Need remodel/addition advice and estimate for Santa Clara County

[Ashish Singhal]

Hi, First time home buyer here. We are in escrow for our primary SFH 3BR/2BTH 1100 sqft home, which is in original condition and looking for recommendations for expansion/remodel including

1) Looking for advice/recommendations for adding about 500 sq ft to add a new MBR suite with walking closed and full bath.I came to this 500 sqft figure, as I read that getting permits for something under 500sqft is easier and can be done over counter.

2) We also need to update existing 2 full bathrooms and do complete kitchen remodel

3)All cosmetics including new flooring, garage finish, new paint, knobs, switches etc.

Looking for advice here how should I approach different people. Per my relator, we should start with Architect and get the drawings.

1) Is it right approach. How much do reasonable architect charge for this kind of job.

2)What money should I be looking to pay for this remodel and addition.

3) How easy is to get permits with cover situation

4) Any other advice to make this task smooth and efficient.

Any referral for architecture firm to help with this job. Sorry I may have many questions coming up. Appreciate any inputs.

Thanks

[Christian Nielsen]

@Ashish Singhal I’m an architect in Santa Cruz and we do work in all of the Bay Area. Please message me if you’d like to talk further. 

I’ll provide my opinions to your post and specific questions below.

500 square feet seems like a reasonable size for adding a new suite. It somewhat depends on where you add it on to the existing house and how the spaces flow together. 

I like the approach your real estate agent provided, but possibly because I’m an architect :)

What I would add to that is it’s important to dial in your budget right away. I like to bring contractors into the project early on in the process. Sometimes even before we start to design anything. Upfront you can identify a contractor that you’ll use or pay a contractor for their time to provide initial budgets and then send the project out for bids. I’m a believer in paying people for their time because you have a higher probability in getting useful information. 

1. Architects costs can vary greatly. I would expect that you’d be looking in a range of 8-15% of construction cost. The range is dependent on the scope of work and the level of service they provide. When considering an architect, evaluate the value rather than the cost. The value is tied to your specific priorities (time/ quality/ customization).

2. it’s hard to provide good budget numbers without knowing your project intimately. But, I’d say for construction in the Bay Area, you’re looking at about $400/SF for the addition, about $20k per bathroom and around $60k for the kitchen. Your expected level of finish and taste for materials can push these numbers around greatly, which is why involving a contractor during the design process is important. 

3. I don’t have any specific information about permitting in Santa Clara for residential projects. You can best find that out by calling the building department. 

4. I think you’re on the right track with asking questions of professionals and people with experience in remodeling. In my opinion, adding an architect and contractor to your team early on will greatly benefit your goals.

Good luck!