u/Cultural_Help_176

I've been researching a few renovation projects and most of the quotes I'm getting seem pretty straightforward on the surface. but everyone I Talk to keeps mentioning that the real costs only show up once the work actually start things like hidden damage material changes or small add ons that slowly stack up.

I'm trying to go into this with a realistic mindset instead of just trusting the initial estimate . for those who've already gone through it, what were the biggest surprise costs for you? and is there any way to prepare for that better upfront?