If you’re looking around your home and thinking, “this could be better,” your next thought will likely be, “but how much will it cost to remodel my whole house?”
Remodeling your Pittsburgh home is a great way to not only improve your quality of life at home but also boost the overall property value. While the actual cost will depend on the finishes you choose, the scope of work, the current state of your home, and the area in which you live, here’s what you can expect, on average, how much you’ll need to budget for a whole home remodel in the Pittsburgh area.
How Much Does It Cost To Renovate A Whole House in Pittsburgh in 2023?
As we’ve mentioned, giving an average cost for a whole home remodel in Pittsburgh can vary by tens, sometimes hundreds, of thousands of dollars from client to client based on personal preference. Are you looking to make average cosmetic upgrades in your bathrooms and kitchen, or do you want more luxurious, flooring, counter tops, cabinetry and appliances? Are you hoping to expand your kitchen and add a powder room and master suite to your floor plan? Does your home have water damage, heating and cooling inefficiencies or foundation issues? If you’re interested in fixing nagging home performance issues, this will average much higher than a rip-and-replace job. Our best advice is to contact a reputable and educated Pittsburgh design-build remodeler; but to start, we can break down the average costs and return on investment (ROI) per room according to the Cost vs Value Report and add our insights based on our 35 years of experience.
What Are the Average Costs to Remodel an Entire Home?
To estimate what your whole home remodel will cost, we’re breaking down costs by the space to be remodeled. If a higher ROI is the goal because you’ll put your house on the market soon, keep these numbers in mind. However, if you’re improving your forever home to live more joyfully and comfortably, prioritize your unique tastes and budget. This may include high-end amenities, finishes, and fixtures that the Cost vs Value Report doesn’t include.
Bathrooms
A bathroom remodel can vary quite a bit in terms of size and scope. Are you looking to remodel your half bath, guest bathroom, or your primary suite bathroom? The Cost vs Value Report costs refers to a simple three-piece bathroom including a bathtub, single vanity, and shower. When you consider these costs to be middle-of-the-road, it could give you a basis for a half bath possibly costing less, or a primary bathroom costing considerably more.
A midrange bathroom remodel in Pittsburgh on average may cost around $30,000 with a ROI of 63%, but this doesn’t include many luxury features homeowners prefer. An upscale three-piece bathroom remodel could cost around $85,000 with a ROI of around 51%. Of course, if your bathrooms are larger than average, include a commode closet, or a Jack and Jill layout, your cost will exceed these averages.
Kitchen
The kitchen is a major common pain point for homeowners. There never seems to be enough space or storage, or the layout is terribly nonfunctional. A midrange remodel of your kitchen may cost around $80,000 with a ROI of 53%, and an upscale remodel around $156,000 with a ROI of 55% in Pittsburgh.
Both levels will include replacing the cabinets, flooring, fixtures, lighting, backsplash, and paint color. However, luxury finishes, fully custom cabinetry, and removing a wall to open your floor plan, and adding a kitchen island, or two, would increase these costs significantly. You should also consider additions like a butler’s pantry and mudroom for convenience, additional storage, and lifestyle.
Primary Suite
If your home is older and lacks a primary suite, or if you’re looking to relocate your suite to another part of your home, these costs will be more relevant because they include adding square footage. You may dream of a spa resort in your own home, complete with a steam shower, a beautiful freestanding tub, in-heat radiant flooring, custom high-end lighting, a large dressing room, and more luxury features, which can affect your final custom estimate.
According to the Report, a midrange primary suite addition should come to around $175,000 with a 43% ROI. An upscale suite could be $355,000 with a 53% ROI.
Outdoor Living Spaces
The Report only explains the cost and ROI of decks with planters, benches, stairs, and railing, which would be around $20,000 with a ROI of 65%. However, you will probably want a more sophisticated space that’s semi-covered, with an integrated outdoor heater unit or fireplace for the colder months, an outdoor kitchen, or another outdoor living space that’s welcoming and perfect for cooking, dining, and hanging out. These types of spaces vary too widely to offer you an estimate, but in general, they can have a ROI of 60% to 80%.
Finished Basement
Basement finishing and remodeling costs are as varied as outdoor spaces. Would you like your own in-home theater, a bar, a billiards room, a guest suite, or a home office in your basement? Essentially, homeowners view their basement as bonus space to have fun with, which is exactly what our clients tend to do. It’s a great way to view your basement because it adds so much to your life at home! Fortunately, others think this way too, which is why a remodeled basement can fetch around 70% in ROI.
Additions
If you’re considering a new addition to your house, each room comes with a different price point and return on investment. An in-law suite and a family room will have very different price points because of what each of these spaces will need in terms of materials and scope of work.
Specifically, however, a midrange bathroom can cost around $60,000, but this wouldn’t include many of the finishes you’d like in a luxury home. An upscale bathroom addition to your house will start at about $115,000. Both levels have an ROI of 60%.
Exterior Home Remodeling
Curb appeal will affect others’ first impression of your home as well as how you feel about your home when you pull into your driveway. It can also make or break a sale if you plan to put your home on the market soon. Exterior upgrades tend to fare better in terms of ROI, coming in at 60%, and up to 98%!
What do they include on average? Replacing windows can start at $24,000, a new garage door could cost $4,000 – $15,000 depending on style and quality, replacing 1,250 square feet of siding for around $20,000, minor enhancements to your main entry for around $10,000, and replacing your roof shingles for around $30,000.
Other Rooms and Renovations to Consider
What about repainting a bedroom, living room, or hallway? A common estimate in Pittsburgh is around $2 to $6 per square foot, but higher-grade paints and preparation to improve wall quality will increase this cost as will making repairs to drywall and painting fine details, like crown molding or a coffered ceiling.
Some other custom remodeling details include built-ins, adding wainscoting, installing smart home features, custom lighting, and more.
Get a More Accurate Estimate from a Design-Build Pro
We know that this is a lot of information to take in and consider when thinking about what remodeling your entire home could cost. In some cases, it could be less, and in others more. From here, your next step should be reaching out to a Pittsburgh design-build remodeler that has the expertise to listen to your design and home performance goals, conduct an in-house assessment, and create a detailed proposal so you can understand what your unique remodel could cost and avoid subsequent change-orders after the fact.
Master Remodelers is a full-service premier design-build firm with an in-house architectural designer, highly skilled craftspeople, a proven six-step design-build process and attentive project managers that know how intimidating a whole home remodel can seem. That’s why we invite potential clients to reach out to us and begin a conversation that will break down the process and put you at ease. We can’t wait to hear about your home remodel project!
