Be judicious in choosing the finishing materials (cabinets, countertops, flooring, and appliances):

The price range is quite large for these items and you may find that your initial budget increases once you begin shopping for them. Finishing materials can affect the cost of a job by as much as 25%, even for a mid-range remodel.

Visit appliance stores, cabinet/countertop showrooms and tile dealers—or search online—to get some idea of price range for the types of selections you might make. There are myriad resources to help you get ideas of finish material costs.

Finally, it is important to realize that, if supplied by the contractor, the prices for materials may be higher than you were expecting. The contractor may place an up-charge on top of the materials; this is normal—especially because the contractor most likely will be covering these items underneath their company’s warranty blanket. Think of it this way: would you take a grocery store steak into your favorite restaurant and ask them to cook it? You pay a little more for convenience and peace of mind.