New Report: 37% of North Atlanta Homeowners Blew Their Renovation Budget in 2025

More North Atlanta homeowners went over budget on their renovations last year than stayed on target, according to a comprehensive new cost guide released today by Simone Feldman Designs. The report, What a Kitchen or Bathroom Renovation Actually Costs in Roswell and Alpharetta in 2026, finds that 37% of homeowners who undertook renovations in 2025 exceeded their initial budgets, slightly outpacing the 35% who came in on target.

The report identifies the three leading drivers of budget overruns: materials and services costing more than anticipated, cited by 52% of over-budget households; homeowners upgrading to higher-end materials mid-project, cited by 35%; and scope expansion once construction was already underway, cited by 31%.

The financial stakes are compounded for North Atlanta residents specifically. Roswell, Alpharetta, Milton, and Sandy Springs consistently run 15-25% above national renovation cost benchmarks, driven by acute labor demand in fast-growing Gwinnett, Forsyth, and North Fulton counties, rigorous municipal permitting requirements, and the hidden liabilities embedded in the region's dominant 1980s and 1990s housing stock.

Remodeling costs are also rising at 3-4% annually, meaning a kitchen renovation budgeted at $60,000 in 2024 may now carry a price tag of $63,600 to $65,000 when executed in 2026. Contractor backlogs add further pressure, with the design and permitting phase alone typically requiring 6-12 weeks before construction can begin.

Cabinetry emerges as the single most misunderstood line item in the report. Nationally, cabinetry consumes 29% of every kitchen renovation dollar, meaning a $50,000 project carries a $14,500 cabinetry allocation before countertops or appliances are even factored in.

"Cabinet refacing is appropriate when the existing box structure is sound," said Simone Feldman, a Certified Kitchen and Bath Designer with more than 40 years of North Atlanta experience. "In Roswell's 1980s and 1990s housing stock, original cabinet boxes are frequently too compromised to support stone countertops or to accept modern interior accessories. A physical inspection by a certified designer before committing to refacing is essential. This decision cannot be made from a budget spreadsheet."

The full report includes tiered cost benchmarks for kitchens ranging from $17,000 to $33,000 for a targeted refresh up to $100,000 to $250,000-plus for a high-end custom renovation, and for bathrooms from $8,500 to $18,000 for a basic refresh up to $75,000 to $130,000-plus for a luxury build-out, all calibrated to Atlanta market conditions.