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Santa Monica / Whole-home remodeling

Whole-home remodeling in Santa Monica

Santa Monica is its own city with a property-regulation lookup and Local Coastal Program resources. Before planning exterior changes to a whole house, check what the City's lookup shows for your address.

01

What shapes this work here

Check, don't assume, coastal review

The City publishes Local Coastal Program resources. Whether they affect your remodel depends on the parcel and the scope, so look it up rather than assume either way.

Preservation questions on older homes

Some older houses carry preservation questions. Ask the City early if your house is older or in a recognized district, before exterior design is fixed.

Inside work first, envelope second

Separating interior reconfiguration from envelope and exterior work lets each follow its own review without holding the other hostage.

02

First steps in this city

  1. 01

    Run the property lookup

    Use the City's planning resources to note zoning and any coastal or preservation flags for the address.

  2. 02

    Photograph the exterior

    Capture each elevation; these anchor any conversation about exterior changes.

  3. 03

    Separate the two lists

    One list for interior work, one for envelope and exterior.

  4. 04

    Document the scope

    Mark lines included, excluded or undecided before asking for proposals.

03

What the scope usually covers

  • Layout changes, with structural review wherever loads move
  • Kitchen and bath reconfiguration planned with plumbing and venting routes
  • Electrical capacity and circuits planned for the finished house
  • Selections documented as fixed choices or allowances
  • Envelope work (windows, siding, roof) kept as its own phase when review differs
04

Bring to the first conversation

  • Property address
  • Existing drawings or past permits you have
  • Rooms that change and rooms that stay
  • Whether you plan to live in the house during work
  • Photos of every exterior elevation
05

Questions homeowners ask

Is every Santa Monica home in the coastal zone?
No assumption either way: check your address with the City's resources.
Can interior work start while exterior review continues?
Sometimes, if the permits are structured that way. It is a planning decision worth making before drawings are submitted.

Official references

These references explain where to look; they do not confirm what applies to a specific parcel.

KB Remodeling · Greater Los Angeles

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