What the calculator does
Renovation Guides starts with a base cost for the selected project type. It then adjusts that base using the project size, country preset, region, finish level, labor approach, home age, optional scope factors, contingency, and the manual local price adjustment.
Kitchen, bathroom, flooring, roofing, painting, basement, and deck projects each have different starting assumptions.
Country, region, labor choice, age, and finish level move the estimate up or down.
The final estimate is shown as a range because hidden conditions and local contractor availability can change pricing.
What the country presets mean
A country preset changes currency, measurement unit, region labels, and a broad market multiplier. It does not mean the site has scraped every local contractor market or verified live material prices. For example, a country with a higher cost factor will show a higher result before project-specific adjustments.
What is not included yet
- Verified city-by-city contractor bid data
- Live material pricing from suppliers
- Permit fee tables by municipality
- Structural engineering, architectural, or code-specific pricing
- Custom project drawings or site inspection details
Why there is a local adjustment control
Even inside one country, renovation pricing can vary sharply. The local adjustment control lets visitors manually raise or lower the preset if they already know their city, island, rural area, high-demand metro, or import-heavy market is outside the broad average.
How to improve the data over time
The next step is to replace broad country factors with source-backed local ranges. Good evidence can include anonymized contractor quotes, supplier price sheets, permit office fee schedules, and real project case studies. Each page should explain when the data was collected and what scope it represents.
countryPresets.us = {
costFactor: 1,
uncertainty: 0.13,
dataBasis: "Starter planning preset",
lastUpdated: "April 2026"
}How visitors should use an estimate
Use the calculator as an early budget screen. Save the estimate, write down the scope, then compare at least two or three written local quotes before making decisions. The estimate is educational and is not a contractor quote, valuation, appraisal, or professional advice.
How to read the wording on this site
Calculator results are described as a “planning estimate,” “typical range,” and “starter preset” because they are meant for early budgeting. Avoid treating the output as a guaranteed cost, exact quote, or official national price list.