Renovation Budget Builder

Estimate costs and allocate contingency.

Added October 15, 2026. Written with AI assistance and checked for clarity and placeholders; not reviewed by a lawyer, accountant, clinician or other professional. How these prompts are made

The Open buttons send the prompt text as currently shown below to that site only when you click. Fill in the placeholders first.

[VERIFY] is an editorial flag, not a blank to fill. Wherever the prompt shows [VERIFY], check that item against a reliable source before you use it (what [VERIFY] means).

Build a renovation budget. Project scope: [SCOPE]. Size and location: [SIZE_LOCATION]. Quality level: [QUALITY]. Money available and source: [FUNDS].

Create a line-item budget with categories: design and permits, demolition, structure, services (electrics, plumbing), finishes, fixtures, labour, waste removal, temporary living, and contingency. Enter amounts only where I have quotes; otherwise leave a range placeholder for quotes. Provide formulas for totals and contingency based on the uncertainty I describe, with the logic explained and a range for contingency to be chosen by me. Show a cash flow by stage. Include a section for what to cut first if costs rise, and a record template for changes. Note that permits and regulations vary [VERIFY].

Add a reconciliation routine that compares quotes with the budget each month, and a decision rule for using the contingency. Include a table of common hidden costs such as skips, scaffolding and making good, with placeholders for quotes, and a list of questions to ask contractors about what is not included.

Add a worked miniature budget with invented figures for a small kitchen refresh: quotes for cabinets 4,800, worktop 1,900, plumbing 650, electrics 800, tiling 700, labour 3,200, disposal 250, and a contingency chosen at 15 percent because the walls have not been opened. Show the total, the contingency, and a cash flow by stage with deposits. Label it an illustration and replace it with my quotes. Add a variation log (what changed, who requested it, cost, new total) and a rule that no extra work starts without a written price. Provide a list of budget items commonly forgotten, including temporary living costs, decorating after building work and furniture, and a check on whether any part of the work needs a permit.

Do not assume building codes or permit rules. Use [JURISDICTION], mark each rule [VERIFY], and tell me when to hire a qualified tradesperson.

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Project: kitchen update.
Line item | Quote | Range | Note
Design/permits | 600 | - | confirm permits [VERIFY]
Demolition | - | 1,500-2,500 | quote needed
Electrics | - | 2,000-3,500 | qualified electrician
Cabinets | 5,000 | - | quote
Labour | - | 4,000-6,000 | quote
Waste | - | 400-800 | quote
Contingency: uncertainty is high (old house), so choose 15% of the subtotal; I confirm the percentage.
Cash flow: deposits at order, stage payments at milestones.
Cut first if costs rise: decorative lighting, upgraded worktop.

• renovation