We assess the house in person
A mid-century roof assembly or a slab cannot be judged from photographs, so the first visit happens at your home.
HOME REMODELING · SUNNYVALE
Remodeling an Eichler or Ranch Home in Sunnyvale?Let’s Plan Around How It Was Built.
Much of the housing here went up quickly in the decades after 1950, from conventional ranch tracts to post-and-beam Eichlers. Each type has its own limits, from a ceiling with no attic above it to drain lines cast into the slab. We work those out with you before demolition, so the remodel suits the house and the way you live now.
- CSLB #1142220
Get a FreeIn-Home Consultation.
Hard-to-change decisions are made on paper first
Duct routes, exhaust fans, lighting, and roof insulation in a post-and-beam house are settled in the design and 3D planning stage, before anything is opened.
Permits and inspections are handled for you
We prepare the submittal for the City of Sunnyvale Permit Center, respond to plan check comments, and schedule the inspections, while your project manager keeps you informed.
TWO KINDS OF HOMES, ONE CAREFUL PLAN
Home remodeling services in Sunnyvale
Remodel an Eichler with care
In an Eichler, the exposed ceiling decking is both the roof structure and the finished ceiling, so there is no attic for ducts, wiring, or exhaust. Range hood ducting, recessed lighting, and added insulation all need a planned route through the roof assembly.
Update a conventional ranch tract house
These homes usually have drains cast into the slab, lightly insulated walls, original aluminum sliders, and an electrical panel sized for far fewer loads. Opening the kitchen may mean a beam, posts, and new footings, and a new kitchen often raises the electrical question.
Add space on a tight lot
The city is densely built, so setbacks and lot coverage usually set the footprint of an addition or ADU. On a flat-roofed house, the addition should carry the same roofline, which affects structure and drainage as much as appearance.
CEILINGS, GLASS & FINISHES
Home remodel materials and options
Roof assemblies, ceilings, and lighting
Plan insulation above the roof deck, exhaust routes, and lighting that respects an exposed ceiling, or work within a conventional attic where one exists.
Windows and glass walls
Replace original aluminum sliders or single-glazed glass walls while matching the post-and-beam openings and meeting current safety glazing requirements.
Kitchens, bathrooms, and building systems
Bring cabinetry, countertops, tile, flooring, and fixtures together with the plumbing, electrical, and heating and cooling work, completed by the appropriately licensed trades.
OUR HOME REMODELING PROCESS
Our home remodeling process
We walk through the house and understand your plans
Your construction consultant meets you at the property to discuss what you want to change and how your family uses the home. We look at the ceiling and roof assembly, the slab, the windows, and the panel.
Our design team helps you plan the changes
We develop the layout and coordinate material selections so the rooms work together. When architectural or engineering work is required, the design team coordinates those specialists. We visit selected showrooms with you and prepare 3D renderings, which matter most when a ceiling cannot be opened twice.
Our office team coordinates plans and approvals
The office team prepares the submittal for the City of Sunnyvale Permit Center, coordinates any required architectural and engineering plans, and works through plan check comments. Structural work goes to plan review. When an electrical service upgrade is needed, we coordinate the requirements and scheduling with the applicable local electric utility.
We order materials and prepare the construction schedule
After you approve the design and selections, we coordinate material orders. Once the required permits are approved and delivery dates are confirmed, we schedule construction and discuss living arrangements and whether the work should be completed in stages.
We begin demolition and complete the rough work
The construction team protects the areas that are staying before demolition begins. We then complete the framing changes, any slab work, and the rough plumbing, electrical, and heating and cooling work, followed by the required inspections before walls and ceilings are closed.
We complete the rooms and install the finishes
After rough inspections, the project moves through insulation, drywall, paint, flooring, cabinetry, countertops, tile, windows, doors, roofing work, and other included finishes. Bathroom waterproofing and required testing are completed before wet areas are covered, followed by fixtures, appliances, and final connections.
We complete the final inspections and walkthrough
We coordinate the required final inspections. Your project manager then walks through the completed work with you, reviews any remaining items, and explains how to care for the new materials.
FREE CONSULTATION
Get a free home remodeling consultation in Sunnyvale
Do you want a more open kitchen, a better bathroom, new windows, or more room on your lot? Tell us about the house and what you want to change, and we will contact you to arrange a visit.
Schedule my consultationHOME REMODELING IN SUNNYVALE FAQ
Home remodeling FAQs in Sunnyvale
Do you remodel Eichler homes?
Yes, and they are planned differently from the start. With no attic above the exposed ceiling, ducts, wiring, and exhaust need planned routes, and insulation goes above the roof deck as part of a new roof assembly. Many of these homes also heat through tubing cast into the slab and have original single-glazed glass walls.
Who issues building permits for a remodel here?
The City of Sunnyvale Permit Center. We prepare the submittal under our general contractor license, respond to plan check comments, and schedule the inspections. Structural work goes to plan review.
Does my remodel need a permit?
Most work that touches the structure, plumbing, electrical, or mechanical systems does, while purely cosmetic work generally does not. Replacing windows, reroofing, or moving a fixture usually needs a permit. We confirm what your specific scope requires during design.
Can I add an addition or ADU to my lot?
Often, yes. Because the city is densely built, setbacks and lot coverage usually decide the footprint first. On a flat or low-slope roof, the addition should continue the same roofline, and an ADU also needs its own foundation, sewer connection, and an electrical feed the property can support.
What is different about remodeling a ranch tract house?
The constraints are the ordinary postwar ones. Drains run through the slab, walls are lightly insulated, windows are often original aluminum sliders, and the main panel was sized for fewer loads, so a kitchen remodel often becomes an electrical conversation too.
Can the glass walls in my Eichler be replaced?
Yes. Replacements need to fit the post-and-beam openings and meet current safety glazing requirements, and the energy code may also apply depending on the scope. We plan that early because it affects the design and the permit.
PROJECTS, GUIDES AND LOCAL PAGES
Projects, guides and city pages
YOUR NEXT STEP
Ready to start your home remodel project?
Whether you own an Eichler, a ranch tract house, or another home that no longer fits, the first step is a walkthrough to understand the house, your priorities, and the work that belongs together.