A good remodel makes a house work the way you live now, without losing what made you buy it. In Oakland that often means updating homes built many decades ago: original floor plans, older wiring and plumbing, foundations from another era and layers of past repairs. Ramos General Building plans and builds whole-home and multi-room remodels across the East Bay, with the quality of the work as the standard we hold ourselves to.
Remodeling work we complete is covered by our 2-year warranty.
Home remodeling services we handle
We take on remodels that touch more than one room or change how the house flows:
- Layout changes. Opening a kitchen to the living room, moving a wall, adding a closet or reworking a hallway. Load-bearing changes are designed by an engineer and built to the plans.
- Interior rebuilds. Framing repairs, new drywall, trim, interior doors and flooring throughout.
- Windows and doors. Replacement windows and exterior doors, including the energy forms Oakland asks for on window work.
- Systems updates. Coordination of electrical, plumbing and mechanical upgrades so they happen before walls are closed.
- Exterior updates. Siding repairs, entries and exterior details that match the style of the house.
Kitchens and bathrooms have their own pages: see kitchen remodeling and bathroom remodeling.
Remodeling older homes in Oakland
Oakland has many homes built in the early 1900s, and they reward careful work. Before we open walls, we look for the conditions that tend to show up in older East Bay homes:
- Foundations. Brick foundations were common until about 1914. Older homes may also lack bolts between the frame and the foundation, or have weak cripple walls. If the remodel touches the structure, the foundation deserves a look first.
- Soil movement. Clay-bearing soil in the flatlands can cause cracks and uneven floors. We identify those issues before installing new finishes on top of them.
- Moisture. Crawlspace moisture is a common source of rot and mold. We check under the house when the scope involves floors, bathrooms or kitchens.
- Lead paint. Homes built before 1978 may contain lead-based paint, which affects how demolition is planned.
How a home remodel runs from estimate to walkthrough
- Estimate visit. We walk the house with you and talk through what you want to change. The estimate is free.
- Written scope. You receive a scope that lists the work, the materials and what is not included.
- Permit path. Oakland requires a building permit for most remodels. If walls or window sizes change, zoning review and sometimes design review apply.
- Phased construction. We plan the work so you can keep using parts of the house when possible, and we protect the rooms we are not working in.
- Final walkthrough. We review the finished work with you and close the punch list.
Why homeowners choose us for remodeling
Clients choose us for the quality of the work: straight walls, tight trim and finishes that last. We work directly with homeowners and also partner with general contractors who need a reliable remodeling crew. Learn more about how we work and why clients choose us.