Second opinion on C$383,700 renovation budget for a 910 sq ft Vancouver home

[amara_tools]

I’m torn between adding a broad contingency now and spending more upfront to define the work properly. The first provides a cushion, but the second may expose risks that a percentage allowance cannot sensibly cover. The preliminary budget is C$383,700 for a 910 sq ft detached Vancouver home, without an extension.

The scope includes updates to the kitchen, bathrooms, floors and paint, plus electrical assessment and some energy-efficiency work. What should the contractor be required to state about electrical work, plumbing access, moisture, wall opening and reinstatement, and excluded items? I’d also appreciate views on how much reserve to retain before those investigations are complete and how permit timing should appear in the schedule.

 

[FirstBrick]

I’d provisionally carry 15–20% until the concealed conditions are better understood, but first make the contractor define every exclusion. Ask whether the price assumes existing wiring and plumbing can remain, who pays for opening and reinstating walls, and what happens if rot or moisture damage appears. A contingency is only useful if the contract explains which discoveries can draw from it.

 

[arlo.miles]

What is below the main floor: basement, crawlspace or slab? That could materially change plumbing access. I’d also want to know whether the house will be occupied during construction and whether the C$383,700 includes permits, temporary protection, disposal and accommodation. Those missing details may affect sequencing as much as the physical work.

 

[BenRoan]

I’m not convinced a larger percentage is the best first response. On a small house, one poorly defined bathroom stack or electrical assumption can consume a broad contingency surprisingly quickly. Pay for targeted investigation instead: inspect accessible framing, trace plumbing routes, assess likely moisture areas and clarify the electrical work beyond “checks.” Also separate permit timing and long-lead materials from construction duration so delays aren’t mistaken for site problems.

 

[rue.brooks]

The access and moisture questions have been identified, but it is still unclear which assumptions are built into the C$383,700 figure. I would ask for a room-by-room breakdown and a separate written programme covering investigation, permits, demolition, plumbing and electrical rough-in, inspections, wall closure and finishes.

Each stage should show exclusions, owner-supplied materials and who pays when concealed conditions require extra work. Keep a reserve for now, but do not treat a percentage as a substitute for that detail. Once plumbing routes, electrical scope and likely moisture areas have been investigated, the contingency can be adjusted on evidence rather than guesswork.