Compare Kitchen Remodeling Costs For Your Project

Budgeting is an important part of remodeling your kitchen in the Bay Area. Knowing how much your kitchen remodel will cost and what can be done to help increase ROI, if that is a priority for you, is an important part of your initial planning. Even if money is not a major concern, knowing how much you can expect your remodel to cost will help keep costs from getting way out of line. It’s easy to do if you are dreaming and not realistic.

What Factors Affect Kitchen Remodel Cost?

Kitchen remodels are all unique, depending on what’s being remodeled or replaced and whether the focus is on high-end installation and replacement or mid-range reuse, recycle. Changes being made, cost of materials, contractor costs and condition of the property are all factors that can make a big difference.

What’s Included in a Minor Remodel?

When a contractor or designer talks about a minor kitchen remodel, below are the kind of changes you can expect them to make:

• Keep the cabinet boxes, but replace the cabinet doors and drawer fronts
• Replace countertops
• Install new flooring
• Replace cooktop/oven and refrigerator
• Replace sink and faucet
• Paint walls, ceiling and trim

The materials used may be quality, but not top-of-the line. Cost-saving measures like a replacement of the doors and drawers (keeping cabinet boxes) help make this type of remodel affordable for households on a budget.

What’s Included in a Major Remodel?

When a contractor or designer talks about a major kitchen remodel, below are the kind of changes you can expect them to make:

• Change the layout – moving walls – to improve functionality
• Install new backsplash
• Replace appliances, some may be built-in
• Install new cabinets (semi-custom or custom)
• Installation of custom lighting including task lighting and undermount
• Replace countertops
• Installation of or replacement of kitchen island
• Replace sink, faucets and water filtration system

Depending on whether the remodel is midrange or upscale, features may be designer, top-of-the line, or mid to high-end. Imported materials and custom features can dramatically increase costs for a remodel of this type. 

What Else Impacts Kitchen Remodel Cost in the Bay Area?

Some remodels just cost a lot more than others. Changes that can dramatically increase costs include:

• Changing the floor plan
• Increasing the size
• Adding on to the house, changing the foundation
• Updating infrastructure – older homes

Want to reduce your utility costs with new, updated appliances? Older homes often need new dedicated circuits to be installed before a new appliance can be installed. While energy-efficient appliances can save money, they tend to cost more up front. You will need to follow current building codes which are unavoidable costs which includes permitting costs. 

Minor Vs. Major Kitchen Remodel Costs

If you’re concerned about ROI, the best value usually comes from minor, mid-range kitchen remodels. With this type of remodel, you can recover almost 100% of your costs when you sell. Major remodels have lower ROI because the up front costs are so much greater.

Minor Kitchen Remodel (Midrange) Job Cost: $30,500 (94% ROI) 

Major Kitchen Remodel (Midrange) Job Cost: $83,400 (73% ROI) 

Major Kitchen Remodel (Upscale) Job Cost: $163,700 (70% ROI)

Plan An Affordable Remodel

Are you remodeling your Bay Area kitchen? Drafting Cafe has years of local experience to help you with whatever range of kitchen remodel you need. We offer simple architectural design and complete design-to-build services helping all the way through construction. Call today to discuss your project.

How to Invest In a Bay Area Backyard Home

You may have heard that cities are relaxing restrictions for adding backyard homes. Maybe it’s time to build one on your own property. But, do the benefits of an ADU outweigh the investment? Can you make money from an in-law unit? Knowing the answers to these questions can help you decide for sure whether this type of home improvement is right for your situation, and if so, what goals to set for your ADU construction. Here’s what you need to know. 

Benefits of a Bay Area Backyard Home

Backyard homes are multi-purpose fixtures that can improve the value of your property, make your home easier to sell, and provide a continuous source of income. A well-designed backyard home can also become a safe, affordable living space for other members of your family, whether that’s a senior relative hoping to live with you or an adult child who needs someplace to live after college graduation.

More benefits:

• A typical rental ADU can pay for itself in about 10 years, and after it’s paid off, profits set in. 
• Installation is relatively fast! It takes about a year to build an ADU, from the first planning of the project to the final stages of construction.
• ADUs are flexible in their application – what is a rental unit today can become a home for your senior parent later. 

The Financials of a Backyard Home

In the San Francisco area, a typical ADU can cost anywhere from about $50,000 to $100,000, depending on the size and features. Construction costs only make up one aspect of the financial component of building an ADU. Permits and design fees are part of the cost of an ADU.

Budget for Your Backyard Home

Budgeting for your ADU is important. Unless you’re planning to pay for your ADU with cash outright, contact lenders to get qualified and determine how much you can borrow. Other expenses to take into consideration when building an ADU include property taxes, rental operating expenses, taxes on rental income, and any limits on rental rates that might be set by your local city.

Shop around for the loan.

Most homeowners are not real estate investors and don’t have the start up capital for an ADU. If you’re getting a loan, shop around to get the lowest interest rate and best deal. 

Backyard Home Profits

Do your homework locally before investing in an ADU. Some counties may put a cap on the rent for your ADU, which can affect your profits. If you are a number’s person, you can create a spreadsheet that will help project how long you’ll take to pay off a backyard home given the maximum amount you can charge in rent. Depending on your location, you might make more renting to vacationers or short-term rentals where you may be able to charge more.

Design Your Ideal Backyard Home

Design and style are a huge consideration for an occupant. If you planning for ROI, having a current design style with an open floorplan and storage consideration will keep your tenants happy.  The longer you can keep your unit rented the less expense you will incur, unless it’s a bad tenant.

ADU styles mimic home styles. Today, spacious plans with high ceilings are common. There are many ways to design your ideal backyard home. The easiest is to start with a plan and make a few architectural design changes to fit your lot and needs.

Starting the Backyard Home Process

Are you ready to start your ADU construction project? Drafting Cafe has a few turn-key plans that can make your build a breeze. And if you one of those homeowners who just wants it done and doesn’t want to be bothered with every little detail, check out our design-to-build backyard home design service. Make an appointment and our professional project managers will be in touch.

What You Need to Know Before a Home Addition

After all this togetherness, adding space is probably a top priority for your home remodeling project. When your remodeling project becomes a home addition, you need to plan for a lot more considerations and rules than a simple update would entail.

Additions vs. Remodel

The big factor is when you expand the footprint of your existing home. As soon as you change anything that expands outward or upward, more people get to have an opinion on what you do. Even below grade excavations will require significant approvals from your city and/or county. Most of these are for your own protection and safety.

If your neighborhood’s homes are mostly single story, you could learn there are height restrictions. Another common restriction in California is a limitation on lot coverage – commonly known as set-backs. This is how far your house needs to be from the lot line and what percentage of the lot living structures are allowed to occupy. This become a big problem in the San Jose area when many tech workers were buying homes only to demolish and rebuild mansions on the small lot.

Neighbors and homeowner associations often have additional requirements, including the right to review and approve plans prior to construction. They may have ordinances that govern architectural style, window placement, or paint color. You may be subject to opinions that seem personal and punitive rather than safety focused. “Design Review” committee horror stories are worth looking into. Review the rules BEFORE starting your design plan. You don’t need to pay for design revisions that you could have known about with a single call to your association president – hopefully not Cynthia.

Owners of homes in designated historic districts face more stringent requirements. Maintaining historic design while bringing these older homes into compliance with current building codes or energy and safety standards can be costly. Even a small remodel can trigger the need for major infrastructure updates like electrical and plumbing.

When planning an ADU – accessory dwelling unit – you will fall into another category of additions. Fortunately, more cities are relaxing their rules on ADUs to encourage affordable, higher density housing.

Any update that adds square footage will most likely trigger a tax reassessment when the project is completed. This will also change the replacement value of your home and is worth a call to your insurance company. The good news is your home will be worth more when you go to sell.

Permits

Some renovations, including updates to existing bathrooms and kitchens may only require what is known as an “over-the-counter” permit and payment of the required fee. But chances are that if you plan an extensive remodel or expand with an addition, you will need to submit a complete set of architectural plans for review by your city/country Building Inspection Department prior to issuance of the required permit. 

Minimize Your Stress

There are a lot of decisions and hoops to jump through before you finish your dream home addition. Having a team of professionals who know your area, work well with the local authorities, and understand your goals will keep your project moving forward. There are always glitches, but with careful planning you can be prepared for them and minimize costly changes.

Finding an architect who can advise you on these potential hurdles based on your goals is a critical step. If an architect is only designing for their portfolio (many do) they may create a design that will end up costing you time, money, and headaches. Drafting Cafe Architects focuses on your goals and will advise you based on their experience in your area. We have worked with almost every permit office in the Bay Area at one time or another and have extensive home addition experience. Contact us today for a free consultation about your plan.

Pandemic Pitfalls for Your Home Remodel – What You Need to Know

Preparation is an important part of a successful remodel. If you’ve remodeled your home before, you already know some of what this entails. Listing your remodeling goals, making a budget, scanning through magazines for ideas, working with a successful design firm to create a plan – these are all normal steps in the path to creating a home remodeling plan. 

However, like so many things, the steps to remodeling have changed a little since the start of the pandemic. Knowing what to expect and how to prepare can help you as you get started. 

Interview Many Contractors

It was important before the start of the pandemic to interview several contractors before hiring the right one for you. That’s even more important today because the best home remodeling and design build contractors are booked out months in advance. Plan to start interviewing contractors well ahead of time, especially if you have a firm remodeling deadline. Cast a wide net, and expect to wait after hiring. 

Expect COVID Cleaning Fees

Many contractors provide COVID cleaning services during the project or after, especially if your project takes place indoors and in your house. Expect to see COVID cleaning fees on your itemized bid. If you don’t, ask your contractor about their plan for keeping your space safe and sanitized. Be wary of contractors who don’t have a definite answer to these questions – at this point, every home remodeling contractor should have a satisfactory plan in place. 

Get Ready Early

While the best contractors are now booked out for months in advance, plans can change if there’s a sudden cancellation. Work with your design build service to get your drawings ready as early as possible, so you can take any time slots that open up unexpectedly. The design process usually involves a consultation at the beginning, and then a few follow up conversations as sketches start to come in. Staying on top of this process can help ensure you’ll be fully prepared if your contractor comes available. 

New international tariffs and COVID shutdowns have made material backorders common. Choose your materials as soon as possible and order them quickly to avoid delays. 

Hold Your Place With a Deposit

While some contractors saw a dip in demand for services when the pandemic began, others saw demand for their services increase. The market has also become more volatile since the start of the pandemic, with some homeowners canceling their remodels suddenly after waiting for weeks. 

Your contractor may ask you to put down a deposit to hold your place in line, even if it’s far in advance. Before putting your money down, sign a contract that outlines your contractor’s cancellation policies. Read the contract thoroughly and only sign when you feel comfortable. 

Hire a Project Management Team 

What’s the best way to kick off a home remodeling project? Hire a project management team like Drafting Cafe Architects design-to-build service. We provide interior design, ADU plans and full service design-to build remodeling management, providing everything from drawings to plans, permitting and construction support throughout the entire building process. Call Drafting Cafe Architects to get started today.