Renovation budget for a 245 m² condo in Bengaluru at ₹24,630,000

[luca.east]

The budget has moved from a rough idea to ₹4,746,000, which raises a more important question about what it actually covers. I am considering a 245 m² condo in Bengaluru priced at ₹24,630,000, with renovation planned for the kitchen, bathrooms, floors, decoration, electrical testing and some energy improvements.

There is no extension in the plan, although I do not want to assume that rules out risk around slabs, walls or concealed services. Finishes can wait; leaks, damp and unsafe wiring cannot. Before fixing the contingency, what inspections or limited opening-up should I request to establish pipe access, waterproofing condition and the electrical scope? I would also like contractors to price reinstatement and hidden work separately so the sequence is not built on optimistic assumptions.

 

[StillPorch]

I would keep the contingency as an owner-controlled reserve rather than burying it in the contractor’s allowance. Don’t settle its final size until the electrical circuits, plumbing routes and wet areas have been inspected. Ask every bidder to list exclusions explicitly—especially demolition, debris removal, waterproofing repairs, replacement of concealed pipework, electrical-board work and making good after services are opened.

 

[EasyBrick]

How old is the condo, and are there visible stains, swollen skirting or recurring smells near bathrooms and external walls? Also establish whether pipes can be reached through shafts or whether finished walls and floors must be opened. That access issue could change both the budget and sequence more than the chosen fittings.

 

[PlainStory]

There are two reasonable approaches here: reserve a large contingency now, or investigate first and size it around the remaining unknowns. I would lean toward the second, while still keeping some owner-controlled cash aside from the outset.

The missing fact is what must be opened to trace the plumbing and wiring. If services are accessible through shafts, the risk is mainly repair and replacement; if floors or substantial walls must be disturbed, reinstatement and possible structural review enter the picture. I would ask contractors to mark every proposed chase, core or drilled opening before work begins, then confirm building access and any required approvals. Once those points are known, the tender can separate confirmed work from provisional items and the reserve can be set more sensibly.

 

[quinn.oak]

A practical tender request would separate confirmed work, provisional hidden-condition items and optional cosmetics. Ask for a room-by-room programme showing when water and power are isolated, when wet-area repairs are tested, and when floors and paint follow. Keep long-lead materials out of the critical path where possible. After comparable bids expose the exclusions, set the reserve around the unresolved items rather than applying one blanket figure to the entire ₹4,746,000.