Plain remodeling guidance from our Berkeley design desk on planning a remodel, budgets, permitting, and getting honest estimates.
Berkeley's brown-shingle houses are unlike anything else, and remodeling one rewards an owner who understands what makes them special. Here is an honest look at what these homes ask of a renovation.
Read more →Older Berkeley homes were built before modern seismic code, and a remodel is the smartest time to fix that. Here is how a retrofit works and why doing it during a renovation saves money and disruption.
Read more →A hillside lot in the Berkeley Hills opens possibilities a flat lot never will, and brings challenges too. Here is how the grade shapes a hillside addition from foundation to finish.
Read more →There is more than one way to deliver a remodel, and the model you choose shapes the cost, the timeline, and who owns the result. Here is an honest comparison of design-build and the traditional split.
Read more →Older Craftsman homes are full of charm and short on light and flow. Here is how to open one up for the way families live now while keeping the detailing that makes it special.
Read more →Cost is the first question every homeowner asks before a renovation. Here is an honest look at what actually drives the price on a Berkeley home, where the money goes, and why no two projects cost the same.
Read more →Whatever the project, our Berkeley-area crew gives you one honest plan and photo updates on every job, with up-front pricing and no pressure.