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Confidential Address-Based

As a leading real estate data company, Kukun has detailed data on virtually every home in America. We use this data about your home’s size, bedrooms, bathrooms, location, value, and more, to create a highly accurate cost estimate of the renovations you want to do.

Plus, we show you the ROI on your renovation and options for saving money or making more luxurious selections.

Confidential Address-Based

Living room remodel cost estimator

What is your plan for this Living Room?

Remodeling an existing space Expanding an existing room Adding new square footage to the house
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How much does it cost to remodel a living room?

On average, your living room remodel cost can range from $9,000 to $21,400, depending on the size of the renovated space and your area of residence. It will also vary according to the cost of materials, the scope of the project and labor charges.

Your complete cost takes into account a number of factors, including the total square footage of your living room, the scope of the renovation, the quality of the materials to be used, your zip code, local labor costs and the finishing details - to name (more than) a few.

To get a general idea, check out the table below for an estimate of how the cost varies according to city and project size.

City Size of Project Average Estimated Cost (USD)
Birmingham, Alabama Small
Medium
Large
$9,000
$14,200
$17,600
Des Moines, Iowa Small
Medium
Large
$9,600
$15,500
$19,100
San Francisco, California Small
Medium
Large
$10,800
$17,200
$21,400

Your living room is a space in your house that sees a lot of traffic. It serves multiple purposes, such as entertaining guests, catching up with family and friends, watching television together or just relaxing after a long day. Therefore, a living room remodeling project is necessary every now and then.

Living room renovations may include several tasks - enhancing or revamping its appearance, taking out walls to combine the space with other rooms such as your dining room, getting creative with the existing flooring, repainting the walls or adding some new pieces of furniture.

Whatever you decide to do, a remodeled living space can give your home an entirely new and fresh look. A smart, modern living room can even increase the value of your house - especially if it will be on the market for potential home buyers.

Keep in mind that the average amount of time it takes to remodel a living room depends on the scope of renovation and the size of the area. You can expect several weeks to two months for cosmetic repairs and 3 to 12 months for a full living room renovation.

Once you make the commitment to go ahead with the living room remodel, you need to know how much of an investment you require for this home improvement.

A remodeling estimate helps you organize your project better and effectively manage milestones and costs.

Acquiring a free estimate for your total renovation cost will help you create a realistic budget and get you quality work at a fair price. It's also the best way to ensure that you don't stumble across any unwelcome surprises during the execution of your project.

Also, a carefully planned remodeling project can greatly increase the value of your property in the home buyers' market.

While a living room remodel is an exciting process, it can be a bit overwhelming. Follow our step-by-step guide for a well-planned living room renovation. And, get ready for a fantastic modern living room makeover to suit your needs, style and of course budget.

  • 1. Rethink the living room layout: Do some online research and look for great living room design ideas, with your lifestyle in mind. Keeping the fireplace or the television as the starting point, envisage how you can change the look of the room.

  • 2. Crowdsource and hire a reliable remodeling expert: Before beginning any home improvement project, it's a good idea to ask your friends and neighbors to recommend local licensed professionals. Find a pro who's done impressive work in the past. Do view their profiles as well as permits online.

  • 3. Paint the living room walls: Painting your modern living room with bright and cheerful hues is one of the most cost-effective ways to give the space a facelift. An average 330 square foot living room paint work cost ranges between $900 to $2,000.

  • 4. Change your living room flooring: If you have an old-looking living room carpet or damaged tiles, a new floor finish will do wonders for your living room.

    The average cost of a new flooring runs about $6 to $10 per square foot, with prices going as high as $18 per square foot -- depending on the flooring material.

    For a medium-sized, 330 square feet modern living room, homeowners can expect to pay between $1,700 to $4,700 (including installation and material costs).

    Some of the popular flooring options include a living room carpet, solid hardwood flooring, engineered hardwood flooring, laminate flooring, tiles, and vinyl flooring.

  • 5. Revamp your living room furniture and furnishing: Revamping your existing furniture -- provided the frames are in a good condition -- is a more environmentally friendly option compared to buying new furnishing items.

    However, if you decide to buy new furniture, you can explore online or your local furniture marts.

    Generally, the cost of furnishing a modern living room begins at $10,000 and can go up to $25,000 or more -- depending on the quality and style of the decor and furniture pieces.

  • 6. Get the right living room lights: Good lighting plays an important role in adding elegance, ambiance, and mood to a living room. You can add a few well-placed living room wall lights, table lamps, floor lamps, or picture lights to illuminate your favorite gallery wall. Or, hang a new chandelier or pendant lights to give the living room a professionally finished look.

    Think soft white or warm white living room lights (2700 Kelvin) for a traditional warm, cozy feel. LED living room wall lights are a smarter choice than incandescent bulbs which use more energy.

If your living room looks a little bleak (blame it on the white walls and neutral furniture), it's time to jazz up its appearance. Here are a few things you can add to your modern living room for instant cheer.

  • Change the living room flooring. Good flooring can change the look of a living space completely.
  • Supplement the living room wall lights with lamps.
  • Paint an accent wall with a bold color.
  • Replace your window treatment with floor-length drapes.
  • Hang some cool wall art.
  • Set up a wall gallery to display your favorite memories.
  • Bring in a bright area rug or a classic Persian living room carpet.
  • Place interesting throw pillows with different patterns and textures on the living room furniture.
  • Add indoor plants and lots of greenery to your living room decor.

If you're looking to remodel your living room and improve its appearance but have a limited renovation budget, no needn't despair. There are some simple things you can add to the living room that will enliven it instantly. The best part is that these won't make a hole in your pocket.

Here are some clever tricks for a modern living room makeover.

  • Use bright removable wallpaper instead of painting the wall.
  • Add peel-and-stick floor tiles.
  • Invest in organizing products to remove the clutter.
  • Buy a colorful rug or a geometric living room carpet.
  • Swap living room wall lights or overhead living room lights with stylish table lamps.
  • Create wall art out of old plates.
  • Bring in potted plants.
  • Rearrange the living room furniture layout.
  • Place interesting decor items and accessories on your coffee table.
  • Create good living room storage with woven baskets.

New decor can give your living room an updated look instantly. Your space will look almost brand new without spending too much money on it. Here are some simple and quick ways to give your modern living room a fresh look.

  • Bring in some house plants.
  • Add a full-length mirror.
  • Hang wall art such as wall paintings, photographs, drawings, and sculptures.
  • Change the living room lighting scheme.
  • Rearrange the couch, tables, and chairs if possible.
  • Bring in a large living room carpet or rug.
  • Accessorize the table with books and flowers.
  • Create a gallery wall.
  • Utilize shelving and wall spaces to showcase an accent element.

When it comes to building new construction, building up is cheaper than building out. That's because you require less roofing, plumbing, foundation materials, and building space.

When you're remodeling an existing living area, building out with a one-story addition is cheaper than adding a second story. If you're building up, you'll also have to factor in accessibility, staircases, and an evaluation of the floor plan by a structural engineer. Besides, you or your general contractor will have to take the requisite permits and follow the zoning laws as well as the HOA laws of your area.

Getting an estimate through Kukun's living room remodel cost estimator is easy. Our confidential address-based estimator is easy to use. Just follow the steps below to get your custom, personalized total cost in minutes!

1. Enter the type of remodeling you want from the options below:

  • Addition:

    Adding new square footage to the house (requires new foundation).

  • Renovation:

    Remodeling an existing space with no change to any walls.

  • Expansion:

    Expanding an existing room by moving walls within or outside the perimeter of the house (may require new additional foundation).

2. Select the size of your space from the options below:

  • Small: 120 Sq.ft
  • Medium: 192 Sq.ft
  • Large: 288 Sq.ft
  • Custom: Enter the room dimensions here if none of the above apply

3. Enter scope of renovation from these options:

  • Cosmetic Changes:

    Ideal if you are selling your home. Cosmetic changes to the living room renovation involves flooring, living room lights, paint and hardware. Plumbing, electrical, cabinets and the kind of sofa you could live on not included. NO permit required.

  • Typical Renovation:

    Ideal if you are just changing the interior. A Typical Renovation living room remodel livens up your space with new electrical, some HVAC work, new insulation and drywall, texture, paint, flooring, trimwork (baseboards, door casings, etc.), fixtures and shiny new hardware. Permit required.

  • Down to the Studs:

    Ideal if you are stripping walls or want to change plumbing and electrical. A Down to the Studs living room remodel includes all the goodies of the Typical Renovation-level remodel, plus some interior structural rearrangement, new doors and windows, custom materials, longer lead times and stretched job timelines. Permit required.

4. Choose the level of finish you want from the three options below:

  • Budget-friendly:

    Budget friendly is an economical finish level and gives you the feeling you get when you step into a newly built home.

  • Mid-range:

    Mid range finish level is higher end and includes higher quality materials and more personalized options like recessed lighting, higher end appliances, etc.

  • High-end:

    Materials are high end and customized to the owner's taste. Every material will be differentiated and may take a little longer to put together, but the finished product is amazing.

5. Enter your property details

Enter the full address to get ROI /recoup value of your house or just give zipcode to get just the renovation cost estimate.And there you go! An estimate for your living room remodeling cost is ready!

With this estimate, you can analyze your finance options or hire a professional to get started on the work right away.

We are also happy to offer you options for professional remodeling contractors who have worked in your neighborhood and who have been vetted by your neighbors.

You can conveniently explore each contractor's profile, check out their online reviews, view all their previous permits, and then ask around your vicinity about whether you should hire them.

Renovating your living room can be an exciting process, provided you don't let it overwhelm you. But where should you start? The first step is to plan your renovation well in advance. Here are some tips to make the process easy and quick:

  • Set a realistic home remodeling budget. Always include leeway for some surprise costs. Experts advise adding 20% extra to your existing budget.
  • Research various designs, styles, possibilities and your requirements. Give your renovation plenty of forethought - especially if you're making structural changes.
  • Determine your living room needs in terms of entertaining, lounging and working.
  • Choose the most suitable living room design. Consider your lifestyle and visualize how a particular layout will look in your home.
  • Make sure that your design is functional and convenient, as well as aesthetically pleasing.
  • Work with an expert remodeling contractor. A professional finish goes a long way in adding to the beauty and value of your home.
  • Keep in mind that a professional will ensure that all permits and inspections are up to date. A living room remodel typically requires a permit. Do check your local building code if in doubt.
  • Keep an eye on all aspects of your living room remodel, including construction, plumbing, electrical and lighting. Add a sufficient number of living room wall lights.
  • Keep track of all inventory and materials being used.
  • If you're on a tight budget, plan your living room remodeling project for the winter season.
  • Get a written contract from your contractor detailing the complete schedule along with deadlines for milestones. Also get a written guarantee.
  • Discuss and mutually agree on the payment schedule.

Now that you have everything ready, you might be asking: How can I cut down on my living room renovation costs? Read on for some of our best and most cost-effective tips:

  • If you are looking to add extra footage, then instead of knocking down the walls, consider utilizing the existing space to the maximum. Moving and adding walls often proves costly for many homeowners.
  • Consider adding tall cabinets with multiple shelves rather than multiple cabinets that take up a lot of space.
  • Inspect the things you already own. Can you carve an old door into a cute coffee table? Could you give a chic new makeover to unused chairs, baseboards or lighting fixtures?
  • Do your research on living room flooring. Are you a fan of wood flooring? Hardwood floors are comparatively expensive. Why not opt for laminates or vinyl instead to save money? They come in various patterns, designs and shades - and some are colored to look just like natural wood. There are even environmentally friendly materials such as bamboo and cork flooring that you might want to consider.
  • Always opt for LED living room wall lights as they last longer, use up less energy, and are more cost-effective in the long run.
  • Always ask around for estimated costs from multiple contractors before finalizing one. Once you finally settle on a firm, probe them for more information and ask for detailed quotes. Go for a firm that promises the best service at a fair price.

Note that great-looking living rooms are an important consideration for potential home buyers. They will help you get the best price possible for your home if you ever decide to sell it in the future

We answer every question you may have. This feature equips you with everything you need to know about home renovations

Now you are ready to start your home renovation project

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