ADU cost estimates online are all over the place. So instead of guessing, here are the real numbers from an active project we're running through our design-build partnership — construction by Konstructo, design and project management by In The Deets.

This isn't a prefab kit. It's a fully custom, ground-up ADU in Lafayette — roughly 550 square feet — designed to match the architecture and finishes of the main house.

Most homeowners never think about what’s under the floor — until they’re planning a remodel that needs to move a sink, add a bathroom, or reroute plumbing. At that point, whether your house sits on a slab or a raised foundation can change your budget and your options dramatically.

Remodeling an existing bathroom and adding a brand-new one are two very different projects, even though they sound similar. A remodel updates a space that already has plumbing running to it. A new bathroom means bringing water, drain, and vent lines to a spot that’s never had them — and that difference shapes everything about how the project comes together.

We talk to a lot of homeowners who bought a house with a remodel already in mind — “we’ll open up the kitchen,” “we’ll add a suite for the in-laws,” “it just needs some updating.” Some of the most painful conversations we have happen after closing, when the plan they bought the house around turns out not to be possible, or not to be what they thought. Here are the three issues we see most often, and how to check for them before you’re under contract.

Getting a total project number is only half the budgeting picture. The other half — the one that catches people off guard — is when that money actually needs to be in hand. A remodel isn’t one lump payment on move-in day; it’s a series of payments spread across several distinct stages. Here’s how that typically flows, and what to watch for at each one.

“How long is this going to take?” is one of the first questions every client asks. Instead of a vague range, here’s an actual week-by-week construction timeline from a real kitchen renovation — so you can see exactly what happens, and when.

The old advice to “get three bids” is one of the most misleading parts of the remodeling process. This article explains why bid comparisons rarely reflect true scope, why low bids often cost more in the long run, and what homeowners should do instead to protect their budget, timeline, and sanity. If you want a remodel that feels aligned and predictable, the right team matters more than the lowest number.