How Much Does Home Remodeling Cost in Atlanta?

Costs for adding outdoor space in Atlanta

If you don’t mind a bit of humidity, an outdoor area can be used year-round (although, a fan and mosquito netting is a smart addition for summer). Add or renovate your deck or patio and it will be like adding another room to your home. 

• The average price for a 320-square-foot deck made from composite is $20,000 or $61 psf, according to the Cost vs Value report. Composite is a mix of wood and plastic, making it more durable to weather and termites than just wood. A project using this material will add about 60 percent of the cost back into your home’s value. If you do use wood, it will reduce your budget by more than 25 percent to $14,000 or $44 psf. A deck made with wood will add 70 percent of the project cost to your home’s value.
  

The majority of Dexter’s clients chose wood over composite. A recent client had him rebuild a deck and cover it with flyscreen. It was about 300 square feet and the job was done for a total of $20,000 or about $65 psf.  

Adding stone to a concrete slab for a patio will start at about $12 psf, according to Kimberly. If you want to add lighting and ceiling fans, then add another $5,000 to your budget for fixtures and wiring. An outdoor kitchen could range from $5,000 to $20,000. “In Atlanta, people plan spaces for entertaining purposes,” said Kimberly.

Permit costs

Building permit fees are often calculated by the square footage of your project, or the overall cost. To see how your area’s permits are calculated, check with your local building department. Your general contractor will likely put an estimated amount in your initial budget before a final amount is calculated. “There’s no rule of thumb when it comes to the cost of permits,” said Sweeten contractor Dexter. “Some areas I can pull a permit for $50, but the same job in another county could cost $200.”

It isn’t just the cost of the actual permit that needs to go into the budget. You also need to pay your contractors for the time it takes them to pull the permit. In some Atlanta counties you can file electronically; in others, a contractor or architect needs to go in person with paper plans, said Kimberly. A typical fee for someone to file your permits ranges between $300 – $1,000.

The cost of building permits for the city of Atlanta, the area including and immediately surrounding downtown, is $7 per $1,000 for construction. Electrical, plumbing, and mechanical permits also have their own fees, which start between $75 – $175 per project. Your general contractor will know the costs and will file your building permits on your behalf. 

Permits vary greatly in different areas. Neighborhoods like John’s Creek and Alpharetta typically have more fees to consider. Permit fees are less expensive in Sugar Hill in Gwinnett County and Forsyth County.