Khouse

Khouse is a 1,956 square foot Colonial cottage in Santa Monica with three bedrooms and three bathrooms. The buyer was purchasing a first home. What the house had going for it was a sound roof and a workable layout. Beyond that, it needed everything.

Demolition confirmed what a house approaching a hundred years old usually hides. There was dry rot in the framing, electrical that was no longer functioning correctly, and multiple plumbing problems. None of it was visible at the walkthrough, and all of it had to be dealt with before any finish work could begin.

AGG Construction Group built a plan to bring the house to current standards while keeping the existing floor plan, which the owner wanted to preserve. Working inside an original layout is harder than opening one up, because every new run of plumbing, electrical, and ductwork has to fit through framing that was never designed to carry it. The framing itself was repaired where the rot had reached it.

The house received all new electrical, plumbing, and HVAC, new flooring throughout, a custom kitchen with custom stone and countertops, new sliding doors, new exterior stucco, and fresh paint. A first home that needs this much work is a common situation in Santa Monica, where the housing stock is old and the entry price is high, and it is the kind of project our whole house renovation service is built for.

If you are buying an older property in the area and want to know what you are walking into before you close, our Santa Monica general contractors can walk the house with you and give you a realistic picture of the work and the cost.

Scope of Work: Santa Monica Cottage Gut Remodel

• Dry rot repaired and existing framing rebuilt where needed
• All new electrical, plumbing, and HVAC
• Custom kitchen cabinets
• Custom stone and countertops
• New flooring throughout
• New sliding doors
• New exterior stucco
• Fresh paint throughout

Project Note

This house was originally sold through a Sears catalog around 1925 and shipped as a kit. Kit houses of that era were framed with dimensional lumber that no longer matches modern sizes, which affects how repairs and new work have to be detailed.

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