No extension does not necessarily mean no structural work. Removing cabinets or wall finishes can expose decay, and even an interior layout change may affect framing. Ask whether any walls are being altered and who decides whether discovered damage requires further assessment.
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Miami duplex renovation: budgeting for hidden work and flood exposure
- Thread starter jade.bell
- Start date
For the remaining unknowns, request unit prices where that is practical: opening and closing additional wall areas, replacing defined lengths of pipe, or repairing specified areas of substrate. It will not cover every surprise, but it gives you a basis for evaluating some change orders.
The change-order process belongs in the contract discussion too. Who documents the condition, who prices it, and does work pause for written approval unless there is an urgent safety issue? A clear process prevents the contingency from becoming a running verbal tab.
Match payment milestones to visible completed work rather than just calendar dates or material promises. Also ask how deposits for special-order items are documented and what happens if the selected item becomes unavailable. Contract requirements vary, so have the final terms checked locally.
wren_tools
Homeowner
On flood risk, I would separate measures intended to prevent water entry from choices that make recovery less destructive. The contractor should say which problem each proposal addresses. Otherwise a moisture-resistant finish can be presented as though it solves the route by which water enters.
At this point I’d ask each bidder for four attachments: detailed scope, exclusions and allowances, proposed sequence, and a procurement list showing when dimensions must be confirmed. That should expose more than asking everyone to add another percentage to the price.
There is a limit to preconstruction investigation, though. You can spend heavily opening walls and still miss the next concealed defect. I’d investigate the high-consequence areas, then preserve a real reserve and establish decision points for stopping, redesigning or deferring optional work.
A practical final package would be a base renovation budget, a separate list of optional finishes, and a protected contingency for concealed conditions. Add a schedule with permit assumptions and material decisions. If those pieces reconcile to the $244,100, the number becomes much more useful than a single contractor total.