You are committed to moving forward with the bathroom renovation. You’ve visited countless showrooms and clicked through even more renovation and designer showcases on the web. Your vision is in place. But are your vision and budget in the same league?

To determine how closely they line up, you will want to get a number of estimates from qualified contractors. Most designers and contractors recommend securing three estimates.

When estimating the cost of your project, there are two primary categories to consider:

• Functional costs – electrical, plumbing and structural, and labor costs
• Fixture costs – the decorative components such as counters, vanities, tile, tubs, etc.

Functional Costs

The costs associated with electrical, plumbing and other structural related costs often are the most complicated to estimate. This is particularly true in older homes.

There are many potential surprises and no contractor can be certain what is behind the walls until they are opened. For that reason, it is wise to add anywhere from 10 to 25 percent to the estimate as part of a contingency plan.

Some of the surprises that could lurk behind those walls include:

• Electrical wiring that doesn’t meet code – if a contractor finds knob and tube or some other outdated wiring, it likely will have to be replaced to meet local code and to reduce the risk of fire
• Deteriorating pipes – that slight discoloration by the base of a tub was really indicative of a bigger problem and a costly plumbing repair bill
• Plumbing configuration – creating a new bathroom layout will improve the flow of the room, but often will mean that pipes need to be rerouted.
• Structural – expansion of the room means rebuilding or relocating a load bearing wall

No one likes surprises, but they happen. The best approach is to begin by looking at this category. Then determine how much money is left for more decorative items.

Fixture Costs

Fixture costs are much more predictable. This doesn’t mean there won’t be surprises along the way. These surprises, which generally come in the form of last minute upgrades or work order changes, certainly are much more predictable.

Further, the choices involved don’t represent the same risk as fixing a plumbing problem now or waiting until later. Instead, it’s a matter of choice and what the budget will allow. Do you add that armoire for towel storage? In most cases, consider how much is left in the budget.

Some tips:

• Shop around. You may be able to find certain items at a home improvement center or second hand store, while other items will come from specialty outlets or manufacturers.

• Keep some alternative choices in mind (and written down in a folder somewhere). That way, if a surprise does come along, you can react quickly without making a rash decision.