SF Bay Area Remodeling: Is It Better to Move or Remodel?
As SF Bay Area homeowners weigh their options, it’s essential to consider what they’ll get back in the long run.
A young couple with two kids in the Pacific Heights neighborhood of San Francisco needed more space and a refresh to their three-story Victorian. Craig stayed committed to paying homage to its roots while breathing fresh, modern life into it.
“Should I move or remodel?” is a common question homeowners in every city face. The allure of starting over in a bigger, fresher space may seem appealing, but when it comes to SF Bay Area housing, options are limited, and prices are sky-high.
“The Bay Area does not have a lot of extra space to build, so I always tell homeowners if they love their location, remodeling or renovating are often more cost-efficient, more sustainable, and less complicated solutions to truly make the home theirs,” says Craig.
According to the California Association of Realtors (CAR), as of May 2023, the Bay Area had 1.5 months of unsold inventory, the lowest supply state-wide. The median days on the market for home listings were only 13, compared to the national median of 43 days. SF Bay Area homeowners know it can be difficult to find and quickly put an offer on a house they love while considering budget, neighborhood, and logistics, which is why many turn to enlist the help of an architect to update and expand their existing homes. Having a local architect who knows their way around building and planning codes and historical buildings is a plus.
“Believe it or not, an architect is needed to save money,” says Craig. “When you invest on the front end, the architect will apply their expertise in the industry, building materials, etc., to help you save money on the back end. Some people think an architect is expensive [for a remodel], but you’ll save in the long run, so it is very much worth it.”
When you consider the bigger picture, renovating a bathroom or kitchen, for example, will exponentially increase the value of your home, making it worth far more in the future should you choose to sell.
“Home redesign also improves people’s lives – whether it’s a new bathroom, kitchen, or a down-to-the-studs, full home remodel, you add value to someone’s everyday experience in the house. Although the initial architecture fee may sound like a lot, years later, the home's value can often quadruple your investment,” Craig adds.
COA’s SF Bay Area Home Remodel Project Highlights
From beautiful historic Victorians to cozy yet dark and tight-knit cabins, Craig blends history with rustic modernism to transform homes into open, light-filled spaces that cater to each homeowner’s specific needs. Below are three perfect examples of how a remodel can improve function and flow, making a home feel entirely brand new.
Refreshingly Unique Remodel for San Francisco Victorian Family Home
This complete kitchen remodel in Pacific Heights has beautiful custom wood cabinets to add warmth and concrete countertops to bring more modernism into the design. Skylights and floor-to-ceiling bi-folding steel framed doors allow light to flow into the space.
How do you turn a 19th Century Victorian house into a functional, light, and spacious home for four? Design a new open floor plan with modern amenities and new windows and skylights to usher in light – while keeping historical significance in mind.
This young couple with two kids in the Pacific Heights neighborhood of San Francisco needed more space and a refresh to their three-story Victorian. They wanted to honor the timeless design while breathing fresh, modern life into the home. Craig happily took on the project and stayed committed to paying homage to its roots.
"I love it when we have a chance to blend old and new," Craig says in this Houzz article. "We kept all of the original architectural details like the trim and stained-glass windows but modernized the look with elements such as furniture, light fixtures, and tile," he says.
Craig remodeled the garage level into a spacious office, bathroom, and playroom. He designed an open plan, light-filled kitchen with beautiful custom wood cabinets adding warmth and gorgeous tiles, pops of color, and concrete countertops bringing more modernism into the design. The kitchen is now bathed in light due to a skylight and floor-to-ceiling bi-folding steel framed doors that open to a beautifully designed rear garden, flowing nicely as an indoor-outdoor design. On the upper level, an expanded closet and new bathroom enhance the primary suite, with a remodel in the kids’ rooms. As a fun element, Craig placed a reading nook above the closet.
In this San Francisco Victorian remodel, Craig added a creative loft/reading nook on top of the kids' closet.
Mill Valley Cottage Reimagined for Family Life and Entertaining
AFTER: Craig's plan for the remodel of this 1946 forest cottage in Mill Valley, California.
BEFORE: The previous home layout with small, broken up spaces.
A few years ago, a couple with two young kids approached Craig, eager to remodel and modernize their 1,300-square-foot Mill Valley, CA cottage to achieve a more functional and open living space. Due to local planning restrictions on their small lot, expanding the footprint wasn't an option.
“I thrive on creative challenges and I'm proud of the innovative open floor plan I developed to maximize allowable square footage within the existing footprint. We completely revamped the home, redesigning the layout to include a brand new, light-filled kitchen. Additionally, they now enjoy a spacious primary suite featuring a luxurious bathroom and a much-needed walk-in closet,” Craig says.
These clients envisioned a home that would be ideal for entertaining, which is a common motivation for people seeking Craig’s expertise in redesigning their spaces. To enhance the functionality and flow for gatherings, Craig's new kitchen design incorporated modern fixtures, finishes, and equipment, along with a kitchen "pop-out" for additional storage and a hutch. He also relocated the living room and removed walls, creating an open-concept layout that now seamlessly flows from the kitchen to dining area, and living room.
Dolores Park Flat Gets an Upgrade in Anticipation of a New Baby
This young family in San Francisco on 17th street near Dolores Park needed more space for this 1889 Victorian home for a new baby on the way. Craig updated the close-quarters kitchen by opening it up and adding two skylights, which brightened up the space.
“This young family in the city on 17th street near Dolores Park needed more space for a new baby on the way. We made this old home more practical by reconfiguring the second level, adding a second bathroom, and updating the close-quarters kitchen by opening it up. We took advantage of the historic living room parlor area and transformed it into an extra bedroom,” Craig says.
This prime San Francisco location needed some updates to match the vibrancy of its neighborhood. Located on the top floor of a two-unit Victorian building built in 1889, Craig designed a remodel for various spaces of the flat to give it a more modern aesthetic while improving function and flow. Craig’s partner in this endeavor was general contractor, AJ of Canseco Construction who delivered with excellent craftsmanship and project management. The overall floor plan was completely redesigned to blend with its Victorian character, incorporating organic and natural elements and providing more efficient use of space. A complete kitchen remodel created a more open and modern layout with updated fixtures, finishes, and equipment, and a primary suite with a new ensuite bathroom was created. A guest bathroom was added at the top of the stairs, new wood flooring was affixed throughout the home, and new bathroom tiles were laid. Brand new windows were added to beautify the home's facade while meeting historic requirements. Two skylights were placed over the dining and kitchen areas to bring in more light, and new lighting and electrical were added to bring the home into 2024.
This guest bathroom was added at the top of the steps.
It is possible to transform a nonfunctional 1800s home into a livable, breathable light-filled space that's perfect for entertaining.
A Design Process to Make a HouseYour Home
A home remodel requires both practicality and the unwavering pursuit of bringing your deepest desires and visions to life.
“I love each part of the process,” says Craig. “I love studying the existing home, the historical inspiration it brings, the schematic design process, and then hand-selecting the team we will work with. Building a good team is very important, and I’ve grown to know and value many talented contractors over the years. Finally, I love when homeowners start to see the finish line right before they move in and then reach out to me after moving in to share how the new space feels.”
If you’re ready to design the home you’ve always dreamed about, contact Craig and the team at Craig O’Connell Architecture for a consultation on bringing your visions to life.