I've seen hundreds of renovation budgets fall apart. It's almost never the big stuff — it's the blind spots.

Here are the 5 mistakes I see over and over:

1. No contingency line item. You need 15-20% of your total budget sitting untouched. Not "I'll figure it out later." An actual line item. The moment you open a wall, surprises show up.

2. Confusing estimates with quotes. An estimate is a guess. A quote is a commitment. If you're budgeting off estimates, you're budgeting off vibes.

3. Ignoring permit costs. Permits, inspections, and code upgrades can run $2,000-$8,000 depending on your city. People forget this every single time.

4. Paying in full upfront. Never. Structure payments in thirds: deposit, midpoint, completion. This keeps everyone accountable.

5. Not tracking change orders. Every "while we're at it, can you also..." adds up. If you're not logging changes with costs in real time, you lose control of the budget fast.

I built RenoFlow to solve exactly this — a planner that keeps homeowners and contractors aligned on scope, budget, and timeline from day one.

If you're about to start a reno, or you're a contractor tired of scope creep eating your margins, check it out.