Nothing ruins a fantastic remodel more quickly than exceeding the project budget. Why is this phenomenon so common in residential remodeling? Simple: Many homeowners struggle to establish a detailed budget at the appropriate time in the course of the project. Why is establishing remodel cost one of your most important remodeling tools? Determining your budget at the beginning of your project helps in the following ways: -Prevents wasting time and money on a project that

turns out too expensive for your current budget. -Allows you to more carefully analyze bids from general contractors. -Forces you to decide emphatically on what you want and what you can afford. -Puts you in charge of the project costs, not the general contractor or subcontractors. -Provide your designer (if needed) with cost parameters that help keep costs reasonable.

The rest is here:
Establishing Remodel Cost: Home Remodeling Critical First Step