St. Francis Wood Whole-Home Renovation & Restoration
St. Francis Wood was master-planned in 1912 — Mediterraneans, Tudors, and Colonial Revivals on double-width lots, behind gates and fountains that still stand. A home renovation in St. Francis Wood answers to the city and to the Homes Association alike. We hold design, permits, and construction on one team — one schedule, one fixed proposal.
We Do Construction delivers whole-home renovations, kitchens, and primary suites inside St. Francis Wood’s historic Mediterraneans and Tudors — modern systems and interiors behind protected exteriors. One team carries design, SF Planning and DBI permits, HOA architectural review, and construction on a single schedule and fixed proposal.
Who We Build For in St. Francis Wood
Estate Owners Staying Long-Term
This is a generational St. Francis Wood home. You want it structurally sound, fully re-systemed, and restored to a standard that respects the architecture and holds its value.
Families Modernizing a Period Estate
The bones are extraordinary; daily life needs to catch up — a real kitchen, better flow, light brought through — without erasing the revival-era detail.
Owners of Revival-Era Homes
You own a Mediterranean, Tudor, or Spanish-revival home and want it brought current — systems, seismic, insulation — while preserving the façade, tile, and millwork that make it what it is.
What should St. Francis Wood homeowners know before renovating?
St. Francis Wood is a master-planned residence park — Mediterraneans, Tudors, and Colonial Revivals set back on double-width lots, the whole ensemble now listed as a National Register historic district. That listing shapes every exterior decision. Work visible from the street runs through SF Planning's design review, and separately through the St. Francis Homes Association's own architectural review, which enforces the neighborhood's original design covenants. Interior scopes are freer: these houses reward whole-home remodels that modernize kitchens, baths, and systems while the street face stays true to the plan. The homeowners who move fastest here are the ones whose drawings anticipate both reviewers — a discipline a design-build contractor in St. Francis Wood should bring on day one.
We Do Construction (CSLB #1096552) prepares one drawing set that satisfies the city and the Association together. Planning exterior work behind those gates? Start with the reviews, and we will start there with you.
Last updated July 2026.
SIGNATURE MOMENTS
What separates a full remodel from a series of renovations.
Whole-home coordination
Plumbing, electrical, and HVAC designed together — not retrofitted room by room. Systems that work as a single home.
Live-in sequencing
We phase construction around your occupancy when possible. You don't always have to leave for a full remodel.
Single-team delivery
One GC. One point of contact. No finger-pointing between trades when something needs resolution.
ENGAGEMENT MODEL
Three phases. Every room. No handoffs.
Flat-fee at every phase. You know the total investment before work begins.
PHASE 01
Discovery
We assess your entire home — structure, systems, layout — and align the scope to how your household actually lives.
PHASE 02
Design
Integrated design across every room. Finishes, fixtures, and spatial flow resolved together so nothing conflicts.
PHASE 03
Construction
Phased execution across all spaces, coordinated by one team. You stay informed at every milestone.
Architecture & Floor Plan
Opening a formal revival plan to light or reworking circulation is where the value is — and where the St. Francis Wood architectural review and SF Planning pay the most attention.
Structure & Foundation
St. Francis Wood estates hide soft foundations, undersized framing, and seismic vulnerability on graded lots. We engineer the fixes — new footings, shear, steel, drainage — into the scope, not the surprises.
Systems: Electrical, Plumbing & HVAC
Knob-and-tube out, service upsized, supply and drains replaced, and ventilation sized for a large period estate — done while the walls are open.
Finishes & Millwork
Restored and period-correct millwork, plaster, tile, honed stone, and custom cabinetry — specified and detailed before demolition so the trades build to a drawing.
The Old Way
- Separate designer and contractor
- Unclear budgets and change orders
- Delays caused by poor coordination
- Limited accountability when problems arise
Our Design-Build Approach
- One integrated team from concept to completion
- Clear scope, transparent pricing, and realistic timelines
- Fewer delays and better communication
- Full responsibility for design, permits, and construction
Why Renovate in St. Francis Wood
Increase Property Value
In St. Francis Wood, a permitted, structurally documented restoration is the value move — the value is in the structure, systems, seismic, and approvals, not a surface refresh.
Improve Daily Functionality
A plan that finally fits the family, light brought in from the rear, and a house that works as one — the difference between patching and actually solving the house.
Modernize the Look and Feel
Consistent materials and detailing across every room — a house that reads as one considered project rather than a decade of piecemeal fixes.
PROCESS AT A GLANCE
One team. One timeline.
Every trade coordinated under one contract. No gaps, no handoffs.
STAGE 01
Discovery
2–4 weeks
Whole-home assessment, structural evaluation, scope alignment.
STAGE 02
Design
6–12 weeks
Integrated room-by-room design, material selections, system planning.
STAGE 03
Permit
3–8 weeks
Permit drawings, city submission, multi-trade approvals.
STAGE 04
Build
4–12 months
Phased construction across all rooms through final walk-through.
What to Expect Building in St. Francis Wood
A full renovation in St. Francis Wood is a real permit — structural, electrical, plumbing, SF Planning review for additions or façade changes, plus the St. Francis Wood architectural review for exterior work. Plan on design, a review window, and several months of construction. We file the set with SF and carry it through every inspection.
What Impacts the Cost of a St. Francis Wood Renovation
- One integrated team from concept to completion
- Clear scope, transparent pricing, and realistic timelines
- Fewer delays and better communication
- Full responsibility for design, permits, and construction
- One integrated team from concept to completion
- Clear scope, transparent pricing, and realistic timelines
- Fewer delays and better communication
- Full responsibility for design, permits, and construction
Professionals Tips
Increase Property Value
A whole-house renovation done right is the biggest value move a home here can make — but the value is in the structure, the systems, and the permits, not a surface refresh.
Improve Daily Functionality
A plan that finally fits the family, light brought in from the rear, and a house that works as one — the difference between patching and actually solving the house.
Modernize the Look and Feel
Consistent materials and detailing across every room — a house that reads as one considered project rather than a decade of piecemeal fixes.
Increase Property Value
A whole-house renovation done right is the biggest value move a home here can make — but the value is in the structure, the systems, and the permits, not a surface refresh.
Improve Daily Functionality
A plan that finally fits the family, light brought in from the rear, and a house that works as one — the difference between patching and actually solving the house.
Modernize the Look and Feel
Consistent materials and detailing across every room — a house that reads as one considered project rather than a decade of piecemeal fixes.
What Our Clients Say
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We Do Construction, Inc.
Featured St. Francis Wood Projects
Recent San Francisco period-home restorations, whole-house renovations, and additions — St. Francis Wood and the surrounding southwest neighborhoods.
Services for St. Francis Wood homes
Areas We Serve
Serving St. Francis Wood and San Francisco
Services for St. Francis Wood homes
FAQ
Yes — a renovation here means a structural permit set with SF DBI, SF Planning review for additions or façade changes, and the St. Francis Wood architectural review for exterior work. We file it, manage every review, and carry the job through final inspection.
Typically several months of design, a longer permitting window when Planning and architectural review are involved, and several months of construction — often a year or more for a down-to-studs restoration. We give you the real schedule in feasibility.
Rarely for a true down-to-studs restoration — it is safer and faster with the house empty. For phased or partial-scope work we can sometimes keep part of a large St. Francis Wood home livable.
It is the widest range of any scope — it depends on square footage, structure, seismic, preservation requirements, and finish level. We price it in feasibility against a real scope, then hold it in a fixed proposal.
Both. We are design-build — architecture, engineering, permitting through SF Planning and DBI plus architectural review, and construction on one team and one contract.
Yes — revival-era St. Francis Wood homes often need foundation, shear, and seismic upgrades. We engineer those into the scope so the restoration is sound, not just refinished.
Yes — St. Francis Wood, Forest Hill, West Portal, and the wider city. Each project files with SF Planning and DBI, plus any neighborhood architectural review.
Yes. After feasibility and a defined scope we issue one fixed proposal covering design, permits, and construction — so you are not exposed to open-ended billing on a long restoration.
How much does a full home remodel cost in San Francisco?
A full home remodel in San Francisco typically runs $350,000–$900,000+ in 2026 — roughly $300–$600 per square foot, and higher when structural or seismic work is involved. The range reflects SF labor rates, the realities of pre-1978 housing stock, and the finish level of a design-build home. We Do Construction (CSLB #1096552) delivers whole-home remodels across San Francisco on a single fixed-price design-build contract.
| Tier | Typical SF range (2026) | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Finishes-forward | $350,000–$500,000 | Existing layout kept, new kitchen and baths, finishes, systems refresh |
| Full reconfiguration | $500,000–$750,000 | New floor plan, relocated plumbing and electrical, Title 24 systems |
| Structural / addition-grade | $750,000–$900,000+ | Walls out, steel and seismic upgrades, custom millwork throughout |
SF labor/trade rates per Block Renovation SF data. Ranges are planning figures — your fixed number comes out of feasibility. Last updated June 2026.
What permits does a full home remodel require in San Francisco?
A whole-home remodel touching layout, structure, plumbing, electrical, or mechanical systems requires a building permit from the SF Department of Building Inspection (DBI), and work that changes the building envelope or use also goes through SF Planning. Full-scope and structural permits run 2–4+ months in plan review, and additions 3–6 months; historic districts north of California Street add design review. Pre-1978 homes also trigger lead and asbestos protocols. As a licensed SF general contractor (CSLB #1096552), We Do Construction files and manages the entire DBI and Planning process in-house. Last updated June 2026.