Home Renovation Cost Guide in Westchester County, NY

A guide to house renovation costs for Westchester, including kitchen, bath, and whole-home (plus a basement budget and permit tips!)

(Above) Westchester home renovation by Sweeten general contractor Alan

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

Moving into a new house—or realizing an older home hasn’t kept up with your lifestyle—can make renovation feel like a path to reinvention. However, creating a budget for a remodel is unique to every project! Budgets depend on many factors, like the materials you choose, changes in layout, or moving plumbing or gas lines.

We have compiled a guide to renovation costs across Westchester County, New York, 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: $100—$250 per square foot (psf)
  
• Budget kitchen remodel: Starting from $25,000—$30,000 for under 100 square feet
• Mid-grade kitchen remodel: Starting at $40,000—$50,000
• High-end kitchen remodel: Starting at $70,000
  
• Budget bathroom remodel: Starting at $16,000
• Mid-grade bathroom remodel: Starting at $22,000
  
• High-end bathroom remodel:Starting at $32,000 (for a standard full-size bathroom) or $46,000 (for a master bathroom)
• Basement remodel: $50 psf
  

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

Westchester home remodeling costs per square foot

It’s no secret that Westchester County, with its close proximity to New York City, is one of the pricier areas when it comes to real estate. That is also reflected in the cost of renovations. On average, many Sweeten projects can range from $100 psf—$250 psf. Based in Westchester, Sweeten contractor Gregory has worked on projects that involve multiple rooms or a gut renovation at the $250 psf range. 

Anything higher, he said, “usually applies to one or more specialty trades, such as architects or engineers, and insurance costs which factors into the overall budget.” Choice of material will also affect the cost per square foot.

Similarly, a higher cost stems from the quality and experience of the skilled workers the contractors hire for the project. “Costs for construction vary based on experience, which increases for a higher-end result,” said a Sweeten contractor, who handles projects in the Westchester area. For instance, “A presentation representing the finished product—design and organizing, scheduling, and advising on the materials—is a service that adds to the budget.”

One thing to note: While Sweeten contractors attempt to explore all avenues to stay competitive, it is an industry that is affected by trade. Therefore, the prices you’re quoted at any given time may not be the same six months or a year from now. Prices on labor and materials fluctuate and this will be reflected in your overall quote.

How much a Westchester kitchen renovation costs

• Budget kitchen: Sweeten kitchen remodels can start at $25,000—$30,000 for under 100 square feet with budget-friendly finishes from retailers such as Home Depot.
• Mid-grade kitchen: Expect to see starting budgets from $40,000—$50,000 for a typical mid-grade kitchen.
  

Westchester-based Sweeten contractor Majid has worked on projects costing $40,000 for 150 square feet, or about $260 psf. This budget includes mid-grade finishes.

Remodeling’s Cost vs. Value report puts $350 psf or $70,000 total, as an average for Westchester County. These figures are based on a 200-square-foot kitchen with standard finishes, like an energy-efficient range, built-in microwave, and ventilation system. It also includes garbage disposal, custom lighting, and resilient floorings such as vinyl, linoleum, or cork.

• High-end kitchen: Sweeten has seen projects start at $70,000 for a high-end kitchen.
  

In the Cost vs. Value report, the average high-end kitchen remodel cost more than $137,000 for a 200-square foot space. A project in that price range includes custom cabinets, built-in sliding shelves, stone countertops, and imported tile backsplashes. The appliances can include a commercial-grade cooktop and vent hood as well as high-end faucets and a water filtration system.

According to Sweeten contractor Majid, a large part of a high-end kitchen can be attributed to the cabinets. For example, one of Majid’s clients recently spent $50,000 on fully custom European cabinets.

How much a Westchester bathroom renovation costs

• Budget bathroom: A budget bathroom renovation, including demo, plumbing work, and new finishes, can reach $16,000, said Oziel. Bathrooms in this category typically lean on big-box stores like Lowe’s or Home Depot to source the majority of materials.
  
• Mid-grade bathroom: A mid-grade bathroom in Westchester County will cost on average $22,000, according to the Cost vs. Value report, which is $628 psf for a 35-square-foot bathroom. This includes a recessed medicine cabinet, a standard toilet, solid-surface vanity counter, and a porcelain-on-steel tub.
  
• High-end bathroom: Prices can start at around $32,000 for a standard full bath with high-end finishes. However, homeowners are more likely to splurge for high-end in their master baths, bringing the starting cost for a typical high-end bathroom to around $46,000.

With a higher budget, clients are looking at faucets that can cost $2,000 apiece, marble flooring, custom vanities, built-in medicine cabinets, a rain shower, and top-of-the-line lighting fixtures. At times, those pricey finishing materials can amount to half the budget. Whether it is budget or high-end, good general contractors can strategize with a reasonable budget to help clients achieve renovation goals.

Costs for a basement renovation in Westchester

Sweeten contractors have worked on basement renovations that cost anywhere from $20,000 to $75,000. A $20,000—$30,000 or $50/psf budget would update an already finished basement. This includes painting, flooring, and lighting. If the space is raw and being renovated to a finished living area, the cost is around $75,000. For this budget, a bathroom, a kitchen, and HVAC can be added.

For Majid, a simple basement remodel can cost as little as $50 a square foot, which works out to be about $40,000 for an 800-square-foot space. Adding a toilet or shower could increase your budget, plus any necessary work to bring the room up to code. Waterproofing and drainage can also push up a basement project’s cost. 

Some town regulations might require two forms of egress or natural light (by adding a door or a window) or a certain ceiling height, which means digging down and lowering the floor. An average basement conversion in Westchester is $75,000, according to the Cost vs. Value report. A project with this budget includes a 20×30 foot room, a 5’×8′ bathroom with a shower and bar area, plus insulation and laminate flooring. This example project works out to $117 psf.

Costs for permits in Westchester

The cost of permits changes from town to town in Westchester County. Typically, home renovation costs will be determined by your budget, and require some basic math to figure out. For example, the permit costs below are broken out among the different towns across the County:

• Pelham: Building permits cost $250 for a project costing under $5,000 plus $12 per each additional $1,000.
  
• Scarsdale: Building permits cost $255 for a project costing between $10,000 and $50,000. For projects budgeted over $100,000, a permit costs a flat fee of $1,755 plus $14 for each $1,000 or fraction over $100,000.
  
• Katonah: Permits cost $14 for every $1,000 of a budgeted project.
  
• Hastings-on-Hudson: The fee will cost $17 per $1,000 of the estimated construction cost.
  

These figures provide a jumping-off point for your Westchester County renovation budget. On the (more fun) planning side, 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.”

Thinking about renovating? Sweeten can help!

Post your project on Sweeten and we’ll match you with multiple vetted general contractors to provide estimates for your renovation. Sweeten also checks in with you until project completion. Talk with your general contractor to develop an accurate budget, and you’ll be on your way to the home you’ve always wanted.

—

ADUs or accessory dwelling units can transform into home offices, living space for family or as a rental, or a retreat.

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.