San Jose Remodeling FAQ: Answers to Your Common Questions

A: An Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) is a secondary living space on the same property as a single-family home in San Jose. Examples include basement apartments, detached guest houses, or garage conversions.

A: Yes, permits are required by the City of San Jose to construct an ADU. The requirements and regulations vary, so check the local San Jose codes.

A: In most cases, yes, an ADU built by Intelligent Choice Builders can be rented as a separate living unit in San Jose. But some areas restrict short-term rentals, so verify the applicable laws.

A: A basic bathroom remodel by Intelligent Choice Builders in San Jose can take 3-4 weeks on average. More extensive bathroom renovations may take 6-8 weeks or longer.

A: For major bathroom renovations in San Jose, it’s highly recommended to hire the experienced professionals at Intelligent Choice Builders to ensure the work is done properly and up to code.

A: Reusing fixtures, choosing affordable materials, doing some work yourself (if capable), and phasing the project can help reduce costs on a San Jose bathroom remodel by Intelligent Choice Builders.

A: A full home renovation done by Intelligent Choice Builders in San Jose typically involves major structural changes, room additions/removal, new electrical/plumbing throughout, new roofing, siding, windows, and completely redesigned interior spaces.

A: Depending on the size and scope, most whole home remodels done by Intelligent Choice Builders in San Jose take 6 months to over a year to complete.

A: For an extensive renovation in San Jose that makes the home unlivable, Intelligent Choice Builders recommends temporarily moving out or making arrangements to live elsewhere during the project.

A: Hardscaping done by Intelligent Choice Builders refers to the non-plant elements in a San Jose landscape like patios, walkways, retaining walls, outdoor kitchens, fireplaces, etc.

A: Common hardscaping materials Intelligent Choice Builders uses in San Jose include concrete, brick, stone, pavers, and wood.

A: Hardscaping features installed by Intelligent Choice Builders tend to be lower maintenance than plant landscapes, but may still require periodic cleaning, re-sealing, or repairs.

A: For high-traffic areas, Intelligent Choice Builders recommends interior painting every 3-5 years in San Jose homes. Low-traffic areas can typically go 5-7 years before needing new paint.

A: Ideally, Intelligent Choice Builders does exterior painting in dry, warm weather in San Jose when there’s low humidity and temperatures are between 50-90°F.

A: The professionals at Intelligent Choice Builders do thorough prep work like cleaning, sanding, patching, and priming to help ensure a smooth, long-lasting paint finish on San Jose homes.

A: Kitchen remodel costs with Intelligent Choice Builders can vary, but a typical mid-range, all-inclusive kitchen renovation in San Jose may be $25,000 – $40,000 for most homes.

A: Changing the layout to create better flow and functionality is very common in kitchen remodels done by Intelligent Choice Builders in San Jose. But it adds more cost than just surface updates.

A: For a moderate kitchen remodel by Intelligent Choice Builders, your San Jose kitchen may be unusable for 4-6 weeks. More extensive projects can take 2-4 months or longer.

A: Unless you have sufficient cash reserves, most clients use construction loans to pay Intelligent Choice Builders for labor, materials, permits, etc. during the new home build process.

A: On average, it takes Intelligent Choice Builders 6-12 months to build a completely new single-family home in San Jose after breaking ground. Custom and larger homes may take over a year.

A: For Intelligent Choice Builders, size, location in San Jose, materials used, labor costs, client customizations, and overall economic conditions can all impact the total cost of building a new home.

A: Signs you may need a roof replacement from Intelligent Choice Builders include curling or cracking shingles, missing granules, roof leaks, or if the roof is over 20 years old.

A: For San Jose roofs, Intelligent Choice Builders most commonly uses asphalt shingles, but also offers wood shakes, clay/concrete tiles, slate, and metal roofing.

A: Lifespan depends on the materials used, but Intelligent Choice Builders estimates 15-30 years for asphalt roofs, 30-50 for wood, 50+ for clay/concrete/slate, and 40-70 years for metal roofs in San Jose.

A: A room addition done by Intelligent Choice Builders in San Jose typically requires obtaining permits, excavation, laying a foundation, framing, running new electrical/plumbing, plus roofing, siding, windows, etc.

A: For major room additions over a certain square footage in San Jose, Intelligent Choice Builders requires architectural plans and engineering to ensure the addition meets all applicable codes.

A: Room additions that increase functional living space by Intelligent Choice Builders can substantially increase a San Jose home’s market value, though final costs can vary widely based on the project.