If you’re embarking on a home renovation, you’re going to want an estimate. The cost of your project can vary thousands of dollars, depending on your choice of contractor and materials.

Homeadvisor.com is a fun tool to use if you want a ballpark estimate of what you can expect to pay for your project. For instance, if you live in Salt Lake City in ZIP code 84036, your cost, on average, for siding installation is $8,802 (it doesn’t let you specify what type of siding). The same job will cost you $12,108 in Boston.

Utah is home to some of the most beautiful country in the United States — heck, even the whole world. The wide-open spaces we love so much are what keeps costs down out here, and we’re all thankful for it.

That being said, you don’t want to pay any more for your home renovations than you have to, so you want to make sure you specify exactly what you want and get a detailed estimate.

FREE ESTIMATE

A lot of companies offer free estimates — in fact, most do, because who is going to sign a contract for a big project like a home renovation without an estimate? But what constitutes an estimate can vary widely.

Estimates can be one page with a total scrawled at the bottom, written up quickly and stuffed into your mailbox when you’re not home. Or they can be a whole package, complete with images and itemized costs.

Most people prefer the latter, and since it’s free, you may as well go for more than less.

SEE, THEN BELIEVE

Today’s computer technology lets designers give you an amazingly accurate picture of what your house will look like once the work is done. This helps homeowners tremendously, as much of the anxiety that comes with home renovations is rooted in the fear: “Will I like it when it’s done?”

It’s like choosing a new hair color, but it’s a much bigger investment!

DETAILS, DETAILS

A consultation with a respected, experienced company should be just that — a sit-down between the clients and the designers in which the group goes over every aspect of the remodel, so the most accurate estimate can be given.

For instance, suppose you have siding in mind. You would need to decide what type of siding you wanted. Maybe you like cedar, but when you sit down with the team, you realize you really can’t afford it.

The designers can give you options for fiber cement, aluminum, vinyl or another product. If you decide you simply must have wood, we can show you other aspects of your project you may be able to make cuts in so you can come in on budget.

GET THE FACTS

You should settle for nothing less than this type of personalized service when you’re planning a big project like a home renovation. You’re going to want all the details about the materials, the labor, the expected timeline needed to complete the work and more before you make a decision.

The designers at Renovation by Burbach take as much time with you as you need to make an informed decision about your home covering. We listen, revise and listen again, then provide you with a detailed, accurate estimate of the cost of your project. You don’t want any surprises when you’re planning a home renovation, so we make sure every aspect of your project is spelled out for you, so your results are exactly what you expected.