The Blog
Find invaluable resources and inspiration for your home and your life with detail-oriented stories, design how-tos, and recipes from resident experts from Lars Remodeling and Design. This is your one place for all information and imagination you require.
01.
How to Remodel a Kitchen on a Budget: Where to Save and Where to Splurge
On a kitchen remodel, cabinets take 30% to 40% of the budget and labor takes another 25% to 35%. Together that’s more than half the money before you’ve picked a single tile. Which is why the decisions that actually control a budget kitchen remodel aren’t the backsplash or the faucet finish. They’re layout, cabinets, and what you leave […]
Master Bedroom Remodel Guide: Layouts, Costs, and What San Diego Homeowners Are Getting Right
The primary bedroom is the one room in your home that belongs entirely to you. It’s where the day starts and ends, where you retreat when the rest of the house is at full volume, and where the quality of design either restores you or doesn’t. Most San Diego homes were built with primary bedrooms […]
17 Kitchen Remodel Ideas on a Budget That Make a Big Impact
The best kitchen remodel ideas on a budget improve what you notice and use every day without paying to rebuild what already works. Keep a functional footprint. Refresh sound cabinets. Repair good surfaces. Add useful storage and layered lighting. Then spend on replacement only where condition, safety, or daily function makes it necessary. That approach […]
How to Protect Yourself When Hiring a Remodeling Contractor in San Diego
Hiring a remodeling contractor is one of the largest financial decisions most San Diego homeowners make. A kitchen remodel, home addition, or whole-home renovation involves significant money, months of living disruption, and a contractor working inside your most valuable asset. The protections you put in place before work starts determine how much control you keep […]
What Is a Bump-Out Addition — And Is It Worth It for Your San Diego Home?
You need more space, but a full room addition feels like a bigger project than you’re ready to take on. What’s the best choice: a renovation vs remodel? That’s where a bump-out comes in. A bump-out addition is one of the most practical, cost-effective ways to expand a San Diego home without the complexity of […]
How Much Does a Home Addition Cost in San Diego? (2026 Guide)
If your San Diego home has run out of room, you have options — but the costs range widely depending on what you build, how you build it, and who builds it. A modest bump-out that expands your kitchen might cost $50,000. A full second-story addition could approach $500,000. Understanding what drives home addition costs […]
Kitchen Remodel Return on Investment: 6 Updates Before Selling
A kitchen remodel can add value before a sale, but the kitchen remodel return on investment is usually strongest when the scope stays small. In the 2025 Cost vs. Value Report, a minor midrange kitchen remodel recouped 112.9% nationally. An upscale major remodel recouped 35.7% (Journal of Light Construction, 2025 Cost vs. Value Report). That doesn’t […]
Kitchen Remodel Case Study: Vista, CA
Client Success Story Jason Kitchen Remodel · Vista, CA 3 Spaces Transformed 16 Months Total Build Time KITCHEN Project Type GOOGLE How They Found Us Their Story Jason came to Lars with a clear point of view: the kitchen needed to work better before it looked better. The existing kitchen was tucked away, awkward, and […]
Accessory Structure Case Study: Spring Valley, CA
Client Success Story Kara & Joel Accessory Structure · Spring Valley, CA 1 New Structure Spaces Transformed 4 Months Total Build Time Accessory Structure Project Type Family Referral How They Found Us Their Story Kara and Joel already had a history with Lars before this project began. Years earlier, Kara’s mother completed a remodel with […]
Whole-Home Remodel & Addition Case Study: South Park, San Diego, CA
Client Success Story Frank & Jennifer Whole-Home Remodel & Addition · South Park, San Diego, CA WHOLE-HOME Spaces Transformed 7 Months Total Build Time WHOLE-HOME Project Type Houzz Search How They Found Us Their Story Frank and Jennifer loved the soul of their South Park Craftsman, and as they were preparing for married life, the […]
