What were they thinking Thursday? Design on a dime- who's dime?

HGTV and other publications are misleading the general public.  I have to go and deliver the bad news to my clients who thought their bathroom remodel would cost $1,000 would actually cost $9,000.  That makes me look like the bad guy right from the start.  These shows never include the cost of labor.

Here's a recent article from Myhomeideas.com that states this before and after costs $200.00.
http://www.myhomeideas.com/decorating/before-after/living-room-makeovers-remodel-00400000052625/budget-makeover-living-room-00400000052627/

before

after

I see new pillows, paint on fireplace wall, fire screen, baskets under coffee table, rug, and lamp.  Let's just say that they painted and bought pillows and a new fireplace screen.  

Paint and materials $40

Screen $30 (a really cheap one)

Labor to prep, buy materials and paint 3 hours x $25= $75

Pillows- 4 x $25= $100.00

That is $245 total so far assuming they had the accessories, rug and lamp already.  They just didn't put labor into the budget.  

The problem with these shows or magazines is that they are misleading consumers by letting them think it won't cost much to freshen up or remodel their homes.  Then consumers are shocked at the cost of hiring a contractor to do it.  The contractor and I get the blame, saying we charge too much.  It takes alot of time to build or remodel a space and time is money.  It's either my time or my clients time, they can choose.  They problem is everyone wants something for nothing, partly because they don't value the amount of time or effort it takes to do it.  

Labor is the most expensive part of a budget most of the time.  For instance,  I have a small bathroom (your standard size) remodel that has materials cost of $3,000.00 and a labor cost of $6,000.00 which is a total of $9,000.  That is just removing a tub and building in a shower, new tile, lighting, hardware, mirror, sink, faucet and countertops.  That isn't even a gut.  A gut and redo would be $15,000 minimum depending on the material cost.

My bathroom project is similar in size and what they want done to the before and after pictures below.

 before

after

Kitchens will run $50,000 minimum for a gut and redo of a normal size kitchen.  These prices are in Texas and depending on where you live they will go up.

HGTV please be more realistic with your budget numbers!

Have you done a remodel lately?  Did it cost more than you thought?  ~Brandy