Remodel Planning Workbook
Made by a working carpentry and remodeling contractor.
A remodel goes smoother when you know what you want, what you have picked and what you can spend before the first contractor visit. This workbook helps you plan it, and the spreadsheet keeps the budget honest with a contingency line for surprises.
The pages
- Cover and contents
- Goals and priorities
- Room-by-room scope
- Selections and allowances, with a plain-language explanation of what an allowance is
- Budget worksheet and contingency
- What can change the cost: the common causes, without made-up prices
- Timeline and decision deadlines
- Living through the remodel
- Changes and payments
The budget spreadsheet
Remodel-Budget.xlsx has budget, contingency, allowances, changes and payments tabs for Excel or Google Sheets. Enter your own budget and quotes; nothing is pre-filled. Set your contingency percentage (10% is only an example) and log changes and payments as the job goes.
How to use it
- Print the workbook or fill it in on screen. Start with your goals, then the scope.
- Make your selections, or note where you will use an allowance.
- Enter your budget and quotes in the spreadsheet.
- Share the scope pages with every contractor you ask to bid.
Why allowances trip people up
An allowance is a placeholder amount in a bid for something you have not picked yet, like tile or light fixtures. If you pick something that costs more, the price goes up. Knowing which items are allowances, and what they assume, is one of the easiest ways to avoid a surprise later.
Who it is for
Homeowners planning a kitchen, bathroom or other remodel who want to walk into the first contractor meeting with a clear scope and a realistic budget. It works on its own, or with the Hire a Contractor Safely Checklist once you are ready to collect bids.
Questions
Is it fillable?
Yes, or print it.
Does it pair with anything?
It pairs with the Hire a Contractor Safely Checklist in the Homeowner Remodel Kit.
Preview pages
Watermarked sample pages. Your download comes without the watermark. Click to enlarge.
Ready to get it?
Guide only, not legal advice. Rules vary by state: check your state's consumer protection or contractor registration agency. No dollar figures are included; you enter your own.
Homeowner Remodel Kit
Hire a Contractor Safely Checklist
2027 Home Maintenance Planner