What remodeling costs in San Diego
Our 2026 starting prices for kitchens, bathrooms, ADUs, additions and outdoor rooms in San Diego County, with typical timelines and the things that change the number. After a free in-home visit and design, you get a written scope and a fixed price.
Starting prices as of October 2026. Every project is scoped and quoted individually. City permits and fees are billed separately. When your price becomes firm
Kitchen remodel
Kitchen refresh
New cabinet fronts or refinish, countertops, backsplash, fixtures and lighting. Existing layout stays.
Full kitchen remodel
Down to the studs: cabinetry, counters, flooring, lighting, plumbing and electrical, with layout changes where they make sense.
Custom kitchen
Fully custom cabinetry, structural changes such as wall removal, premium materials and integrated appliances.
Timeline: usually 4 to 8 weeks of construction from the start date. More on kitchens
Bathroom remodel
Hall or guest bathroom
New tub or shower, tile, vanity, toilet, fixtures and lighting.
Primary bathroom
Larger layout, walk-in shower, double vanity, custom tile and glass, often a reconfigured floor plan.
Timeline: usually 4 to 8 weeks of construction when no walls are moved. More on bathrooms
ADUs and JADUs
JADU (up to 500 sq ft, inside the home)
A junior ADU carved out of existing space, with its own entrance and an efficiency kitchen.
Garage conversion ADU
Turning an attached or detached garage into a legal living unit.
Attached ADU
A new unit built onto the existing house.
Detached ADU
A standalone backyard home, from foundation to finish.
Timeline: depends on the size and the site; you get a written construction schedule once the plans are approved. More on ADUs · JADU guide
Additions and new construction
Room additions
Bedrooms, primary suites, family rooms and second-story additions.
New construction
Ground-up homes on your lot.
Timeline: additions take 3 to 5 months of construction; ground-up homes 8 to 12 months of construction. Design and city review come first.
Patio covers and sunrooms
Patio cover
Solid or lattice patio covers, attached or freestanding.
Louvered pergola
Adjustable aluminum louvers that open for sun and close for shade and rain.
Sunroom
An enclosed, insulated room that brings the backyard indoors.
What moves the number
- Moving walls, plumbing or gas lines
- Electrical panel or service upgrades
- Cabinetry construction and finish level
- Countertop, tile and fixture selections
- Structural work, engineering and foundations
- Site access, slope and utility runs (ADUs and additions)
How to pay for it
A down payment of $1,000 or 10% of the contract price, whichever is less, then a scheduled payment as each stage is completed, all written into your contract before work starts.
Financing through Enhancify or Acorn Finance, or a payment plan arranged directly with us. See financing
When your price becomes firm
A starting price on this page tells you whether we’re likely to fit your budget. Your own price takes three steps, and only the last one fixes it.
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Free consultation
Free, with no obligation
We come to your home, measure, check what we can of the plumbing and electrical, and ask how you use the space. We talk about your budget before anyone draws anything.
You leave with a clear next step. Budget figures we discuss at this stage are for planning only. They aren’t a quote.
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Design
Its own price, in writing before it starts
A design for the look covers the layout, 3D renderings and your selections. A design for city approval adds the blueprints and engineering the city needs to issue permits. The price depends on how many rooms we design, the size of the house and the level.
You leave with the drawings and selections we price the construction from.
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Construction agreement
A fixed price for the written scope
A detailed scope of work, the fixed price and the payment schedule: a down payment of $1,000 or 10% of the contract price, whichever is less, then a payment as each stage is completed.
This is when your price becomes firm. Nothing starts until you sign.
What the fixed price covers
The work described in your written scope. Finish materials such as tile, fixtures and cabinets are part of it when your contract lists them, for example as an allowance.
What it doesn’t include
- City permit and plan-check fees, billed separately at cost
- Drawings, if the project needs them. They come under the design agreement.
- Removal of hazardous materials
Changes and hidden conditions
If you change the scope, or we find something once the walls are open that the scope didn’t cover, we show you, price it and agree it with you in writing before that work goes ahead. Each change is written up as its own change order. The rest of your price stays as signed.
On our two-phase remodel in Del Mar, each unexpected find was written up as its own change order once the walls were opened.
Pricing questions
Why do you publish prices?
A consultation takes an hour or two of your time. If our starting price is outside your budget, you should know that before you book one.
Is the "from" price what I’ll pay?
It’s where projects of that type start. Your price depends on scope and selections. After the consultation and design, you get a written scope and a fixed price.
When does my price become fixed?
When you sign the construction agreement. It comes after the consultation and design, and it sets out the written scope, the fixed price and the payment schedule. Starting prices and budget figures before that point are for planning only.
What if you find a problem behind the walls?
We show you what we found, price the work and agree it with you in writing as a change order before that work goes ahead. The rest of your price stays as signed.
Are permits included?
We handle the permit process as your licensed contractor. City permit and plan-check fees are billed separately at cost.
Do prices include design?
Design is priced on its own, and you get that price in writing before any design starts. It depends on how many rooms we design, the size of the house and the level of design. There are two levels. A design for the look covers the layout, 3D renderings and your selections. The second level adds the blueprints and engineering the city needs to approve the work and issue permits. So one of our first questions is whether the design is only for the look, or also for city approval and permits.
How do payments work?
Our payment schedule follows the rules of the Contractors State License Board (CSLB). The down payment is $1,000 or 10% of the contract price, whichever is less. After that, you make a scheduled payment as each stage of the work is completed. Every payment is written into your contract before the job starts.
Prices on this page are starting points to help you plan, as of October 2026. They are not an offer or a quote. Your price is set in a written contract after a consultation and design. Permit and plan-check fees are set by the city or county and billed separately.
Get a fixed price for your project
We’ll come out, look at the space and talk through what it would take. The visit is free. After design, you get a written scope and a fixed price.