Home Remodeling Costs on Long Island: Price Per Square Foot
Planning a home remodeling on Long Island? Understanding the cost per square foot is essential for budgeting your project. This guide breaks down the average costs for kitchen, bathroom, and basement remodels, including factors that influence pricing. We’ll also explore the often-overlooked expense of permits and provide tips on how to navigate this process smoothly. Whether you’re dreaming of a modern kitchen or a spa-like bathroom, this information will help you turn your vision into reality without breaking the bank.
UPDATED: Read our most up-to-date Long Island Kitchen Remodeling Costs and Bathroom Remodeling Costs guides for Long Island.
While Long Island encompasses four New York counties, including Brooklyn and Queens, this guide focuses on Nassau and Suffolk counties—the areas commonly referred to as Long Island. We’ve excluded the Hamptons due to its significantly higher renovation costs.
Here’s a breakdown of typical starting costs that include labor and materials compiled from Sweeten renovations and Remodeling’s Cost vs. Value report.
- Full-home renovation: Starting at $100 per square foot (psf) with stock materials; high-end properties start at $250+ psf
- Budget kitchen remodel: $20,000—$30,000 (under 100 square feet)
- Mid-grade kitchen remodel: Starting at $30,000 (for 200 square feet)
- High-end kitchen remodel: Starting at $75,000+ (for 200 square feet)
- Budget bath remodel: $15,000—$20,000 (35 to 40 square feet)
- Mid-grade bath remodel: $21,000—$40,000
- High-end bath remodel: $40,000+
- Basement remodel: Starting at $25,000
Keep in mind while it is great to have an idea of your end cost, a contractor will want a detailed conversation and inspection of your home before delivering a more specific estimate.
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What does a home remodeling on Long Island cost per square foot?
Long Island’s proximity to New York City and the Hamptons means that the same regional averages apply. However, real estate prices in Long Island are lower than their neighbors on both sides, and this affects renovation costs.
Most full-home Sweeten renovations in villages including Great Neck, New Hyde Park, and Bellport generally start at $100 psf. Sweeten contractor Aaron estimates that cosmetic facelifts for dry rooms can be $30—$70 psf for his projects, while wet rooms (rooms that are connected to a water supply, i.e., bathrooms or kitchens) typically start at $375 per square feet.
In Sweeten’s experience, bathrooms in Long Island are typically larger than 5’x8′ and can measure 8″x7′ or 9″x7′. High-end (full custom, luxury materials) wet room renovations can cost well over $700 per square foot. This cost range includes everything from architectural design and drawings to fixtures, demolition, expediting, construction—the whole project.
Fewer hurdles in Long Island
Since most residential renovations in Long Island are for single-family, fully detached houses, the logistics of renovation are more straightforward. Contractors won’t need to worry about where to park a car or have limits on the permitted construction hours. (Even if there are city ordinances that limit noise, those are much longer than the working hours typically permitted by an NYC co-op.)
Furthermore, apartment buildings, whether condo or co-op, typically require contractors to ensure cleanliness in the hallways. When workers must spend the beginning and end of the workday prepping and cleaning the halls, this can take up precious time! These factors, which don’t impact most Long Island houses, can result in more affordable prices for those renovators.
Sweeten contractor Aaron tells us that, since construction was permitted to restart after the shutdown, clients are itching to get back to their renovations. The most common renovations he’s seeing are additions, dormers, kitchens, baths, pool pavers, and decks.
Costs for a Long Island kitchen renovation
- Budget kitchen: Sweeten kitchen remodels typically cost between $20,000 and $30,000 for a sub-100 square foot space. To achieve this price point, opt for budget-friendly materials like engineered flooring, prefabricated cabinets, and affordable countertop options such as tile or butcher block. Upgrading to energy-efficient appliances can also help keep costs down. For example, swapping out an old refrigerator for a newer, energy-star rated model can yield significant savings over time.
- Mid-grade kitchen: Sweeten has seen costs starting at $30,000 for mid-range kitchen renovations. According to Remodeling’s Cost vs. Value Report, a mid-grade, major kitchen remodel of a 200-square-foot space in the Middle Atlantic region (excluding New York City) averages around $69,910. This typically includes semi-custom wood cabinets, an island, new countertops, stainless steel appliances, and basic lighting fixtures. For instance, upgrading to a quartz countertop instead of granite can impact the overall cost without sacrificing style.
According to Sweeten contractor Vita, “Kitchens on Long Island typically need a full gut in order to upgrade electrical, plumbing, insulation, and correcting for settling of the foundation.”
- High-end kitchen: Expect the budget to start at $75,000. The same Cost vs. Value report puts a luxury kitchen renovation around $137,700 for the region. This will get you top-of-the-line custom cabinets with interior accessories, stone countertops, imported tile backsplash, built-in refrigerator, commercial-grade cooktop and hood, wall oven, built-in microwave, with designer faucets and a water filtration system. This budget also includes custom lighting, including under-cabinet lights, and wood flooring throughout. Broken down to price per square foot, this comes in at $689 psf.
Costs for a Long Island bathroom renovation
- Budget bathroom: Bathrooms can range from $15,000 to $20,000 for a small, 5′ x 8′ space with budget-friendly finishes. However, bathroom remodels often require extensive work, similar to kitchens. According to Sweeten contractor Vita, “Bathroom renovations typically necessitate a complete overhaul of plumbing, electrical systems, insulation, ventilation, and even floor and wall leveling.” As a result, the base price for a standard 35-square-foot bathroom renovation starts at $22,158, which includes allowances for materials and subcontractors.
- Mid-grade bathroom: A mid-grade bathroom remodel for a 35-square-foot area will cost anywhere from $21,000 to $40,000. The Cost vs. Value report provides an average of $22,158 for the Middle Atlantic region. This includes a recessed medicine cabinet, a standard toilet, a solid-surface vanity counter, and a porcelain tub.
- High-end bathroom: Sweeten contractors report high-end renovations range starts at $40,000 and goes up at luxury price points. The same report puts a high-end renovation at $69,188 for the region. This is based on the expansion of a 35-square-foot bathroom to 100 square feet, within the existing home’s footprint. A high-end renovation at this price point includes radiant floors, all new ductwork, custom cabinetry, separate shower, and freestanding tub, as well as custom lighting.
Costs for a Long Island basement renovation
Sweeten data reveals an average basement conversion cost of $117 per square foot on Long Island. Budget-friendly projects starting at $25,000 can include a bathroom, shower, and laminate flooring. For a more upscale renovation, expect to invest around $75,000 for amenities such as a 5×8 bathroom, shower, bar area, insulation, and laminate flooring in a 20×30 space.
These figures align with insights from Sweeten contractor Vita, who estimates Long Island basement renovations at approximately $35,000 for basic projects, $60,000 for mid-range upgrades, and over $60,000 for high-end finishes.
The basement’s existing condition significantly impacts the final cost. For instance, lowering the floor to increase ceiling height or reinforcing walls through underpinning can add substantial expenses. Additionally, installing new electrical and plumbing systems, especially for a bathroom, drives up costs. Waterproofing and insulation are other factors contributing to the overall budget.
Costs for permits
In Long Island, permits are often handled by each town and will likely be tied to the budget you submit. Towns throughout the island all levy different fees. In Suffolk County, for renovations up to $50,000, the permit fee is $250, and $500 for renovations up to $100,000. For projects above $250,000, contractor Aaron estimates the cost is 15% per $1,000 for the permit. Plumbing and electrical permits both start at $50. For the full list, you can consult this fee schedule.
Hopefully, 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,” so you can plan and get started off on the right foot.
Ready to start planning?
Find endless home renovation inspiration, detailed guides, and practical cost breakdowns from our blogs. You can also post your project on Sweeten today and get matched with our vetted general contractors for free!
FAQs about home renovations on Long Island
In areas like Great Neck, New Hyde Park, and Bellport, costs start at $100 psf overall. For cosmetic-only dry room updates, costs can be lower—about $30 to $70 psf—while wet rooms with plumbing will start at $375 psf. Higher-end remodels can cost well over $700 psf for a fully custom, luxury-materials job.
