What a renovation costs in Washington, DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia

How to read these numbers

The figures below come from cost guides published by Angi, Fixr, Block Renovation, HomeBlue, and JLL. Each one is shown with its source and the date the source gives. They are averages and ranges drawn from other people's projects, not quotes, and they are not Hawthorne Mason's prices. We do not perform construction work or set what contractors charge.

In our view, the averages lean toward mid-range work, because Angi and Fixr average across many kinds of projects, from simple updates to full remodels. If you are planning a full reconfiguration, custom cabinetry, stone, or structural changes, expect to be at or above the top of the published ranges.

Kitchen remodels

The spread between a $26,865 average and a $318,000 luxury ceiling is the main point. Layout changes, moving plumbing or gas lines, custom cabinetry, and appliance packages are what move a kitchen from one end of the range to the other.

Bathroom remodels

Block's range runs much higher than the Angi and Fixr averages. Fixr's own range runs from $3,975 to $87,450, which shows how much the scope matters. We would expect a full gut renovation of a primary bath to sit closer to Block's figures or above them.

Whole-home renovations

Block Renovation's DC-area guide puts basic renovation work at $100 to $300 per square foot and extensive work, such as a gut renovation, structural changes, or high-end finishes, at $400 to $800 per square foot or more. By its math, a gut renovation of a 2,500-square-foot home would cost $1 million to $2 million (published May 5, 2025).

On a project this size the number depends on decisions made early: how much of the layout changes, whether the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems are replaced, and whether you live in the house during the work. Those choices are worth settling before you ask for bids, because they decide whether contractors are pricing the same job.

Home additions

HomeBlue estimates home additions in Silver Spring, Maryland at $128 to $256 per square foot, from standard to premium construction. It notes that luxury-grade work can cost up to twice the upper figure (Jun 6, 2024). That is the most local published figure we found for additions, and it is more than two years old, so we would treat it as a starting point and expect current bids to run higher.

Additions also carry costs that per-square-foot numbers leave out: design and engineering, permits and zoning review, and tying the new structure into the existing house.

Office and commercial build-outs

JLL's U.S. and Canada office fit-out cost guide, based on Q1 2026 pricing, gives national averages, from baseline to high-quality fit-outs, of $255 to $310 per square foot for open, agile offices; $275 to $340 for offices with a mix of space types; and $285 to $355 for traditional, more enclosed layouts. At the medium quality level the figures are $275, $295, and $310. Across the 50 markets it covers, costs range from $170 to $425 per square foot. The public page does not break out Washington, DC.

For a tenant improvement, the number that matters is often the gap between the build-out cost and the tenant improvement allowance in the lease. That is worth knowing before the lease is signed, not after.

What tends to raise costs in this area

• Historic review. Properties in DC historic districts go through preservation review as part of the building permit. Our DC historic district guide explains how it works.
• Older houses. Rowhouses and older homes often reveal conditions, such as outdated wiring, plumbing, or framing, once walls are opened.
• Permits and inspections. Each jurisdiction has its own process and timeline. Our service areas page links to every permit office we cover.
• Scope changes after work starts. Changes made mid-project are usually the most expensive way to change a project.

Turning ranges into a budget

• Start with what you want the project to accomplish, then use the ranges above to check whether the budget and the scope agree.
• Get written bids based on the same scope so they can be compared line by line.
• Ask each contractor what is excluded and how changes will be priced.
• Keep a contingency for conditions that only show up during demolition, and agree with your contractor on how it will be used.

Hawthorne Mason helps with this step. We talk through your goals, scope, and budget, introduce a vetted contractor from our network, such as GridStone, our licensed construction partner, and keep you informed once the work starts. The contractor prices and performs the work, and you contract with them directly. Start a project to talk it through.