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Home Renovation Costs: Expectation vs. Reality

Tempura / Getty Images
Tempura / Getty Images

If HGTV is your main reference point for pricing out your dream home renovation projects, you may be underestimating the actual costs.

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The New Yorker recently did a deep dive on HGTV and explained why that is: "HGTV shows use the real money of homeowners to cover the cost of renovations, but producers may quietly incorporate discounted goods and services, in a way that jumbles our sense of what seventy-five thousand dollars can buy. Steve Ford [co-host of the HGTV show "Home Again with the Fords"] acknowledged that participants 'are getting more for their buck than they should,' and said that an HGTV viewer could be forgiven for thinking, 'Oh, I can do this! I can make this crazy thing happen at my house that should be in a magazine. And I can do it for X dollars!'"

Read: 20 Home Renovations That Will Hurt Your Home’s Value

Think you know how much home renovations really cost? Click through to see how much five popular home improvement projects will actually set you back.

Young black female plumber sitting on the floor fixing a bathroom sink, seen from doorway.
Young black female plumber sitting on the floor fixing a bathroom sink, seen from doorway.

Remodeling a Bathroom

Remodeling a bathroom may entail repairing or replacing toilets, sinks, vanities, countertops, lighting, ventilation/fans, flooring, doors, windows, paint, faucets and/or plumbing. According to HomeAdvisor, you should expect to spend 50% of your total budget on materials and 50% of your total budget on labor, with the average cost of labor for this project at $65 an hour.

With that in mind, can you guess how much the average bathroom remodel costs? Click through to the next slide to find out.

Read More: 30 Ways To Upgrade Your Home Without Blowing Your Budget

modern remodeled master bathroom with vanity sconce
modern remodeled master bathroom with vanity sconce

The Average Cost To Remodel a Bathroom Is $10,781

Homeowners typically spend between $6,150 and $15,417 to remodel a bathroom, with the national average at $10,781, according to HomeAdvisor. Of course, how much this project actually costs will depend on the size of the bathroom, what exactly you repair/replace and how high-end you go with your fixtures. A bathroom remodel can cost as little as $2,500 on the low end to $26,044 on the high end.

Related: The 11 Most Popular Pandemic Home Improvement Projects – Plus, How Much They Cost

12074, Paint
12074, Paint

Painting a House's Exterior

HGTV lovers know how far a fresh coat of paint on a home's exterior can go to completely update a house's look and add to its curb appeal. However, this is not an easy undertaking -- it requires proper planning, prep work and tools, and is ideally left to a professional to handle, according to HomeAdvisor.

Do you know the average cost to paint a home's exterior? Click through to see if your expectations are in line with reality.

Discover: Renovations To Make — and Skip — Before Selling Your Home

Exterior of a new Cape Cod styled suburban house with recently planted shrubs and grass.
Exterior of a new Cape Cod styled suburban house with recently planted shrubs and grass.

The Average Cost To Paint the Exterior of a House Is $2,960

The cost to paint the exterior of a house typically ranges from $1,748 to $4,173, according to HomeAdvisor. This will vary by the size of your home, your location, the condition of your exterior, how accessible your home's exteriors are and what material your home is. Stucco and brick are usually more expensive to paint than vinyl or wood.

Read: Why These Home Upgrades Are Worth the Extra Money

Man in a blue shirt does window installation.
Man in a blue shirt does window installation.

Installing a Window

Adding a window to a room can help fill a space with more natural light, making it warmer and more inviting. The cost of this project will depend on accessibility and material type, according to HomeAdvisor.

But can you guess the average cost? Click to the next slide to see if you're right.

Find Out: Renovate Your Home for Under $10,000 — Here’s How

Give Your Windows a New Outlook
Give Your Windows a New Outlook

The Average Cost To Install a Window Is $5,909

Window installation typically costs between $2,950 and $9,088, according to HomeAdvisor. That includes labor, which runs from $150 to $800 per window, and the cost of the window itself, which runs $300 to $1,200 for standard sizes. Custom and bay windows cost $2,000 on average.

See: 25 Tricks To Sell Your House for a Bigger Profit

Installing with granite countertops renovation granite kitchen interior cabinet.
Installing with granite countertops renovation granite kitchen interior cabinet.

Installing Countertops

Installing or replacing countertops in a kitchen or bathroom can give the room a whole new look -- which is why this is such a popular project on almost any HGTV show. The main cost for this project is the material, though you need to factor in labor costs as well. The price of this project will depend on the material you choose and how much counter space you have.

Do you have a guess for the average cost of this popular home improvement project? Click through to see how close your expectations are to reality.

Read More: 5 Affordable Ways To Make Over Every Room in Your House

Newly updated contemporary classic open concept kitchen with new stainless steel appliances dish washer, granite sink and granite counter top.
Newly updated contemporary classic open concept kitchen with new stainless steel appliances dish washer, granite sink and granite counter top.

The Average Cost To Install Countertops Is $2,973

If you guessed around $3,000, you would be right. The average cost to install countertops ranges from $1,858 to $4,168, according to HomeAdvisor. Countertop materials range from $15 to $70 per square foot on average, and labor typically costs between $10 to $30 per square foot, for a total of $25 to $120 per square foot.

Find Out: 20 Insider Tips To Save Money on Every Part of Your Home

Carpenter working on new kitchen cabinets.
Carpenter working on new kitchen cabinets.

Remodeling a Kitchen

Kitchen designs have changed dramatically over the past few decades, and many homeowners now dream of having an open kitchen complete with a spacious kitchen island. But remodeling can be a huge (and expensive) undertaking. For a full remodel, expenses include design fees, installation, appliances and ventilation systems, cabinetry and hardware, countertops, lighting, flooring, doors and windows, walls and ceilings, and faucets and plumbing.

Do you know how much the average kitchen remodel costs? Click through to see if your knowledge is up to par with the HGTV experts.

Discover: Common Real Estate Myths That You Need To Know

Beautiful kitchen room with green island and farmhouse sink.
Beautiful kitchen room with green island and farmhouse sink.

The Average Cost To Remodel a Kitchen Is $25,548

According to HomeAdvisor, most homeowners spend between $13,358 and $37,740, or $75 to $250 per square foot, to remodel their kitchen. The total cost depends on the size of the space, how high-end the materials are and whether you change the layout of the room.

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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Home Renovation Costs: Expectation vs. Reality

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