Contingency for a €100,700 renovation of a 100 m² Helsinki condo

The €100,700 renovation allowance feels plausible until the sequence of work is considered. My main concern is discovering an electrical or water issue after new flooring or bathroom finishes have already gone in.

The property is a 100 m² Helsinki condo priced at €552,000. I am allowing for a kitchen, bathrooms, floors, painting, electrical inspection and modest energy improvements, without adding an extension. Cosmetic items could be deferred if necessary.

Before deciding on a contingency, I want contractors to identify exclusions, material lead times and the exact electrical scope. For example, does an electrical allowance cover only testing, or also remedial work and reinstating opened walls? What else should be verified in the survey, contractor breakdown or condo association records?

I would keep roughly 15–20% outside the €100,700 rather than allocating every euro now. Bathrooms and plumbing access are the areas most likely to affect both cost and sequence. Ask each contractor to list exclusions explicitly: demolition, drying, waste removal, temporary protection, electrical upgrades, plumbing alterations and making good after hidden damage. Also clarify what the condo association handles before pricing work inside the unit.

Are you keeping the kitchen and bathroom fixtures in their present locations? “No structural extension” does not necessarily mean no disruptive work. Moving drains, cutting new service routes or discovering that walls cannot be opened as expected could change the plan quickly. I would also ask whether the €100,700 includes design work, approvals and temporary accommodation, or only construction and materials.

I’m not convinced a flat 20% solves this. If the bathrooms have recent moisture documentation and the services are accessible, that may be excessive; if their condition is unclear, even 20% can provide false comfort. Spend some of the pre-contract effort on moisture investigation and targeted openings where permitted. The quotation should distinguish an electrical inspection from actual remedial work or rewiring.

Before appointing anyone, issue the same written scope to all bidders and ask four practical questions: what must be decided before demolition, what can only be priced after opening surfaces, which materials have long lead times, and which tasks depend on association approval or other permission. Request a programme showing demolition, moisture assessment, plumbing, electrical work, waterproofing, inspections, installation and finishes. That exposes sequencing gaps better than a single completion date.

Given that cosmetic work can slip, I’d split the plan into essential and deferrable packages. Resolve water, moisture and electrical findings first, then lock in bathroom and kitchen orders only when dimensions and routes are confirmed. Flooring and paint should come later so they are not damaged by reopened walls. Keep the contingency as cash rather than filling it with upgraded finishes, and ask how contractor exclusions will be priced if they arise.