Home improvement projects: what they cost, and how to fund them
Real cost ranges for Southern California and the Bay Area, and the financing structure that suits each type of project.
Project financing guides
Bathroom Remodel
The most common remodel in the county, and the one most often paid for badly.
Learn moreKitchen Remodel
The highest-ticket remodel most homeowners undertake, and the one where financing structure matters most.
Learn moreADU Financing
California’s ADU legislation opened the door. Financing is what decides whether the project happens.
Learn moreRoof, HVAC & Windows
Unplanned, non-deferrable, and almost always arriving at the same time.
Learn morePool & Hardscape
A high-ticket discretionary project, and one where the financing route makes a large difference.
Learn moreEV Charging & Panel
The charger is a thousand-dollar job. The panel behind it is where Orange County quotes jump — and where the financing question starts.
Learn moreSolar & Battery
How you finance solar in California matters more than most homeowners are told at the point of sale.
Learn moreNew this month: what Newport Beach homeowners are building right now, from every residential permit the city issued in the last thirty days, by kind of work, declared cost and neighborhood.
Selling soon? Fix before you list covers funding inspection repairs and pre-sale updates from equity, and how a listing affects a line.
The 0% offer is not free
Point-of-sale financing carries a dealer fee, and it is embedded in the contract price rather than itemized. A simple test: ask your contractor what the cash price is. If it differs from the financed price, you have found the fee.
A HELOC carries no dealer fee to the contractor and is not tied to one contractor. Compare its APR, origination fee, recording costs and payment against the financed offer. The amount available depends on your equity, credit, existing liens and debt-to-income.
These are the requirements for the home equity line we place. Other lenders set their own guidelines, and some are more flexible.
Funding a project: questions
Dealer financing often embeds a fee in the contract price, so ask your contractor for the cash price to see it. A HELOC carries no dealer fee to the contractor and is not tied to a single contractor. Compare its APR, origination fee, recording costs and payment against the financed offer.
Many homeowners do. One line covering a roof, HVAC and windows means one application and a single payment. Compare its total cost against separate financing agreements; the amount available depends on your equity, credit, existing liens and debt-to-income.
These are the requirements for the home equity line we place. Other lenders set their own guidelines, and some are more flexible.