I’m testing a preliminary renovation budget of C$680,600 for a 2,100 sq ft apartment in Montreal and would appreciate a second opinion on contingency and due diligence.
The scope includes a new kitchen, bathrooms, flooring, paint, electrical checks and moderate energy upgrades. No extension or planned structural work is included. My bigger concern is hidden conditions and sequencing rather than finish selection—particularly plumbing access, moisture, electrical work that expands after opening walls, and any contractor exclusions that shift costs back to me.
What contingency would you carry at this stage, and what specific questions should go to the surveyor and contractor before the budget is treated as reliable? I’d also be interested in how people would account for material lead times and permit timing without simply adding a blanket allowance to every line item.
The scope includes a new kitchen, bathrooms, flooring, paint, electrical checks and moderate energy upgrades. No extension or planned structural work is included. My bigger concern is hidden conditions and sequencing rather than finish selection—particularly plumbing access, moisture, electrical work that expands after opening walls, and any contractor exclusions that shift costs back to me.
What contingency would you carry at this stage, and what specific questions should go to the surveyor and contractor before the budget is treated as reliable? I’d also be interested in how people would account for material lead times and permit timing without simply adding a blanket allowance to every line item.