humidity that reaches 55% or more can lead to mold growth. Poorly vented crawlspaces, basements, and rooms are susceptible to mold growth. Not all mold is dangerous. However, some mold can be a lung irritant and can affect those with respiratory ailments.

Good remodeling work can be quickly undone by mold. To avoid mold growth, talk to your contractor about mold-inhibiting wall and ceiling systems, along with venting systems.

Refurbish, don’t replace

The days of tearing out everything and replacing it wholesale are long gone. Now, there is a smarter approach to remodeling that incorporates fixing items, not throwing them out. 

For example, you may decide to reface, rather than replace, your kitchen cabinets. Refurbishing cabinets, tubs, showers, floors, walls, and more keep these items out of the landfill and make your Atlanta remodel more affordable. 

Considering new doors for your kitchen cabinets? Get the lowdown on different cabinet door styles.

DIY projects in an Atlanta remodel

Not all of the work of your home remodel project needs to be done by the contractor’s workers. You can do a few things yourself in advance, or during downtimes. Sweat equity helps you save on remodel costs and make it all more affordable. Always coordinate in advance with your contractor if you plan to do DIY work. (Here’s what you can DIY and what should be left to the pros!)

Use durable imitation materials

You might really want that exotic hardwood flooring, but the price of it isn’t within your budget. Look for wood-look ceramic tile planks that look just like mahogany or other overseas hardwoods. Laminate and vinyl plank also look remarkably like real wood. Quartz and laminate countertops reliably imitate expensive marbles and granites. 

Wherever there is an expensive material, there is likely a far less expensive imitation material that you can use in your remodel.

Keep the plumbing in place

One rule of thumb for keeping bathroom and kitchen remodeling affordable: avoid moving the plumbing, if possible.

Whenever you move plumbing around, remodel costs rise. This doesn’t mean that you cannot change your shower, bathtub, or sink. You can replace or refurbish these items while keeping the core plumbing system where it is.

Shop around for the best contractor

Finding the best contractor for a remodeling project in Atlanta isn’t about finding the cheapest person. Instead, it’s about finding a person who can best bring your vision to light. Concentrate on finding a contractor who best matches your needs. You’ll also want to find a contractor who you work with well, and who you communicate well with. 

Get on the general contractor’s schedule—now

When you sign with a contractor for a home remodeling project, the contractor places you on their calendar. Being in the early queue means getting ahead of other clients, especially when there is overall high demand for home remodeling, labor, and materials. 

Ask your expert for remodeling advice

One of the upsides of hiring a general contractor is that you can take advantage of their knowledge and expertise. Feel free to ask for their advice…that’s why you hired them! Contractors can have years or decades of experience in construction and the right one will help you match your scope to your budget.

Ready to renovate? Sweeten can match you with our licensed, vetted general contractors in Atlanta.

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Here’s where to splurge and where to save during a home remodel—room by room.

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.

The post Here’s How to Save on Home Remodeling in Atlanta appeared first on Sweeten.

The post A Small Bathroom Remodel in Atlanta on a Budget appeared first on Sweeten.

(Above) Renovation in Roswell, Georgia by Sweeten contractor Justin

The Atlanta housing market is humming. The value of homes increased by over seven percent in 2019, according to data from Redfin. It’s one of those American city’s that is revitalizing with the fourth-fastest growth rate in the nation. As a result, Atlanta homeowners are increasingly planning for home improvements. 

If you’re thinking of prepping your house for sale, Sweeten outlines the top home improvements for the Atlanta market to get the best price and sell quickly. Sweeten matches home renovation projects with vetted general contractors, offering guidance, tools, and support—for free..

Sometimes renovations aren’t always about what you want but what the homeowner who comes after you might want. A good idea is to take a look at the style of spec homes. “They try to use elements that have a large appeal,” said Sweeten contractor Lonny, who is based in Atlanta. When looking at the styles around Atlanta for your home improvements, sticking with what’s popular is best for resale rather than involving your unique preferences. “There might be hundreds of choices for faucets, but 95 percent of people might go with three styles,” said Lonny. 

Renovation projects to consider: 

1. Change out the front door

First impressions endure when selling your home. “It is crucial that your entranceway is well kept,” said Lonny. Sprucing up the front of your home could be as simple as adding a new front door. For one client, Lonny swapped out a plain door for a craftsman-style door along with matching shutters. “It really set the house apart,” he said. 

2. A fresh coat of paint 

Atlanta-based Sweeten contractor Justin advises homeowners to think like makeup artists when accessing the front of their home ahead of a sale. “You’re not going to attract buyers if the windows are fogged up and the paint is chipping,” he said. Ensuring your house is clean and your paint fresh will go a long way in getting the best price, Justin said. 

3. Replace the garage door

Along with your actual front door, replacing your garage door is a quick and easy fix to improve your home’s value. A garage door replacement costs $3,663 on average for the Atlanta area, according to Remodeling‘s Cost Vs Value report. Your home’s value is increased by more than 76 percent of that cost. 

4. Invest in siding

Lonny often gets calls about siding replacement from homeowners who are planning to sell their home. New siding is a great investment, according to the 2020 Cost Vs Value report for Atlanta. A project that installs fiber-cement siding costs an average of $17,000. Over $13,000 or 78 percent of the project’s cost is returned to you in the value that it adds to the home. That’s one of the highest returns on investment of any renovation project, according to the report. 

5. Basement as living space

The basement is the first thing Justin looks at if a client is planning to resell their home. An unfinished basement has the potential to significantly increase the square footage of your home. “Finishing your basement is going to yield the largest return on your investment,” said Justin. 

Other alterations, such as a kitchen or bathroom remodel, are helpful, but they don’t add to the size of your home like a basement can. The square footage of your home and its price per square foot will feature prominently in your home’s sale listing. Depending on how many floors you have, a finished basement could almost double that square foot measurement.

A full basement renovation that includes budget-friendly floors, paint, lighting, and a half bath can start at $20,000. “On the conservative side for finishes, a turn-key basement will cost around $50-65 per square foot to finish out,” said Justin. “This includes a small kitchen area and basement bathroom if all the rough-in plumbing is already installed.”

According to the Cost Vs Value report, the average cost of a basement remodel in Atlanta was $70,000. This increases a home’s value by $46,000 or more than 65 percent of the renovation’s cost, the report found.

6. The bathroom adds value

Giving your bathroom a makeover is an easy route to a higher house price. Recently, a real estate agent contacted Lonny with a house about to go on the market. To increase its value ahead of the sale, Lonny completed a modified gut renovation in the bathroom. “This was something that was needed because it was dated from the 1980s,” said Lonny. The customer had everything replaced except the cabinetry. The budget was about $20,000. A bathroom remodel in this budget range adds almost $13,000 —65 percent of the budget— to your home’s value, according to the Cost Vs Value report for Atlanta. 

If you don’t have the time for a major remodel, then simple superficial changes might be a better option. This could mean swapping outdated fixtures like faucets for something more modern, said Lonny. A new countertop on your vanity could also spruce up your bathroom with minimum effort.  

7. A streamlined kitchen refresh

Kitchens are the gathering place, a focal point for any home. A kitchen could also make or break your home’s value, according to Justin. Rather than doing a full renovation that involves the costly exercise of changing a layout, stick to a scaled-back renovation. “A new countertop, backsplash, and faucet can go along way,” said Lonny. “If there’s the budget for it then I also suggest lighting and flooring.”

Cabinets, especially if they are custom-built, can take up a huge chunk of a budget. For a renovation that is geared towards increasing value, Lonny advised keeping cabinets as is. That way the budget and timeline can be streamlined. 

A minor kitchen remodel with a budget of $23,000 has a high return on investment of 73 percent, according to the Cost Vs Value report. A minor kitchen remodel in this instance involves replacing only the front of your cabinets, sink, faucet and countertops while adding an energy-efficient cooktop, oven, and refrigerator.

Give your home a fresh and neutral slate. Curb appeal gets the potential buyer to enter the door. A conservative palette inside allows them to more easily see how they can make the home their own. Take these home improvement ideas into consideration and be one step closer to closing the deal.

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Here’s the renovation cost guide for Atlanta for purchasing a new home or updating an existing one.

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.

The post Renovating Your Home for Resale in Atlanta appeared first on Sweeten.

(Above) Renovation by Atlanta-based Sweeten contractor Kimberly. Photo: Tomas Espinoza

In a renovation journey that often starts with Pinterest boards for inspiration, the process to get to your dream space is exciting. It’s not without its twists and turns with something unexpected (the good and the bad). With safety and function in mind, this is the right time to make your home the way you want it. It’s good planning to have an idea of where hidden renovation costs may come up – from outdated wiring to soil stability.

These unseen bumps can increase the cost of your project and the time it takes to finish. Preparation can help with the hurdles. Atlanta general contractors from Sweeten, a free renovation platform that matches homeowners with licensed general contractors and tracks their projects, tell us what hidden renovation costs in Atlanta to watch for.

Hidden renovation cost: Upgrading electrical and plumbing

There was a time for all cities where building renovations and new construction went unregulated. That meant no permits, no code of ethics, no insurance and no need to follow building codes. “People would hire someone solely based on price,” explains Sweeten contractor Kimberly on how Atlanta construction once worked. A licensed contractor could do a job at a certain cost, “but an uncle’s friend can do it for $30.” 

Atlanta didn’t really button this all up tightly until about two decades ago. “Before that, there wasn’t much to hold a contractor’s feet to the fire,” Kimberly said. That means plenty of surprises when walls, floors, and ceilings of older homes open up. 

A project Kimberly had worked on in an upscale neighborhood had live wires in the ceiling that connected to nothing. “It literally could have set the house on fire,” she said. 

These unforeseen problems can add to the cost of the project as well as the timeline. In another project, Kimberly’s client wanted an open plan living room and kitchen. Walls were removed. Once the demo started, the team discovered a drain stack inside one of the walls. The plumbing rerouted to add a week to the project’s timeline and about $4,000 to the cost. But these electrical and plumbing updates “will last forever until the next remodel,” she said. “Each update has to follow the most current code at that time.” 

Hidden renovation cost: Abating lead and asbestos 

It’s safe to assume that any home built before 1978 in Atlanta will have lead paint and asbestos. That’s unless the poisonous materials were removed at some stage. The US banned lead paint in 1978. It wasn’t until the late 1980s that building materials could no longer contain asbestos. The material is now federally regulated in Atlanta.

Before beginning a project on an older home, Sweeten contractor Dexter, who is based in Atlanta, always tests for both of these substances. Handheld x-ray devices detect lead paint even if it is buried under layers of safe paint. Lead dust can also show up in swab tests that take a few days to process. 

Asbestos can be found in paint, flooring, pipes, insulation, fireproof materials, and wiring. It can show up in dust samples. To isolate where the asbestos is located, samples of the materials previously mentioned are sent to a lab. Contractors need a specific license to test for either lead or asbestos. Some contractors, like Dexter, are licensed to do a small amount of lead testing.

What if lead or asbestos is found in your home? Either just the area you are disturbing (if it’s a smaller project) or your entire home will need to be abated. A licensed company should do the abatement. “I’ve seen homes abated and it took two to three weeks,” said Dexter. This can increase your costs by a few thousand dollars.

“There is also an option to leave the asbestos where it’s found and left undisturbed,” he said. Despite the time delay and extra costs, “clients have a peace of mind knowing this has been abated properly,” said Dexter. 

Hidden renovation cost: Soil conditions in Atlanta

Hidden renovation costs start to show themselves when your project messes with Atlanta’s waterways, ridges, soils, and rock beds. Setting foundations in soil too soft can mean big issues later on as your deck or extension settles and shifts. 

In order to complete an outdoor deck for a client, Kimberly drilled down triple the distance that was in the initial plan. At six feet, “the soil was gray indicating there was water there,” she said. The crew drilled down to 18 feet before they found soil suitable for the deck’s foundation. “It was an additional $12,000,” she said. 

If you have the space, consider that building an outdoor deck increases your living square footage. A typical wood deck addition will return 63% of your investment, and a 73% return on investment for composite material, according to Remodeling’s Cost vs Value 2020 report. 

Hidden renovation cost: Tree removal permits in Atlanta

In the City of Atlanta, removal of any tree with a trunk larger than 6” in diameter for hardwoods and 12” in diameter for pine requires approval. An arborist from the city will inspect the tree and then issue a permit if it passes. It is tightly regulated to minimize the loss of a mature tree canopy. “Atlanta was a forest before it was a city,” said Sweeten expert Kimberly. “They are trying to keep clean air quality.” 

If trees need to be removed, a well-thought-out site plan should show the trees and house and how its presence affects the future design. An explanation for why it needs to be removed is helpful. “There are a variety of permits issued by the City of Atlanta for tree removal,” said Kimberly, including it’s dead, diseased, or in a hazardous location.

The fee to remove a tree starts at $130. This money goes into the city’s Tree Trust Fund, which plants new trees and maintains existing ones. If your application to remove a tree for a renovation is denied, the plans will need to be modified. She suggests to apply for the tree removal permit first, otherwise your contractor will apply for it along with the building permit. 

Hidden renovation cost: Permits in Atlanta

Atlanta is ranked 8th in the United States for its growth rate amongst other large cities. That means a lot of new construction and renovations on existing homes as new owners move in. With so many permit applications for the Atlanta buildings department to process, the approvals can be unpredictable coming in as little as one day or 30 days for the same permit, according to Kimberly. 

“It puts a damper on the timeline for homeowner and contractor,” she said. Having a design-build firm, general contractor, or an architect come early on in the process helps ensure complete documentation is ready for the permit application process. 

Whatever complexities lay ahead in a renovation, understanding and preparing for hidden renovation costs common to Atlanta is a good starting point. Luckily, Sweeten can help you find the right vetted general contractor in Atlanta! You’ll be one step closer to your dream home. Enjoy the journey.

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Looking to renovate in Atlanta? Sweeten can help match you to vetted contractors. Read our Atlanta reno cost guide.

Sweeten founder and CEO weighs in on what to know before renovating a brownstone.

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.

The post Hidden Home Renovation Costs in Atlanta appeared first on Sweeten.

(Above) Remodel by Sweeten general contractor Kimberly in Atlanta. Photo: Tomas Espinoza.

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

There’s no denying Atlanta is a booming city. Between 2010 and 2018, Atlanta was the fourth-fastest growing city in the nation, adding a little less than 700,000 people and now sits at close to six million inhabitants.

In other words, it’s a great time to put down roots in Atlanta—from restoring a bungalow in Decatur, adding to a classic Georgian-style home in Druid Hill, or remodeling a loft apartment in the Old Fourth Ward. Sweeten, a free renovation platform that matches homeowners with licensed general contractors and tracks their project, offers this guide detailing costs to remodel in Atlanta as a starting point. 

When embarking on a renovation, ‘How much will it cost?’ will likely be your first question. It’s notable in Atlanta that once a renovation budget reaches a couple $100,000s, building a new house instead becomes a major consideration. In this situation, you’ll need to factor in costs to tear down the existing structure and remove debris.

Read on for a breakdown of typical starting costs for remodeling across Atlanta, Georgia, focusing on five categories: full home, kitchen, bathroom, outdoor spaces, and permits.

• Gut renovation: Starting at around $70—$100 psf (per square foot)
  
• Budget kitchen remodel: Starting at $20,000—$30,000
  
• Mid-grade kitchen remodel: Starting at $35,000
  
• High-end kitchen remodel: Starting at $65,000
• Budget bathroom remodel: Starting at $12,500—$15,000
  
• Mid-grade bathroom remodel: Starting at $20,000
  
• High-end bathroom remodel and reconfiguration: Starting at $35,000+
• Deck composite: $20,000 or $61 psf
  
• Wood deck: $14,000 or $44 psf
  

How much an Atlanta home remodel costs per square foot

A total gut renovation in Atlanta that brings your home down to the studs and dresses it back up again with budget finishes will likely start at around $70 to $100 psf, according to Atlanta-based Sweeten general contractor Dexter.

He recently worked on a renovation that redid everything except for the basement. “We renovated about 85 percent of this house,” said Dexter. It was a 1950s house that involved redoing the siding, repairing, and polishing the original wood floors, remodeling two bathrooms with a custom shower in one and new tub in the other while adding gold-look faucets and an oversized kitchen island with a farmhouse sink. Subsequently, by using high-end finishes and custom elements, that renovation came in $120,000 for the end budget. 

Sweeten general contractor Kimberly is currently working on a 3,200 square foot farmhouse renovation. The budget is at $150,000, which includes renovating three bathrooms and expanding the fourth for a larger master suite and a kitchen remodel that includes custom kitchen cabinets and quartz countertops. “We will be making some smart choices to make it look brand spanking new without breaking the budget,” said Kimberly, adding that the owners were rolling their sleeves up to do some work themselves to reduce the budget. 

Meanwhile, Kimberly is about to start demolition on the project which will reveal if any rewiring is needed to bring the old building up to code. One issue common in Atlanta’s older homes is subpar work that might have been completed previously by an unlicensed contractor. “The budget could go as high as $225,000,” she said, bringing the farmhouse reno to about $75 psf.

In addition, another factor that can have a big impact on a budget for an extensive renovation is the age of the house and whether it had lead paint or asbestos, according to Dexter. Anything built before 1978 could have lead paint in it. Anything built between the ‘30s and the end of the ‘80s could have asbestos. That’s why Dexter gets homes built in those time periods tested. Subsequently, if it comes back positive, the removal of lead or asbestos could add a few thousand dollars to your budget while pushing your timeline back.

How much an Atlanta kitchen remodel costs per square foot

The typical quote detailing costs to remodel a minor kitchen in Atlanta ranges between $20,000 to $30,000 for a 200-square-foot space which includes labor and rough materials such as drywall. This number doesn’t budge all that much because it is mostly calculated on installation rather than materials. In a budget kitchen remodel, it’s a good idea to keep lighting where it is while refreshing the fixtures, according to Sweeten expert Kimberly. For a mid-grade to high-end budget, you should be able to change the location of lights.

Additional material costs include elements such as replacing cabinet fronts, a basic granite countertop, basic lighting, energy-efficient appliances, faucets, and resilient flooring. For example, you could go for a good value kitchen appliance package with a dishwasher, fridge, microwave, and oven for $3,500 from Home Depot. A similar package from high-end brands could set you back $20,000. 

Here’s a look at some mid-grade to high-end kitchen costs:

• Mid-grade kitchen: Expect the average mid-grade kitchen renovation to come in around $175 psf or $35,000 for the Atlanta area. A 200-square-feet space would reveal laminate countertops, a 15-square-foot island, semi-custom wood cabinets, and a double stainless steel sink with a standard single-lever faucet. It also contained a built-in microwave, dishwasher, and custom lighting. Keeping your layout the same will be the biggest factor in keeping your budget down.
  
• High-end kitchen renovations came in at around $325 psf or $65,000. A 200-square-foot kitchen would include custom cabinets, built-in sliding shelves, stone countertops, and imported tile backsplashes. The appliances were also kicked up a few notches to include a commercial-grade cooktop and vent hood as well as high-end faucets and a water filtration system.

(Above) Remodels by Atlanta-based Sweeten contractor Dennis

How much an Atlanta bathroom remodel costs per square foot

For a typical bathroom quote, expect the cost to come in between $12,500 to $15,000. The budget focuses on installation and does not include some key materials. This gives renovators the freedom to shop for what they want while having greater autonomy over their project’s budget. This cost range does include a vanity with a basic granite top, toilet, and tub or shower. Homeowners can shop for finishes such as faucets, tiles, and mirrors. For a project with a lower budget, Dexter advised renovators to stick to tiles in the $2 psf range and faucets made from chrome or brushed nickel. 

Here’s a look at mid-grade to high-end bathroom budgets:

• In the Atlanta area, the average cost of a mid-grade kitchen remodel comes in about $20,000 or $571 psf. This range applies to a 35-square-feet space and installing a new porcelain-on-steel bathtub, ceramic tiles, and a recessed medicine cabinet with built-in lighting. A renovation of this level can add about $13,000 to a home’s value, which recoups close to 65 percent of the project’s cost, according to Remodeling’s Cost vs Value report. Not a bad investment.
  

A popular remodel is taking out the tubs to put in showers. However, avoiding this and working with the layout that you have can easily shave off $4,000 in a bathroom budget. 

• The average bathroom remodel cost in the high-end category starts at around $35,000. For this budget, you could expand your bathroom from 35 square feet to around 100 square feet and can play around with elements like a freestanding soaker tub and a shower with recessed shelves, a frameless glass enclosure, and body spray fixtures. You’re also likely to afford a double-sink and double-mirror vanity with custom draws and wall cabinets. In Kimberly’s experience, a high-end bathroom remodel typically involves using marble or quartz, replacing a rod and shower curtain with glass and adding elements like double shower heads.

WATCH VIDEO:

Costs for adding outdoor space in Atlanta

If you don’t mind a bit of humidity, an outdoor area can be used year-round (although, a fan and mosquito netting is a smart addition for summer). Add or renovate your deck or patio and it will be like adding another room to your home. 

• The average price for a 320-square-foot deck made from composite is $20,000 or $61 psf, according to the Cost Vs Value report for 2020. Composite is a mix of wood and plastic, making it more durable to weather and termites than just wood. A project using this material will add about 60 percent of the cost back into your home’s value. If you do use wood, it will reduce your budget by more than 25 percent to $14,000 or $44 psf. A deck made with wood will add 70 percent of the project cost to your home’s value.
  

Consequently, the majority of Dexter’s clients go with a wood deck rather than composite. A recent client had him rebuild a deck and cover it with flyscreen. It was about 300 square feet and the job was done for a total of $20,000 or about $65 psf.  

Adding stone to a concrete slab for a patio will start at about $12 psf, according to Kimberly. If you want to add lighting and ceiling fans, then add another $5,000 to your budget for fixtures and wiring. An outdoor kitchen could range from $5,000 to $20,000. “In Atlanta, people plan spaces for entertaining purposes,” said Kimberly.

Permit costs

Building permit fees are often calculated by the square footage of your project, or by the overall budget cost. To see how your area’s permits are calculated, check with your local building department. Your general contractor will likely put an estimated amount in your initial budget before a final amount is calculated. “There’s no rule of thumb when it comes to the cost of permits,” said Sweeten contractor Dexter. “Some areas I can pull a permit for $50, but the same job in another county could cost $200.”

It isn’t just the cost of the actual permit that needs to go into the budget. Additionally, you also need to pay your contractors for the time it takes them to pull the permit. In some counties in Atlanta you can file electronically. Other counties, a contractor or architect will need to show up in person with paper plans, said Kimberly. A typical fee to have someone file your permits can range between $300 and $1,000.

The cost of building permits for the city of Atlanta, the area including and immediately surrounding the downtown area, is $7 per $1,000 for construction. Electrical, plumbing, and mechanical permits also have their own fees, which start between $75 and $175 per project. Your general contractor will be familiar with the costs and will also be filing your building permits on your behalf. 

Permits vary greatly in different areas of Atlanta. Neighborhoods like John’s Creek and Alpharetta typically have more fees to consider. Permit fees are less expensive in Sugar Hill in Gwinnett County and Forsyth County.

To confirm a budget, a general contractor will want to see the site for a more accurate assessment of costs. Having your “must-haves” and “nice-to-haves” list paired with a realistic budget will have you on your way to your dream home. 

Remodeling your home in Atlanta? Sweeten can help!

Now that you know the costs to remodel in Atlanta, post your project on Sweeten and we’ll match you with vetted local general contractors to provide estimates for your remodel, plus we’ll support you throughout your project duration. Meet with your contractor to develop an accurate budget, and you’re on your way to the home you’ve always wanted.

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Remodeling an old house? Here’s what you should know from energy efficiency to layout changes.

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.

The post 2020 Cost Guide for a Home Remodel in Atlanta appeared first on Sweeten.