• Mold. Unfortunately mold is everywhere and the chances of you find it are pretty high. Fortunately if it's not too bad you can fix the problem yourself. The most common places you will find it are in bathrooms or in windows. Most small mold problems can be solved by using a simple solution of water and bleach. Larger problems however will most likely have to be handled by professionals.
• Damaged drywall. When you move into an older home or one that hasn't been taken care of very well you will probably have to replace some of the drywall. Drywall is fairly easy to replace; the problems come if you take the drywall off and there are structural problems as well.
• Rotted floors. This is especially true in older homes. Many times you will begin tearing a floor up because you want something newer and will find the floors to be damaged or rotted. This happens most frequently around the toilet and by the edge of bathtubs. Depending on how much damage there is will depend on how much it will cost you to replace the floor.

The previous unexpected things that can happen during a remodel are fairly easy fixes and with a little instruction can be taken care of quickly and fairly painlessly. There are some fixes in a home that should always be handled by a professional as they can be extremely dangerous to do on your own. One example is:

• Having to replace electrical and plumbing and sewer. These types of fixes are labor intensive and are not visible to potential buyers. If you happen to run into any electrical, plumbing, or sewer problems you should probably call someone who knows what they're doing.

Learning how to handle unexpected expenses during a remodel is just part of the job. If you don't think you can handle it or if you don't have a little extra stashed away then you might want to hold off on remodeling. Going into a fixer upper really requires you to know your budget limits. You might have to live without eating out for a while, or sharing a bathroom between 5 people. Here are a few suggestions on how to deal with those unexpected expenses:

• Plan ahead. Things will never go the way you planned them to, so over estimate on all your costs.


• Budget your expenses. If you're not sure you'll have all the money you need then make a budget for every expense you think you will have.


• Talk to a contractor. Contractors will generally know how much certain remodels will be and what you can expect. They can give you good advice as to what sorts of unexpected things to look for when remodeling and how much it can cost.

The best way to handle unexpected expenses during a remodel is to expect the unexpected. Go into the remodel knowing that things will not go as planned and always plan for that.