Most firms won’t put numbers in writing until you’re too far in to walk away. We’d rather be honest now. These are real starting ranges from real projects. They’re not quotes — every home and scope is different — but they’ll tell you quickly whether we’re the right fit for your budget, and they’ll show you exactly how we think about cost.
That’s the question everyone asks — and the one most firms dance around. We don’t.
The numbers on this page reflect current labor and material costs, our level of finish, and the complexity of the homes we work in. Every project is different, but these figures will give you a grounded starting point.
A few things to know before you read on. At WD+B, design and build are always presented as separate costs — because they are separate investments. Design is where your project is planned, resolved, and documented before construction begins. It’s not overhead. It’s what makes the build predictable.
Permits and project management are included in our build agreements.
The costs below reflect build investment only. Design investment typically ranges from 4% to 12% of your build budget depending on scope and the consultants required.
A kitchen renovation is rarely just about the kitchen. The families who come to us have bigger problems to solve — a layout that doesn’t work, rooms that feel disconnected, a home that hasn’t kept pace with how they actually live. The kitchen is often the catalyst, but the solution usually touches more.
That complexity is reflected in the investment. A well-executed kitchen renovation on the North Shore — one that involves real design thinking, structural coordination where needed, custom cabinetry, quality materials, and skilled execution — will typically fall in the following ranges:
Full kitchen renovation, existing footprint:
$175,000 – $250,000+
Kitchen renovation with layout reconfiguration, structural work, or open-concept conversion:
$250,000 – $400,000+
Timelines typically range from 5 to 8 months depending on scope.
Appliances are not included in build costs above.
Bathrooms are second only to kitchens in trade intensity. Plumbing, electrical, tile, cabinetry, glass, and ventilation all converge in a space most people measure in square feet but experience every single day.
What drives cost variance: whether the existing layout stays intact, the level of finish you choose, and how many bathrooms are in scope. Doing multiple bathrooms in a single engagement often creates meaningful efficiencies in both time and cost.
Children’s or guest bathroom renovation:
$75,000 – $95,000+
Primary bathroom renovation:
$110,000 – $180,000+
Two bathrooms renovated simultaneously:
$140,000 – $200,000+
Timelines typically range from 4 to 6 months depending on scope.
A finished basement done well is one of the highest-value investments a North Shore homeowner can make — adding meaningful square footage, expanding how your family uses the home, and improving resale value in a market where livable space commands a premium.
The investment depends primarily on the size of the space, the complexity of the finish, and whether the scope includes dedicated spaces like a wet bar, home gym, media room, or guest suite.
Basement finishing — standard to mid-range finish:
$150 – $275+ per square foot
Basement finishing — high-end finish with specialty spaces:
$275 – $400+ per square foot
As an example: a 900 square foot basement finished to a high standard with a wet bar and dedicated media room would typically fall in the ~$250,000 – ~$360,000 range.
Timelines typically range from 4 to 8 months depending on scope.
For more than a decade, we have been solving the most complex problems in residential construction on the North Shore — additions that require structural engineering and zoning navigation, ADUs that demand precision coordination across every trade, whole-home renovations where no two walls are plumb and nothing is what it appears on the original drawings.
That work has prepared us exceptionally well for what we believe is the highest expression of the design-build model: the custom home built from the ground up.
When you build new, you control the variables. There are no hidden conditions behind walls, no existing systems to work around, no compromises forced by a structure that was never designed for what you need it to do. The pre-construction process we’ve refined over years of complex renovation work — thorough planning, complete documentation, fixed-price agreements, zero-surprise execution — translates directly and powerfully to ground-up construction. In many ways, it’s where our process shines brightest.
We are selectively taking on custom home projects with clients who value the same things we do: intentional design, transparent process, and a team that stays with you from the first sketch to the final walkthrough.
New construction — custom single family:
$700 – $1,200+ per square foot
Home addition — per square foot of new construction:
$500 – $1,000+ per square foot
Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) — standalone or attached:
$350,000 – $600,000+
Timelines for additions and ADUs typically range from 6 to 12+ months from design through completion. New construction timelines vary significantly based on scope and permitting.
Note: Additions, ADUs, and new construction often require site surveys, structural engineering, civil engineering, and in some cases conservation or zoning consultation. These consultant fees are separate from the build cost and will be outlined clearly in your pre-construction proposal.
No number on this page is a quote. Every project we build begins with a thorough pre-construction phase — the work that turns a broad idea into a fully defined, permit-ready plan with a fixed-price construction agreement attached to it.
If the ranges above feel like the right ballpark for your project, the next step is a conversation.
