By: Kimberly Villa | Contributor: Anastasia Berta, Project Designer at Kaminskiy Design and Remodeling

PUBLISHED: September 25, 2026 at 15:24 PM PDT | UPDATED: September 25, 2026 at 15:28 PM PDT

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Condo Remodeling in San Diego: The Questions Homeowners Ask Most

Remodeling a condo, townhome, or high-rise unit raises questions most single-family homeowners never face: HOA approvals, shared floors and walls, elevator logistics, and stricter codes. I put the questions we hear most often to Anastasia Berta, one of our lead designers, and let her answers speak for themselves.

Anastasia regularly designs remodels inside multi-story buildings, where every decision depends as much on the building’s rules as on the homeowner’s wish list. The questions below follow the order they tend to come up in a real project: costs and logistics first, then what townhome owners can and can’t change, and finally the permits and approvals that apply to almost every condo remodel. Every building and HOA is different, so think of this as a guide to the right questions to ask your own association before you begin.

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Why are condo remodels more expensive than single-family home remodels?

“For a number of reasons. For one thing, it’s more difficult for the contractor to get all their materials, tools, and everything else into the space. If they have to use elevators, they have issues with parking their trucks. They can’t just park in the driveway and bring things in.

You also have a situation where there are different code requirements for condos. For instance, if you’re putting in recessed can lights, they have to be boxed in with drywall, which, of course, is a labor-intensive process and costs more money. Now we’re using recessed lights that are called buttons, and those don’t actually need to be drywalled in, as they’re not installed in cans.

There are other considerations to think about, such as the floors between condos, which are often composed of 1.5 inches of lightweight concrete. In this case, you’re talking about not being able to put any additional ceiling penetrations into a ceiling. So that is also something to think about.

Another issue that frequently comes up is that you cannot install any floor you want without the appropriate underlayment. So your HOA will dictate the level of soundproofing required beneath any hardwood or tile surface. Obviously, this is another layer of material that has to be installed, so there are both material and labor costs involved. Those are the major reasons why condos cost more to remodel.”

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Which condo renovations bring the highest return on investment in San Diego?

“Without doubt, it’s going to be kitchens and baths and flooring, because those are the most intrusive things to do, and they are the hardest things to change out. Replacement of windows, exterior doors, and interior doors can add value as well. Keep in mind that the HOA usually dictates the manufacturer, color, and configuration of exterior doors and windows.”

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What are the elevator and freight logistics in a high-rise?

“That’s really going to depend upon the building that you’re in and your HOA. Some high-rise buildings have a separate freight elevator that has a taller ceiling than a passenger elevator, and padded walls to protect the wall surfaces from the equipment and materials you might be bringing up and down. It’s always easier to work in a building that has a freight elevator.

Some of these high-rise buildings also have loading docks where your workmen can pull in, unload their material right into the elevator. Those are easier buildings to work in. It just depends upon the setup of your building and your HOA requirements.”

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Can I move the toilet, sink, or shower to the other side of the room?

“That depends. Toilets require a certain sized drain; tubs and showers also have a certain sized drain. So it really is a question of whether you are able to upgrade. For instance, if you have a tub now and you want to install a shower, a shower requires a two-inch drain. So if there’s the ability to upgrade the size of that drain from one and a half inches to two inches, then you could conceivably do it. But if there’s not an ability to do that, then you could not. As far as the toilet, that’s going to require a three-inch drain, so the same stipulations apply as moving a shower where a tub was. In addition, each drain must be vented to the roof. In most multi-story buildings, the vent stack goes all the way from the first floor to the highest, so if you move any plumbing, it has to be done using existing venting.”

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How is the water main shutoff handled for plumbing work in a high-rise?

“Again, it’s going to be dependent upon your building. Some buildings require a whole-building shutoff, and you have to book that in advance and alert all the homeowners when it’s going to take place. Generally, they won’t shut off the water for more than three hours at a time, so you have to be able to accomplish all the work that you need to do within a three-hour time span.

Other buildings have their water shutoffs organized in a stack, so all the apartments all the way up to the top are on one shutoff. More modern buildings might have individual water shutoffs. So it really just depends on the situation in your particular building.”

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What are the acoustic requirements for hard-surface flooring?

“That’s going to depend upon your HOA’s requirements. Different buildings have different soundproofing requirements, and there are two different types of rating systems that rate how much sound transmission will take place. You’ll find that the requirement varies significantly from one building to the next, but typically an acceptable level of sound transmission will be in the 62 to 64 decibel range.”

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Townhome question: Can I open a wall between the kitchen and the living room?

“That’s going to depend entirely upon the structure of your home, and whether that’s a load-bearing wall between the kitchen and the living room. If it’s not a load-bearing wall, you can probably remove it. If it is a load-bearing wall, you might be able to leave a couple of columns at either end of the wall but still open up the middle. It really depends upon how your building was constructed, and you’re going to have to have engineering done and maybe cut a few observation holes in the drywall to determine exactly what’s possible.”

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Can I install recessed lighting or a skylight on the top floor?

“Usually no, if the condo association owns the roof, because the condo association is not going to want a penetration in the roof system. So that’s typically not going to be allowed in a townhouse, because the condo association owns the exterior of the building, including the roof. You just own the space within the walls.”

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Can I replace exterior-facing windows and patio sliders?

“That’s going to depend upon your HOA and their requirements. Some HOAs require that you install a certain brand, style, and color of windows and exterior doors so that all units match on the exterior. Others have more lenient requirements. So it really is dependent upon your HOA.”

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Can I install an EV charger or add a mini-split heat pump?

“Once again, that’s going to be up to your HOA, so you have to see what their requirements are. A lot of jurisdictions are now insisting that HOAs allow people to install mini-splits because of the hotter conditions we’ve been experiencing. So you can check into your local jurisdiction and see what laws they’ve passed.”

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Can I drop a dumpster in the driveway or visitor parking?

“In most instances, the answer would likely be no. When working in multi-floor buildings, most contractors bring a dump truck on demo days and go straight to the dump at the end of the day.”

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Can I hire my handy cousin or a handyman to do the work?

“Typically, for anything other than replacing your cabinets and countertops, if you’re going to do any electrical work at all, such as adding lighting, adding outlets, anything of that nature, or upgrading circuits so that you can put in a new appliance, that has to be done with city or county permits, whatever jurisdiction you’re in.

If you remodel without permits, you are subjecting yourself to serious repercussions. Because if there was a problem with the work that was done, for instance, say a faulty outlet was installed and a fire starts, or there’s a leak under the sink and it goes into the unit below you, then your insurance could refuse to pay your claim because you didn’t have any permits on your project, which means it wasn’t inspected. So for your own safety, we recommend that you get permits for any sort of remodel that isn’t merely cosmetic.

If you’re just replacing your cabinets and your countertops, you can do that without permits. Anything beyond that, you really need to get permits. And oftentimes this can be done with a no-plan permit, which is very quick and a lot less expensive than a full submittal.

If you are not getting permits because you’re merely doing cabinet and countertop replacement, you could hire a handyman, but I would caution you that if you’re not using somebody who’s licensed, they might not do a very good job for you. They might not be familiar with all the different techniques that licensed people use to ensure a good result. For instance, it’s really important to make sure the cabinets and the countertops are level, or else you’re going to put a marble on one end and it’s going to roll off the other end.

When you’re doing permits for any electrical work or plumbing changes, you must hire a licensed general contractor, or you can get the permits yourself as a homeowner. But you must still have the inspections and pass them as you go through the remodeling process. And of course, somebody has to prepare the plans to be submitted to your jurisdiction, so most handymen would not be capable of doing that.”

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When do I actually need a permit from the City of San Diego?

“Unless you’re just replacing your cabinets and your countertops, or you’re just replacing your flooring, then you need permits. If you’re doing anything at all to alter the electrical, whether it’s just adding a new outlet or changing out a light, you’re really supposed to have permits for that. And if you’re moving any plumbing, for instance, you want to move the sink over three inches to the left, if you have to add any pipes or move any drains, you’re going to need to have permits.”

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What’s a no-plan permit, and does my condo qualify?

“If you’re not removing any walls, a lot of times you can get a no-plan permit for the building permit itself. And sometimes you can get a no-plan permit for simple electrical changes, things like adding an outlet or adding a few recessed lights. I have a client I’m working with right now where we have a no-plan permit and a no-plan electrical permit, and we got them very quickly, and they were very inexpensive.”

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Does California’s Title 24 energy standard apply to a condo interior?

“If you’re replacing any windows or exterior doors, then absolutely Title 24 would apply. If you’re doing anything like changing out an old furnace or installing air conditioning, that is a Title 24 consideration as well. And if you’re doing any of those things, they’re going to look at things like what hood you are installing, because Title 24 requires that the ventilation hood you’re installing at your cooktop be on one of two lists that the state of California requires them to be on. So if you’re having a HERS inspection, which is linked to Title 24, you’re going to have to make sure that your appliances are compliant with Title 24 regulations.”

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Do I really need to notify the HOA board for cosmetic updates?

“That depends upon your HOA, whether they require that or not. Many times the answer is no, but some boards in high-end buildings are more particular than others, and they want to make sure you don’t make changes that aren’t in keeping with the approved design for the building to protect resale values. So they can dictate these things to you if the CC&Rs specify that.”

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Where should I start if I’m planning a condo remodel?

“Keep in mind that getting your plans approved, both by the city and by your HOA, is going to vary in time. Some HOAs only have one meeting a month where they review architectural applications, so you want to make sure you give yourself plenty of time. In addition, they may limit how many applications they review per month. So if you want to have your project done by a certain time, maybe for Christmas or a big party you’re planning, you need to give yourself plenty of time for the design process. That’s going to take a couple of months. Then give yourself enough time for the permitting and to get your project approved by your HOA.

I would say you should start at least six months before you’re expecting to start the project. And in any condo project, I figure the work is going to take a minimum of three to four months, because each step of the process has to be inspected, and that puts a hold on moving on to the next stage until that stage is inspected. You can’t always get an inspector out there the very next day. So plan enough time in advance so that you can actually enjoy the process, and not be fretful that it’s not going to be completed when you need it done.”

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What This Means for You

If there’s one thread running through all of Anastasia’s answers, it’s this: remodeling a condo or townhome is as much about planning as it is about design. The four walls of your unit don’t exist in isolation. They’re part of a shared building, a set of HOA rules, and a permitting process, each moving on its own timeline. The homeowners who enjoy the experience are the ones who understand that going in.

So before you fall in love with a finish or a floor plan, get clear on the ground rules. Ask your HOA what they require and how often they meet. Find out what your building allows for plumbing, flooring, and access. Give yourself a realistic runway: six months of lead time and a few months of construction is not unusual. And when the work touches anything beyond cabinets and countertops, protect yourself with the proper permits and licensed professionals.

None of this is meant to discourage you. Quite the opposite. A well-planned condo remodel can transform how you live in your space, and knowing what to expect is what makes the whole process feel exciting instead of overwhelming. The more you understand before you begin, the more you’ll enjoy every step that follows.