Palo Alto's housing stock runs from 1920s bungalows to 1970s ranches. Both remodel well, but they fail in predictable places: undersized service panels, galvanised supply lines, unpermitted previous work, and rooms that were never meant to be lived in the way they are now.
We work through the permit process with the city, including the planning review that additions trigger, and we document unpermitted conditions before they become a problem at inspection.
Palo Alto 的房子從 1920 年代平房到 1970 年代牧場式都有。兩者都適合翻新，但問題出在同幾個地方：電盤容量不足、鍍鋅給水管、前人未申請的施工、以及房間根本不是為現在的使用方式設計的。
我們會依市府流程走完建照（加建還需要都市計畫審查），並在勘驗前先把未申請的既有狀況整理清楚。
Where older houses need attention
Service panel and grounding, supply and drain lines, knob-and-tube or early romex wiring, foundation and crawlspace moisture, roof and flashing, and any previous unpermitted additions that the city will ask about.
老房子要先看的地方
電盤與接地、給水與排水管、早期配線、地基與管廊潮氣、屋頂與泛水，以及市府一定會問的「前人未申請的加建」。
What drives the cost
The age gap is the cost driver: the further the house is from current code, the more of the budget goes to work you will never see. New kitchens and bathrooms are the visible spend; the panel, plumbing and structural repairs are the invisible one.
費用由什麼決定
屋齡落差就是成本來源：房子離現行法規越遠，越多預算花在看不到的地方。廚房浴室是可見的花費，電盤、管線與結構補強是看不到的那一半。
How long it takes
Planning and permits in Palo Alto can take longer than construction for additions — budget 2–4 months of review. Interior remodels usually clear faster. We sequence the work around the permit dates instead of guessing.
工期
在 Palo Alto，加建的市府審查常常比施工更久 —— 要留 2–4 個月。室內翻新的審查通常快一些。我們照實際核照日期排工，不憑猜測。
Permits
Both planning and building review apply. We submit complete drawing sets, respond to comments, and meet every inspection — including the ones that only appear when a house has had unpermitted work.
建照
需要都市計畫與建築兩道審查。我們送完整圖說、回覆意見、配合每一次勘驗 —— 包括老房子才會遇到的那些「補照」勘驗。
Questions we get asked
常見問題
Usually yes — it has to be documented and brought up to code, and we price that openly before starting rather than discovering it at inspection.
For additions and exterior changes, a designer or architect is often the fastest route through planning review. For interior remodels our draftsman and engineer are usually enough.
It depends mainly on how far the house is from current code and how many walls move. We quote after a site visit with an itemised written estimate, so you can see what is visible finish and what is infrastructure.
Yes — we keep and restore original trim, doors and windows where they are sound, and match profiles for the new work instead of replacing everything with stock moulding.
