Our thoughts for remodeling started out with needing a bigger kitchen. We hired an architect and had beautiful plans made. Upon getting contractor quotes we discovered that the plans we had would cost about $200,000.00. Since we are looking to spend about $100,000.00 we have had to rethink. I think our biggest problem is that the framing of the first floor of our house is cinderblock and alot harder to take down. So we've been thinking about what walls we could move inside to accomplish what we want. So I guess what I want to know is if the cinderblock problem is as big a deal as the contractors make is out to be? Have you encountered this problem? How to get the best setup with what we have?

Cinder block is easy to work with. I don't know the scope of your project. You should expect to spend ruffly 100/ sq foot of home for an addition as a base price. Im guessing by what you said your 1st floor walls are cinder block. So Im guessing you have a 2nd floor that is resting on the block walls. It really depends on the shape of the house as well as wich walls carry the roof load too. I am putting on a 3 story addition right now on a 1860;s farm house. The final cost to the customer is about 80,000.00 The addition includes 2 full bathrooms, 1 powder room, and an axpanded kitchen. 100,000.00 should be plenty to add kitchen space. Unless the archetiect you hired has placed some unrealistict specks in place. What part of the country you in ??