A Decision Calendar for Your Bay Area Remodel: What to Decide, and When

On a major remodel or new home, most overruns come from decisions made late, not from construction. The good news is that the timing of those decisions is something you control.

This guide is a calendar of what to decide and when. For how long each phase takes, see our guide to remodel timelines. For how budgets and change orders work, see how a construction budget and change orders work.

Why timing matters

A change costs the least on paper and the most after the work is built. The same decision has very different consequences at different points:

When you change it	What it usually means
During design	Revise the drawings
After permit submittal	Revise the drawings and send them back to the city
After framing	Rework built structure, then update plans and inspections
After finishes are in	Tear out finished work and redo it

Here are two real examples from our projects:

• A client added an elaborate fireplace wall in the living room. It added about 2 weeks and about $5,000.
• A client replaced standard closets with built-in closets. It added about 4 weeks and around $25,000.

Neither was unreasonable. Both just cost far less if they had been decided during design.

The decision calendar

Here is the order in which decisions need to be made. It might look like a lot, so we give every client a detailed project timeline with dates by which we will acquire materials, or ask you to acquire them, so nothing is left to memory.

1. Layout and floor plan: before the design is final

This is the decision everything else rests on. Take your time here. Walking through your future home in 3D plans, rendered images, or a VR headset helps you catch problems before they’re built.

2. Electrical service upgrade: start now, if you need one

If your project needs a larger electrical service, such as upgrading to a bigger panel and service size, start the process with your electric utility immediately. Utilities can take 6 to 8 months to do their part, and it can hold up the whole project if it’s left until construction.

3. Windows and doors: right after plans are approved

Order windows and doors as soon as your plans are approved. They’re often the longest-lead items, and they need to be on site before the building is closed in.

4. Electrical, lighting, and plumbing fixture locations: before rough-in

Once walls are open, this is the time to decide where every outlet, switch, light, and fixture goes. Moving them after the walls are closed means opening walls again.

5. Cabinet layout and tile selections: before drywall

These choices affect what goes inside the walls, so they need to be made before drywall goes up.

6. Paint, hardware, and final fixtures: before finishes

These are the last decisions, and they’re the easiest to change. They’re also the ones people leave to the end and then rush.

Your cushion: don’t touch it early

We recommend setting aside 10 to 15 percent above your contract price. We strongly advise not using those funds in the first half of the project. In our experience we rarely have to, because we pay attention to every detail during design and permitting. If the cushion is spent early, there’s nothing left for the surprises that tend to appear later.

How you stay informed

You’ll get a weekly update, in whatever format works for you. We can send an in-depth status report with photos each week, do an in-person walkthrough, or both. You should never have to wonder where your project stands.

Plan for where you’ll live

For a major remodel or rebuild, we strongly recommend finding temporary housing nearby, especially if you have children in school. These projects can run 16 to 30 months, so build that housing cost into your overall budget from the start. It’s one of the most commonly missed items.

Three mistakes we see most

1. Rushing the design without thinking long term. The cheapest time to get the layout right is before the first drawing is final. Think about how your family will live in the home in five and ten years, not just today.
2. Trying to save on the wrong finishes. Cutting cost on materials you’ll live with every day, or that are expensive to replace later, usually costs more over time.
3. Overlooking energy-saving features. Efficient windows, insulation, and electrification are far easier to include during design than to add afterward. See our guide to what’s trending in Bay Area homes for what to consider.

What staying on track looks like

You’ll know the plan, you’ll know which decisions are coming and when, and you’ll see the cost and time of any change before it is made. There will still be surprises, since there always are in construction, but they’ll be handled in the open.

If you’re planning a remodel or rebuild and want a clear timeline for your own home, get in touch. We’ll walk through it with you.