Cost Guides

A storm cracked two windows, so she priced replacing all 14 at once. Buying in bulk cut the per-window price by a third. Here is what window replacement really costs.

Three bids to re-side the same house came back $18,700 apart. Material choice drove almost all of it. Here is what siding really costs and how to read the quotes.

One homeowner’s three kitchen quotes ranged $22,000 for the same layout. Here is exactly what drives a kitchen remodel cost, and how to read a bid so you pay for the right scope.

One homeowner’s three roof quotes ranged from $11,000 to $19,000 for the same house. Here is exactly what moves the number, and how to read a roofing quote so you pay for the right scope.

One homeowner’s three patio quotes ranged from $4,200 to $9,800 for the same square footage. Here is exactly what moves the number, and how to read a patio quote so you pay for the right things.

A Chicago homeowner quoted $1,200 by one painter and $3,800 by another for a 900-square-foot two-bedroom. Here is what drove that $2,600 gap and how to read any interior painting quote.

A mold inspector quoted two rooms at $3,400 and a second company quoted the same scope at $1,850. Both quotes were “professional mold remediation.” Here is what that phrase means – and does not mean – and how to read the difference before you hire.

A 1,200-square-foot floor installation quote came back at $5,900 from one contractor and $11,200 from another. Neither was wrong – they were pricing different scopes, different materials, and different definitions of “ready to walk on.”