Fairfield County Home Renovation Costs Per Square Foot: Your Complete Guide

Renovating your Fairfield County home can be an exciting but daunting endeavor. One of the most crucial factors to consider is the cost. This blog post will break down the average Fairfield County home renovation costs per square foot. We’ll explore various factors that influence the overall price, providing you with valuable insights to help budget for your project. Whether you’re planning a kitchen remodel, bathroom upgrade, or a whole-house renovation, understanding these costs is essential for making informed decisions.

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

Creating a budget for a renovation is unique to every project; the many variables, from your own taste for materials and quality of work to whether you are changing the layout or are moving plumbing or gas lines in a kitchen or bathroom, all factor into the equation. Sweeten, a free service matching homeowners with vetted general contractors, has compiled a general guide to renovation costs in Fairfield County focusing on four categories—kitchen, bathroom, basement, and permits. Here’s a breakdown of typical starting costs compiled from Sweeten renovations and Remodeling’s Cost vs. Value report.

• Full home renovation: $150—$350 per square foot (psf)
• Budget kitchen remodel: $25,000
• Mid-grade kitchen remodel: $335 psf or $67,000
• High-end kitchen remodel: $630 psf or $133,000
• Budget bathroom remodel: $15,000 to $20,000
• Mid-grade bathroom remodel: $600 psf or $21,000
• High-end bathroom remodel: $665 psf or $66,500
• Basement remodel: $117 psf or $75,000

Keep in mind that every professional contractor will want to have a detailed chat and inspection of your home before developing an estimate specific to your needs and wants.

What a Fairfield County home renovation costs per square foot?

Fairfield County home renovation costs can vary widely depending on the scope of the project. A gut renovation in Fairfield County typically ranges from $150 to $250 per square foot, according to Sweeten architect Elizabeth. However, this figure can climb to $300 to $350 per square foot for complex renovations involving structural changes or high-end finishes. It’s essential to remember that these renovation cost per square foot estimates exclude fees for professionals like architects and engineers.

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Residential renovation costs have steadily increased, with an average annual rise of 5.7% between 2013 and 2018. Factors influencing these costs include fluctuations in material and labor prices, as well as rising overhead expenses like insurance for contractors. Additionally, the increasing demand for skilled tradespeople in affluent areas like Fairfield County has contributed to higher labor costs.

While these trends provide a general overview, it’s crucial to consult with local contractors and professionals for accurate home renovation cost estimates specific to your project.

Costs for a Connecticut kitchen renovation

• Budget kitchen: Sweeten kitchen remodels can start at $25,000 for under 100 square feet with budget-friendly finishes from retailers such as Home Depot.  Sweeten contractor Majid has done a budget kitchen for $40,000 that was 150 square feet. This budget includes semi-custom cabinets and granite or quartz countertops with no changes to the layout.
• Mid-grade kitchen: A typical mid-grade kitchen renovation in Fairfield County is priced at $335 psf, or $67,000 according to the Cost vs. Value report. These figures are based on a 200-square-foot kitchen with laminate countertops, a standard sink, and faucet, with an energy-efficient range, built-in microwave, and ventilation system. It also includes a garbage disposal, custom lighting and resilient floorings such as vinyl, linoleum, or cork. New kitchens that Elizabeth’s architectural firm has worked on usually cost between $25,000 to $60,000, but it is easy to surpass that, she said.
• High-end kitchen: For a kitchen renovation, this could mean fully custom cabinets, sourcing the best materials from overseas, and dealing with the added expense of a layout change, said Alfonso, a Sweeten contractor. A recent kitchen renovation he worked on came to $125,000. The cabinets alone were $70,000, the countertop material was shipped in from Italy, and changing the layout of the kitchen also bumped up the cost and involved substantial plumbing and electrical work.

Alfonso’s kitchen remodel came in slightly below the Cost vs Value report’s average high-end kitchen price of $133,000 or $630 per square foot. This includes premium materials like stone countertops, an imported tile backsplash, a water filtration system, a commercial-grade cooktop and vent hood, and a built-in microwave.

Costs for a Connecticut bathroom renovation

• Budget bathroom: Sweeten bathroom remodels can start at $15,000 to $20,000 for a 5’ x 8’ space with budget-friendly finishes from retailers such as Home Depot. Majid has worked on projects costing $15,000 for a minimum space measuring 5’ x 8’ that includes labor and rough materials. A budget of $15,000 to $20,000 is typical for a full bathroom renovation in the Fairfield area, according to Elizabeth.
• Mid-grade bathroom: A mid-grade bathroom in Fairfield County, Connecticut will cost on average $21,000, according to the Cost vs Value report which equates to $600 psf for a 35-square-foot bathroom. This includes a recessed medicine cabinet, a standard toilet, solid-surface vanity country, and a porcelain-on-steel tub.
• High-end bathroom: That same report put a high-end bathroom renovation and expansion at $66,500. The sample bathroom was expanded from 35 square feet to 100. It amounted to $665 psf.

One of the more expensive bathrooms Alfonso worked on came in at $88,000. This included a walk-in closet that led into the bathroom. The client wanted a custom-made European toilet, major structural changes, and marble shipped from Italy, which had a lead time of three months for delivery.

Costs for a Connecticut basement renovation

Basement renovations by Sweeten contractors have ranged from $30,000 to $100,000. An average basement conversion across the county is $75,000, according to the Cost vs Value report. The project for this size budget includes a 20′ x 30′ room and a 5′ x 8′ bathroom with a shower and a bar area as well as insulation and laminate flooring, which comes to $117 psf. The elements that tend to inflate the budget include adding a toilet or a shower and work needed to bring the room up to code. Some town regulations might require two forms of egress or natural light (so adding a door or a window) or a certain ceiling height, which means digging down and lowering the floor.

Costs for permits

Each town in Fairfield County has its own table of fees for building permits. Building permits, including those for plumbing and electrical, can cost anywhere from $300 to $2,500 per project. The variation is often tied to your budget. Here are some examples:

• In Stamford, your building permit will be $13.26 for each $1,000 in your budget. That permit will cover your electrical, plumbing, and HVAC work.
• In Westport, the permit fee for demolition is $2 per 100 cubic feet of volume while the building fee is $10 for each $1,000 of the renovation budget.
• In Greenwich, a building permit will be $13.26 for each $1,000 in your budget. The electrical permit fee is $12 per $1,000 of the cost of the project; this fee is the same for a plumbing permit fees.
• Over in Norwalk, building fees are structured slightly different. A building permit costs $13 per $1,000 of estimated work, which includes some electrical, plumbing, and HVAC work. However, if there are major changes in these areas, then separate permits for electrical, plumbing, and HVAC might be required at a cost of $13.26 for every $1,000 budgeted in those areas. Check the building department in your local township for a better idea of permitting costs for your project.

Issues you may or may not encounter along the way such as structural problems that need fixing or bringing a staircase up to current code could also manipulate your end budget. Take into consideration wet areas like kitchens or bathrooms cost more to renovate than dry spaces (for example, dining rooms and bedrooms) due to materials and labor that may be more complex, Alfonso says. Hopefully, all of these facts and figures give you a jumping-off point to begin pulling together a budget. Sweeten’s Renovation Checklist offers you a downloadable roadmap to organize all of the moving parts of a renovation including laying out your “must-haves” and “nice-to-haves.”

Renovating your home in Fairfield County? Sweeten can help!

Post your project on Sweeten for free and make your dream home a reality. Sweeten puts you in control of your renovation, from finding the perfect contractor and gathering design inspiration, to using cost guides  to plan your budget wisely. — Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, and scope, helping until project completion. Follow the blog, Sweeten Stories, for renovation ideas and inspiration, and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation on Sweeten.