Pre-Project Lead-up

Many events led up to this massive remodel, including deciding whether or not to do it at all.

Upstairs Remodel

Jan 2006: Move downstairs, start upstairs remodel. Addition to master bedroom, new bathroom, new closets in all rooms, new floor, trim and doors, paint all around.

Feb 2007: Move back upstairs, plus one. Long story.

Remodel or move?

May 2007. Met with Dave Clark, local neighborhood realtor about our house. Open-housed in Sunnyvale and Willow Glen. Same old, same old, for a higher price. It'll cost a fortune to upgrade whether we move or remodel, but we'll get what we want with remodeling. Most houses we'd move to would still need some work, and we've already done so much to our house we like (underfloor hydronic radiant heat, nifty upstairs windows, huge garage).

Remodeling has a much higher hassle factor, but higher satisfaction also. Decided to remodel instead of move.

Finding an architect

June 2007. Follow recommendations, cold-call from phone book. Met at home with various architects. One architect's receptionist's phone skills were so poor I thought I'd called a Chinese restaurant. This architect referred me to a former employee who'd broken out on her own.

July 2007. Meetings set up with three good candidates, but the former employee who was now independent was so many heads above the others that it was only due diligence and courtesy that made me bother keeping the other appointments.

July 31 2007. Signed with architect.

Design process

September 2007. House is measured scrupulously by a crew of 2. Takes two trips, over 10 hours on-site, 4 weeks of entry into CAD system, and over $4000. Whew.

October 2007. Several designs suggested by our creative architect. Loved the proposal to move the lower section of the staircase to solve downstairs flow problems. She sees beyond that, separating public and private spaces of the house.

November 2007. Sign with kitchen designer, recommended by architect, and they've worked together before. Architect present at several pivotal design meetings, this was great to do things like move or align walls as needed for the kitchen.

January 2008. Kitchen layout done, appliances chosen, now time to pick out drawers, doors, pullouts. Not easy to decide where your silverware goes on paper!

February 2008. Structural engineers being slow, but the plans are nearly ready to submit to the city. I make a preliminary windows & doors selection for Title 24 calculations. Architect pre-reviews plans with the city, planner says this should be an over-the-counter permit.

Finding a contractor

March 2008. Start calling and meeting with contractors. Two recommended by architect, one recommended by a friend. None can start serious bidding until plans are in their hands. Starting finish selection (doors, windows, etc).

May 5-8, 2008. Meet with contractors for bids. Like with the architect, we already have a strong favorite but are doing due diligence.

May 9, 2008. Signed with contractor! Targeting to start work first week of June.