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Planning Guides

Step-by-step help with planning a remodel: setting goals, making decisions in the right order, and preparing to talk with contractors.

A converted bedroom with a separate entrance and kitchenette
Article

Junior ADU Quotes Depend on the Statute's Size, Kitchen and Occupancy Rules

Junior ADU planning in California: the 500 square foot definition, ministerial approval, owner occupancy, kitchen and entrance rules,…

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An opened bathroom wall with new plastic supply lines between the studs
Article

What to Decide Before You Get Quotes for Whole-House Repiping

Before quotes for whole-house repiping: why you are replacing pipes, a decision checklist, lead-free marks, local approvals and…

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A doorway with a tape measure across the clear opening
Article

What to Decide Before You Ask for Quotes on Widening a Doorway

Planning to widen a doorway: pick the clear width, compare simple and structural options, check the wall, expect…

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A curbless shower floor with a linear drain and waterproofing membrane before tile
Article

Walk-In Shower Choices That Change Your Bid More Than the Tile Does

The five decisions that shape a walk-in shower bid: curb, base, drain, enclosure and users, plus how to…

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A shower alcove with waterproofing membrane curing before tile is set, with tile cartons waiting nearby
Article

What Holds Up a Bathroom Remodel, Phase by Phase

A bathroom remodel timeline by phase, from selections and ordering through demolition, rough-in, waterproofing, tile and the final…

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Wood-framed accessory dwelling unit on a concrete slab in a backyard with stacked lumber
Article

California ADU Timeline by Phase: Design, Permit Review, Build and Occupancy

California ADU timeline by phase: design, the 30 and 60 day state review clocks, one builder's build ranges,…

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Framed doorway into an unfinished room addition with a sawhorse table and rolled plans
Article

In-Law Suite Timeline Runs Design, Permit Review and Construction in Turn

Check the phases of an in-law suite project: design and wait time, the California permit review deadline, construction…

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Stakes and string marking the footprint of a room addition beside a house
Article

Room Addition Quotes Depend on Permits, Setbacks, Septic and Flood Status

Before you ask for room addition quotes: permits, size triggers, setbacks, septic approval, flood status and the state…

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A curbless shower with a gray porcelain tile floor that runs level into the bathroom, a linear drain along the back wall and a fixed glass panel
Article

A Curbless Shower Starts With a Framing Check and a Method

What to expect from a curbless shower: the three common methods, the framing check, slope and waterproofing, staged…

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