Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, $100,000 can cover major home upgrades. It is often enough for a full kitchen remodel or for updating several bathrooms. However, whether it can renovate an entire home depends on where you live, how big the house is, its condition, and the materials you choose. This budget works best for cosmetic updates and high-value areas like kitchens and bathrooms. For a full gut renovation or major structural work, $100,000 may only cover part of the total cost.

A $50,000 budget is usually enough to update one or two parts of a home, like a kitchen or a basement, but it is not enough to remodel the whole house, so it’s smart to focus on the rooms you use most and that add the most value.

With $100,000, you can handle major renovations like a high-end kitchen remodel, a full bathroom renovation, or a full-home refresh with new flooring, paint, and lighting, and in some cases still have money left for a basement finish, room addition, or outdoor living space, depending on your home size, location, and material choices, while focusing on quality materials, energy efficiency, and features that add long-term value and comfort.

Renovating a bathroom in Brooklyn usually costs between $12,000 for a basic update and $70,000 or more for a full luxury renovation, with most mid-range bathroom remodels falling around $20,000 to $40,000, but the final price depends on labor costs, permits, material choices like simple tile versus custom tile, and whether plumbing is moved, with higher costs common for layout changes, high-end finishes, and older buildings that may have issues like asbestos or plaster walls.

Bathroom Remodel Cost (2026):  A bathroom remodel usually costs between $6,500 and $24,700, depending on the size of the bathroom, the materials you choose, and the work involved. This guide explains the main factors that affect bathroom remodeling costs and helps you plan a smart budget.

Yes, bathroom remodels usually start around $5,000, and the final cost depends on how big the bathroom is and which items you choose to update.

In Brooklyn, a kitchen renovation usually costs between $25,000 and $80,000, with most homeowners spending around $45,000 to $50,000, while simple updates can start near $15,000 and high-end custom kitchens can go over $100,000, depending on the kitchen size, materials, labor costs, and project scope, with mid-range remodels often falling between $40,000 and $60,000 and higher prices common due to NYC labor, permits, and average costs of about $250 to $450 per square foot.

You should plan to spend about 5% to 15% of your home’s value on a kitchen remodel, with small updates like new countertops or paint starting around $10,000, while bigger renovations with a new layout and high-end finishes can cost $65,000 or more, and luxury kitchens may go over $130,000, so it’s smart to set aside an extra 15% for surprises and expect most of your budget to go toward cabinets (30–40%), countertops (10–15%), appliances (10–15%), and labor (10–15%).

Yes, you can remodel a kitchen for $20,000, but it will usually be a small to mid-size update that focuses on looks and function, without changing the layout or moving plumbing or electrical lines, and it works best when you plan carefully, choose affordable materials, focus on high-impact upgrades like cabinets and countertops, and handle some simple tasks yourself.

A bathroom renovation in NYC can cost around $10,000 for a small update or go over $80,000 for a full, high-end remodel, where simple projects may include new paint and lighting, while complete renovations involve changing the layout and replacing all major fixtures like the shower, toilet, and vanity.

The most expensive part of a bathroom renovation is usually the wet area, like the shower or tub and plumbing, especially if you change the layout, because it requires skilled labor, waterproofing, and costly materials such as custom tile and glass, with added costs also coming from plumbers, electricians, tilers, custom vanities, and high-end fixtures, while moving plumbing or electrical lines can quickly raise the total price.

Yes, you almost always need a permit for a bathroom renovation in NYC if you change plumbing, electrical work, or walls, and this usually requires an Alteration Type 2 (Alt-2) filing by a Registered Architect (RA) or Professional Engineer (PE), while simple cosmetic work like painting may not need a city permit, but you should always check with your building management or co-op board and the NYC Department of Buildings (DOB) because unpermitted work can lead to fines or a stop-work order.

A realistic bathroom remodel budget in 2025 can range from $3,000 to $7,000 for simple cosmetic updates, $15,000 to $25,000 for a mid-range remodel, and $30,000 or more for a high-end luxury renovation, with the national average around $12,000 to $18,000, and the final cost depending on bathroom size, material choices, labor costs, and whether the layout changes, so it’s smart to add an extra 10% to 30% to your budget for surprise issues like old plumbing or water damage.

The most expensive part of a bathroom remodel is usually the plumbing and any layout changes, especially when you move things like the sink, toilet, or tub, because this work takes skilled labor, permits, and extra inspections, and costs can rise quickly from plumbers, electricians, tile work, custom vanities, and high-end materials, with the shower and tub area often being the biggest expense due to waterproofing and detailed installation.

For a new bathroom, budgets usually range from a few thousand dollars for simple cosmetic updates to $12,000–$30,000 or more for a full remodel, with the national average around $12,000–$18,000, depending on the bathroom size and the finishes you choose, and most projects cost about $70 to $250 per square foot, where labor makes up a large part of the price and extra costs can come from layout changes, higher-quality materials, and hidden plumbing or electrical work.

For 2026, bathroom remodel costs can vary a lot, with small updates usually costing $3,000 to $10,000, mid-range remodels around $10,000 to $25,000, and full luxury renovations ranging from $25,000 to over $50,000, while the national average sits near $11,500 to $12,000, depending on materials, labor, and whether the layout changes, with most projects costing about $70 to $275 per square foot and prices rising quickly if custom work or plumbing is moved.

Yes, you can renovate a bathroom for $5,000, especially if it is a small bathroom and you focus on simple updates like fresh paint, new fixtures, vinyl flooring, and a basic vanity, and save money by doing some of the work yourself, but this budget is usually not enough for big changes like a new tub, heavy tile work, or major plumbing or electrical updates.

An average bathroom remodel usually costs between $12,000 and $18,500, but prices can range from about $3,000 for a basic refresh to over $30,000 for luxury upgrades, with most projects costing around $70 to $250 per square foot, and the final price depending on the bathroom size, the materials you choose, and the amount of labor involved, since larger bathrooms, layout changes, and custom features can quickly raise the total cost.

The most expensive parts of a bathroom remodel are usually plumbing and layout changes, especially when sinks, tubs, or toilets are moved, because this work requires skilled labor, permits, and inspections, and costs add up quickly from plumbers, electricians, tile work, custom vanities, and high-end materials, with the shower and tub area often being the biggest expense due to waterproofing and detailed installation.

The main rule of thumb for renovation costs is the 30% rule, which means you should try not to spend more than 30% of your home’s current value so you don’t overdo upgrades, and it’s also smart to set aside an extra 10% to 20% for unexpected problems, with most budgets going toward labor, materials, and fees, while costs are strongly affected by big projects like kitchens and bathrooms, moving plumbing or electrical lines, and local labor rates, so getting quotes from more than one contractor is always a good idea.

Renovations that usually add the most value are kitchen and bathroom updates, exterior improvements like new entry or garage doors, better landscaping, and energy-saving upgrades such as new windows or added insulation, while finishing a basement or attic can also bring a strong return, and in most cases it’s smarter to focus on simple, widely appealing updates and small kitchen or cosmetic improvements rather than spending heavily on luxury or very personal upgrades.

A realistic kitchen renovation budget can range from about $15,000 for a small update to $75,000 or more for a full gut remodel, with many homeowners spending around $25,000 to $40,000, depending on the size of the project, the materials chosen, and where the home is located, and a good guideline is to spend about 5% to 15% of your home’s value, with the biggest costs usually going toward cabinets, labor, and appliances.

The most expensive part of a kitchen remodel is usually the cabinets, which can take up 30% or more of the total budget depending on the kitchen size, materials, and level of customization, with other big costs often coming from appliances, countertops, and labor, all of which can quickly raise the overall price.

The cheapest time to remodel a kitchen is usually during the winter, especially in January and February, or in late fall, because contractors are less busy and may offer better pricing, and you can often save more by buying materials during holiday sales like Black Friday or end-of-year clearances, although winter projects can sometimes face weather issues or scheduling delays around the holidays.

Yes, but it requires specialized knowledge of load-bearing walls and anchoring systems. We evaluate each project individually to ensure safety and compliance.

Yes, you can redo a kitchen for $5,000, but it usually means doing a lot of the work yourself, choosing budget-friendly materials like paint, butcher block, or laminate, and focusing on big visual upgrades such as cabinets and hardware instead of a full gut renovation, and many people have done this successfully by following real DIY examples shared on YouTube and Reddit.

You can remodel a kitchen for under $4,000 by keeping the same layout and focusing on low-cost, high-impact DIY updates, such as painting or refacing existing cabinets, changing the hardware, using affordable countertops like laminate or butcher block, updating lighting, adding a peel-and-stick backsplash, and buying used appliances or shopping sales, while saving the most money by doing the labor yourself.

The most expensive part of redoing a kitchen is usually the cabinets, which can take up about 25% to 40% of the total budget because of the materials, customization, and installation work, followed by other big costs like labor for plumbing and electrical work, stone countertops, and high-end appliances, with custom cabinets, premium surfaces, and skilled labor all pushing the final price higher.

The 3x4 kitchen rule means setting up three main counter areas, each about four feet long, for food prep, cooking, and cleanup, which helps keep the kitchen organized, clean, and easy to use, and it works alongside the kitchen work triangle by giving you clear landing spaces so you can move smoothly and avoid clutter, even in a small kitchen.

A reasonable remodeling budget can range from a few thousand dollars for simple updates like paint or fixtures to $50,000 or more for a full home renovation, with many projects averaging about $15 to $60 per square foot, while full gut renovations or luxury finishes can reach $150 or more per square foot, and kitchens and bathrooms often cost the most at roughly $100 to $250 per square foot, with the final budget depending on how much of the home you’re remodeling, the materials you choose, and labor costs, and a good general rule is to avoid spending more than 10% of your home’s market value.

Universal Renovation offers a wide range of home remodeling services, from single-room updates like kitchens, bathrooms, and basements to simple cosmetic upgrades such as painting, flooring, and lighting, as well as larger projects like room additions, historic brownstone restorations, and full gut renovations, often with added support for co-op approvals and NYC building rules.

A Brooklyn home remodel can take anywhere from a few weeks to over a year, depending on the size of the project, with small jobs like bathrooms or kitchens often taking a few weeks, while full gut renovations can last many months, mainly because of permit approvals, project scope, building type such as co-ops or brownstones, and material delays, and in many cases timelines are extended by NYC rules or Landmark Commission reviews, so it’s common to expect about 4 to 8 weeks for a kitchen, 3 to 8 weeks for a bathroom, and 6 to 12 months or more for a full brownstone renovation, plus extra time for planning and permits.

Yes, you usually need permits for major home remodeling in Brooklyn, especially if the work affects the structure, plumbing, or electrical systems and must be filed with the NYC Department of Buildings, while simple cosmetic work like painting or replacing cabinets may not need a permit, but changes such as removing walls, adding outlets, or installing new plumbing typically do and are often filed by a licensed architect or engineer.

When choosing a Brooklyn remodeler, look for a contractor who is licensed and insured in NYC, has strong local reviews, experience with projects like brownstones, clear communication, detailed written estimates, and a fair payment schedule, and make sure they specialize in your type of project and offer realistic timelines to help keep the renovation smooth and stress-free.

Common challenges when remodeling Brooklyn homes include dealing with strict city rules, older buildings like brownstones that often have hidden issues, and the limited space and tight access that come with working in a crowded city.