The short answer
A standard renovation of a 1,500-square-foot San Diego house runs about $71,400 to $178,500, and a gut remodel $107,100 to $267,750. Coastal and hillside lots push bids higher. Multi-trade work needs a California B contractor, and state law caps the down payment at $1,000 or 10 percent.
What a remodel costs in San Diego
The ranges start from national remodeling data and apply the San Diego construction cost factor of 1.19 from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. They cover labor, materials and the general contractor's markup for a typical single-family home.
| Job | San Diego (typical range) | US average |
|---|---|---|
| Cosmetic update, 1,500 sq ft home | $26,800–$71,400 | $22,500–$60,000 |
| Standard renovation, 1,500 sq ft home | $71,400–$178,500 | $60,000–$150,000 |
| Gut renovation, 1,500 sq ft home | $107,100–$267,750 | $90,000–$225,000 |
| Kitchen remodel, mid-range, 150 sq ft | $26,800–$44,650 | $22,500–$37,500 |
| Full bathroom remodel, mid-range | $10,700–$33,300 | $9,000–$28,000 |
| Bedroom or living room refresh | $1,800–$11,900 | $1,500–$10,000 |
| Basement or attic finish | $23,800–$89,250 | $20,000–$75,000 |
| Exterior update | $7,150–$23,800 | $6,000–$20,000 |
| Roof replacement, 2,000 sq ft, asphalt | $8,350–$16,650 | $7,000–$14,000 |
Estimates for 2026, including labor and standard parts. San Diego prices use the metro's construction cost factor of 1.19 (US average = 1.00) from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Area Cost Factors. Your quote depends on access, materials and the condition of the home.
Use the cost estimator for a figure based on your ZIP code and scope. National averages by room are in our home remodeling cost guide.
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Additions and conversions
Going up costs more than building out because the existing foundation, walls and roof have to carry new loads, so an engineer gets involved. A second-story addition carries the highest per-square-foot cost of any of these projects, and a garage or attic conversion the lowest, because the shell already exists. Our guide to designing an addition covers the design fees, and structural engineer coordination explains when stamped calculations are needed.
What the general contractor's share pays for
A general contractor runs the trades, buys materials, pulls permits, meets inspectors, carries insurance and fixes what goes wrong between trades. That share sits inside the totals. On a $150,000 remodel, a 10 to 20 percent markup is a large line item, so ask each bidder to break it out.
What a general contractor does, and when you need one
A general contractor runs a project that involves several trades. A typical San Diego kitchen and bath remodel needs demolition, framing, plumbing, electrical, drywall, tile, cabinets and paint. The GC hires and sequences those trades so the electrician isn't waiting on the framer and the tile setter isn't working over an uninspected drain.
California defines this role in the Business and Professions Code. A B General Building contractor works on structures that need at least two unrelated building trades. The CSLB lists the classifications: A for general engineering, B for general building, B-2 for residential remodeling, and C for 42 specialty trades such as roofing (C-39), electrical (C-10), plumbing (C-36) and HVAC (C-20).
Hire a B contractor for a whole-house remodel, an addition, an ADU or a garage conversion. Hire the specialty trade directly for single-trade work, such as a plumber for a repipe or a flooring contractor for new floors.
The $1,000 limit for unlicensed work
Since January 1, 2025, an unlicensed person can take a job only if the total for labor and materials stays under $1,000, the work needs no building permit and the person has no employees. Almost no remodel meets all three conditions. Unlicensed pros also cannot collect any payment in California civil court under Business and Professions Code section 7031.
Do you need a permit?
For almost any real remodel in the City of San Diego, you need a permit. The Development Services Department says a permit is required for new construction, additions, remodeling, or repairs to electrical, mechanical and plumbing systems. All new permits and approvals must be submitted online, and you need a user account to apply.
Plan check in the City of San Diego
Simple no-plan mechanical, electrical and plumbing work can go through a Simple Permit. Anything that changes the structure, the floor plan or the size of the house needs plan check. Changes to approved plans during construction must be reviewed and approved by the city before they go into the construction documents. You can track where a permit sits on the city's permit application processing timeline.
Public counters are open 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, closed 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Walk-in service stops at 3 p.m., and walk-in customers arriving after 1 p.m. may not be seen. Permit records for projects submitted from 2003 on are searchable in Open DSD.
What each city charges and how it reviews
| City | How plans come in | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| San Diego | Online only, account required | Simple Permits for no-plan MEP work; changes to approved plans need city review |
| Chula Vista | Citizen Access portal, electronic plan review | Intake fee and full plan review fees due before review; all fees by credit card; impact fees can be deferred to final inspection but rise every October 1 |
| Carlsbad | Residential B-1 application | Plan check runs one year from submittal and expires if reviews aren't done; reviews start only after fees are paid |
| Oceanside | Web-based only since January 2, 2025 | Paper plans no longer accepted; target review time is 14 calendar days for residential additions, interior remodels and ADUs |
| Escondido | Electronic plans only, city portal | About 30 calendar days per review cycle; permits valid 1 year, extended 180 days after inspection |
| El Cajon | PACO portal | Planning, engineering and building sit in one Project Assistance Center |
| Unincorporated county | Online services and County Permit Center | Plan review for a single-family dwelling is $2,310 plus $0.357 per square foot, and the permit fee is $2,547 plus $0.222 per square foot |
Chula Vista aims for 15 business days on the first review of a residential addition or remodel, 10 on a recheck and 10 on a plan change. Projects that add habitable square footage there also have to meet school district fee requirements, and all new buildings need a "will serve" letter from the water district.
Escondido charges plan check at 75 percent of the building permit fee, plus a state energy regulation surcharge of 20 percent of the plan check fee. Its Planning Division building plan review fee is $160 minimum for room additions and $1,880 for a single-family dwelling. Because the California Building Code update takes effect January 1, 2026, Escondido will not grant plan check extensions on applications submitted before that date.
County fees for a minor interior single-family remodel with no structural change, processed over the counter, are $405 for plan review and $521 for the permit. A major remodel with no added square footage is $2,296 for plan review and $1,896 for the permit. An addition of 1 to 100 square feet is $452 and $1,272. When a project isn't listed in the county schedule, the plan review fee is 65 percent of the building permit fee.
Inspections and deadlines
Oceanside issues building permits only to California licensed pros of the appropriate classification or to owner-builders, and an owner-builder must have owned the property for the last 12 months. The owner, an employee of the owner, or the licensed contractor or their employee must be present at every inspection. A permit there expires if the work isn't finished within three calendar years, and one six-month extension is available for a $100 fee.
Carlsbad allows construction Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., with none on Sundays or federal holidays. Under CALGreen, at least 65 percent of non-hazardous construction debris must be recycled or salvaged, and qualifying projects submit a Construction Waste Management Plan through Green Halo before the permit issues.
Our guide to permit drawings covers the drawings.
Additions, ADUs and garage conversions
ADUs move on a state clock
State law treats accessory dwelling units differently from additions. San Diego County charges ADU plan review at $1,940 plus $0.410 per square foot and the permit fee at $1,677 plus $0.564 per square foot. Oceanside targets 14 calendar days for ADU review. Carlsbad offers free pre-approved ADU building plans that the city says can save three to six months of design time and roughly $8,000 to $16,000 in private architectural fees. Chula Vista worked with SnapADU to offer 12 ADU options, six sizes with flipped floor plans. Our ADU design guide covers sizes, setbacks and plan costs.
Coastal and hillside lots
Chula Vista requires Planning Division review of all new, altered or expanded structures for setbacks, height and lot coverage before a building permit, and projects needing Design Review or a Conditional Use Permit must clear those first. Work in historic districts, on buildings older than 50 years, or demolition of such buildings also goes through Planning. Projects that need grading require a grading permit and a certified building pad before the building permit issues.
Seismic work that can come with a remodel
San Diego County reviews permits against the California Building Standards, and older houses often need structural fixes once walls come open. For a house, a retrofit is usually voluntary. California's Earthquake Brace + Bolt program helps pay for bolting a house to its foundation and bracing crawl space walls. The cheapest time to do it is while a remodel already has the crawl space open.
Contracts and payments under California law
California sets rules for home improvement contracts, and the CSLB lists them for homeowners. The ones that matter most on a remodel:
- Written contract: required for any home improvement job over $1,000, in at least 10-point type with 10-point bold headings.
- Down payment: no more than 10 percent of the contract price or $1,000, whichever is less. On a $150,000 remodel, that means $1,000.
- Progress payments: follow a written schedule and pay only for work already done or materials delivered to the home.
- Right to cancel: three business days after signing in most cases, and five business days if you are 65 or older.
- Liens: subcontractors and suppliers can send a 20-day Preliminary Notice and may record a mechanics lien even if you paid the contractor in full. Collect lien releases as you pay.
- Changes: every change order goes in writing, with the price, before the work is done.
- Permits: the contract must say who pulls the permits and must give a completion date.
A contractor who asks for a third of the price up front is asking you to break a rule that exists to protect you. Our guide to paying a contractor walks through milestone schedules and lien waivers.
How to check a remodeling contractor before you hire
- Get the license number and look it up on the CSLB license check, or call 1-800-321-2752. For a remodel, look for a B General Building classification and an active status. A California license number has no letters and no more than 8 digits.
- Make sure the business name on the license matches the contract.
- Check the bond and workers' compensation coverage on the same page, and read any complaints or disciplinary actions.
- Ask for references from similar projects in your city and call them.
- For any subcontracted specialty work, check those licenses too.
- Keep the CSLB database hours in mind: it is down Sundays from 8 p.m. to Monday at 6 a.m.
Every contractor in the GOLDGCP network passes our six-step vetting: license verification, an insurance check, a business and public-records check, a portfolio review, client reference calls, and onboarding with a quality score.
Areas we cover
GOLDGCP matches homeowners with licensed remodeling contractors across San Diego County, including:
- San Diego
- Chula Vista
- Carlsbad
- Oceanside
- Escondido
- La Jolla
- El Cajon
Enter your ZIP code to see local prices and contractors who serve your street.
How GOLDGCP works
- Describe your project online, by phone or on WhatsApp. You see prices for your ZIP code before anyone visits.
- We match you with up to 3 vetted, licensed pros. For projects that need drawings, our in-house architects can prepare the plans for your city's building department.
- You compare written bids and choose one.
- You pay in milestones, and you pay each one only after you approve that stage. You can follow the schedule, photos and payments in the client portal.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a general contractor charge in San Diego?
Most general contractors fold their fee into the project total as a markup on construction cost, or charge hourly or daily for small jobs. A standard renovation of a 1,500-square-foot San Diego house runs about $71,400 to $178,500 in total, including that markup.
Do I need a B license contractor for a remodel in San Diego?
Yes, if the job involves two or more unrelated trades, such as framing, plumbing, electrical and drywall. A single-trade job can go to that specialty contractor instead. Any job that needs a building permit needs a licensed contractor no matter the price.
How much can a contractor ask as a down payment in California?
No more than 10 percent of the contract price or $1,000, whichever is less. After that, payments should follow a written schedule and match work already completed. A contractor who asks for more up front is breaking state home improvement rules.
How long does plan check take in San Diego County?
It depends on the city and the project. Oceanside targets 14 calendar days for residential additions, interior remodels and ADUs. Chula Vista aims for 15 business days on a first review. Escondido runs about 30 calendar days per review cycle. Corrections add rounds.
Can I add a second story to my house in San Diego?
Often, yes, if your lot's zoning allows the height and floor area. A second story needs engineering for the foundation and walls below, full plan check and inspections. Expect it to cost far more per square foot than building out.
Do I have to seismically retrofit my house during a remodel in San Diego?
For a house, it's usually your choice. California's Earthquake Brace + Bolt program helps pay to bolt a house to its foundation and brace crawl space walls. If your remodel already opens the crawl space, it's the cheapest time to do the work.
Can I cancel a remodeling contract after I sign it in California?
In most cases you have three business days to cancel in writing, or five business days if you are 65 or older. The contractor shouldn't start work or pull permits during that window. Contracts signed at the contractor's own place of business don't carry the three-day right.
How we calculate these prices
GOLDGCP starts from national price ranges for each job, taken from published 2026 cost guides and checked against local price guides where they exist. To get a local price, we multiply the national range by the construction cost factor for the metro from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Area Cost Factors (US average = 1.00). Where that table has no entry for a metro, we use the nearest listed location or the state value. For ZIP codes outside the 50 largest metros, the cost estimator uses the state's price level from the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities. Ranges include labor and standard materials but not unusual site conditions, so a written quote after an inspection is always the final price.
Sources
- opendsd.sandiego.gov
- California CSLB · California CSLB
- California CSLB · California CSLB
- California CSLB · California CSLB
- County of San Diego, Planning & Development Services
- City of Oceanside, CA
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
About this guide
Written by the GOLDGCP editorial team. Prices come from national cost guides adjusted with official construction cost factors for San Diego; rules and statistics come from the agencies and reports linked in the text. We update this page when prices or codes change.