How to Design Your Dream Kitchen
To design your dream kitchen, start with how you cook: map the work triangle or the work zones and the storage each zone needs, then choose the layout that fits the room, then the appliances, lighting and materials, in that order. Seeing the plan in 3D before cabinets are ordered is the cheapest moment to […]
Home Addition Checklist
Use this home addition checklist to settle five things, in order, before you build in San Jose: what your lot allows, your budget and financing, the design and engineering, the permits, and the contractor. After those come living through construction and the final walk-through. Each step below lists the questions to answer and the San […]
Remodel or Move: Remodeling vs Buying a New Home
Remodel or move comes down to two questions: do you want to stay where you live, and can this house become what you need on this lot? If both answers are yes, remodeling usually wins. If the location itself is the problem, or the lot, zoning or layout cannot give you the space, moving is […]
14 Home Remodeling Mistakes to Avoid
Three common and costly home remodeling mistakes are setting an unrealistic budget, skipping permits and hiring the wrong contractor. As experienced professionals in the renovation industry, we have noticed the same common renovation mistakes again and again; below are all 14, each with how to avoid it, followed by a short check to run before […]
How to Choose a Reliable Remodeling Contractor
Here is how to choose a remodeling contractor in California: check the license on the Contractors State License Board (CSLB) website, including its classification, bond and workers’ compensation; get at least three written bids on the same scope; ask the questions below; and sign only a complete written contract with a down payment of no […]
Benefits of Building an ADU in San Jose
The main benefits of building an ADU in San Jose are rental income, a separate home for family close by, and added property value. How much you gain depends on the type of ADU you build and on what your lot allows, so this guide covers the eleven benefits, the four ADU types, and the […]
Home Remodeling Ideas for San Jose Homes
The home remodeling ideas that change how San Jose homes work are the ones that open up the layout, add usable space and update the kitchen and bathrooms. This guide groups them by project size and by room, and for each one says what it involves, whether the City of San Jose asks for a […]