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CSLB #1110975 · BBB Accredited, A+ · Yelp ★ 4.7

Primary bathroom with a long white oak double vanity, marble counters and herringbone marble floor

Construction & Remodeling Resource Center

Cost guides, permit explainers and planning advice for Southern California homeowners, written from the projects we build every week.

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How to use this center

Whether you’re remodeling, adding on or building from scratch, these guides are written to help you plan smarter, avoid costly mistakes and make confident decisions at every step.

  • Cost guides: every budgeting estimate we publish, from ADUs and kitchens to roof replacement.
  • Permits and rules: what needs a permit, what plan check costs and how long it takes.
  • ADU planning: unit types, rules, timelines, financing and budgeting ranges.
  • Design ideas: kitchens, baths, ADUs, additions and backyards, judged by what each costs and commits you to.

Use the search box below to find a specific topic, or browse the guides by topic further down the page.

Tools and Guides

California ADU Rules Calculator — what your city must allow on your lot, with the section of the Government Code behind every answer. Reflects the law as amended 1 January 2026.

ADU Rules by City — 2026 ADU rules for Los Angeles, Glendale, Pasadena, Burbank, Santa Clarita, Thousand Oaks, Irvine, Anaheim and Corona: size, height, parking and permits.

Los Angeles Pre-Approved ADU Standard Plans, Explained — what the LADBS standard plan program actually is, including the parts that are easy to get wrong.

ADU Models — six design concepts, from a 400 sq ft garage conversion to a 1,200 sq ft home, with starting estimates for Los Angeles and Southern California.

Guides by topic

Cost guides

Outdoor and hardscape cost guides

  • Paver patio cost: $15 to $25 or more per sq ft installed, what moves the number, worked examples for 300, 500 and 800 sq ft, pavers versus concrete, and permits.
  • Concrete patio cost: $8 to $18 per sq ft for a standard finish and $12 to $26 stamped, with worked examples for 300, 500 and 800 sq ft, extras, permits and timeline.
  • Stamped concrete cost: $12 to $26 per sq ft installed, how pattern, color and sealer move the price, resealing, how stamped concrete fails, and when pavers win.
  • Driveway replacement cost: $1,500 to $3,000 to tear out the old slab plus $8 to $18 per sq ft for concrete or $15 to $25 or more for pavers, with 400, 600 and 900 sq ft examples and permits.
  • Retaining wall cost: cost per sq ft of wall face and per linear foot by type and height, with worked examples plus engineering, geotechnical and permit costs.
  • Artificial turf cost: $12 to $18 per sq ft installed, prices by product tier, examples at 300, 600 and 1,200 sq ft, what adds cost, and the rebate facts.
  • 12×20 patio cover cost: one common size priced in three bands, from a basic attached aluminum cover to a custom or freestanding one, and what to ask before comparing quotes.
  • Pergola cost: by material and size: aluminum lattice, wood, steel, vinyl and motorized louvered, with footings, permits and worked examples.
  • Outdoor kitchen cost: by tier: a grill island, a kitchen with a sink and refrigerator, and a full kitchen with a pizza oven and cover, plus permits.

Painting, flooring and window cost guides

  • Interior painting cost: $2.00 to $4.50 per sq ft or $500 to $1,500 per room, whole-house ranges, paint quality tiers, cabinets and how to compare quotes.
  • Exterior house painting cost: $2.50 to $5.00 per sq ft of wall area, about $6,000 to $14,000 for a one-story stucco house, with prep, stucco versus wood, and how to compare bids.
  • Hardwood floor installation cost: $8 to $15 per sq ft for engineered hardwood, $10 to $20 for solid, $4 to $8 to refinish, plus species, subfloors and how to compare quotes.
  • Vinyl plank flooring installation cost: $6 to $12 per sq ft installed, what drives the price, subfloor prep, product tiers, timelines and how to compare quotes.
  • Window replacement cost: $10,000 to $25,000 for a whole-house vinyl retrofit, retrofit versus full-frame, permits and how to compare quotes.

Home systems cost guides

  • Electrical panel upgrade cost: $4,000 to $8,000 for a 100 to 200 amp upgrade, or $8,000 to $15,000 or more with a utility service change, plus LADWP and SCE coordination, permits and timelines.
  • Sewer line replacement cost: $8,000 to $25,000 open trench or $10,000 to $30,000 trenchless, what drives the price, permits and how to compare quotes.

Permits and rules

ADU guides

Design ideas

  • Design ideas by room and trade: kitchens, bathrooms, ADUs, outdoor spaces, flooring, roofing and more, with what each choice does to the space, what it costs and which ones you cannot undo later.

Hiring, money and guarantees

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