Free written scope consultation - allowances, timeline, and change-order rules on paper before a single trade is scheduled
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After
Before
After
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AfterConstruction Before & After in Carlsbad, CA
Photos don’t pad estimates or make excuses. They show what a crew actually left behind. We’ve documented every visit since 2007, and this gallery pulls from that record - real jobs in Carlsbad with real problems, real fixes, and flat written prices agreed to before anyone started.
Recent Transformations
Kitchen Remodel: Water-Damaged Subfloor in La Costa
The homeowner called after a dishwasher leak warped the original oak flooring and crept into the 3/4-inch plywood subfloor beneath. We found the substrate spongy across an 8-by-6-foot section near the sink wall, with the original 1980s particleboard cabinet bases swelling at the toe kicks. Under Clause 1 of the Haven Standard, we wrote a flat price for removing the damaged flooring, replacing the subfloor with 23/32-inch tongue-and-groove plywood, installing KraftMaid semi-custom cabinets in a shaker profile, and laying 12-by-24-inch porcelain tile with a crack-isolation membrane. The job finished at the written number - no change orders, no surprises. The photo record shows the wet subfloor exposed, the new plywood screwed at 8-inch centers, and the finished kitchen with under-cabinet LED lighting the homeowner added mid-project after signing a written change order for the electrical.
Bathroom Remodel: Failed Shower Pan in Bressi Ranch
Water was seeping through the first-floor ceiling below a second-story shower - the telltale sign of a failed PVC pan liner with no pre-slope beneath it, a shortcut common in early-2000s Bressi Ranch builds. We cut the ceiling to confirm: the liner sat flat on the subfloor, trapping water that eventually found the drywall below. Our written scope included removing the shower to studs, installing a proper mortar pre-slope, a new 40-mil PVC liner with flood-tested corners, and a top mud bed sloped 1/4 inch per foot toward the drain. We finished with 2-by-2-inch mosaic marble on the pan and 12-by-24-inch porcelain on the walls, both set in thinset with a liquid-applied waterproofing membrane (RedGard) over cement board. The ceiling repair below was included in the flat price. The photo record shows the rotten subfloor, the flood test holding water for 24 hours, and the signed inspection card from the city of Carlsbad.
Roof Replacement: Wind-Lifted Shingles in Olde Carlsbad
A March 2023 Santa Ana wind event lifted entire tabs off this 1998 three-tab shingle roof, exposing the felt underlayment and sending water into the soffit along the north eave. We found two layers of shingles - the original and one overlay - which added weight the structure didn’t need and hid additional soft spots in the 1/2-inch plywood deck. Under the Haven Standard, we don’t roof over existing layers; the written price included complete tear-off, deck inspection and replacement of 12 sheets of water-damaged plywood, installation of GAF Timberline HDZ architectural shingles with a 130-mph wind rating, and new 6-inch aluminum gutters with 3-by-4-inch downspouts. The photo record documents every sheet of replaced plywood, the ice-and-water shield at the eaves (required per Carlsbad’s amended Title 24 energy code), and the final ridge vent installation.
Home Addition: ADU Over Garage in Calavera Hills
The homeowner needed a 450-square-foot junior ADU above an existing two-car garage for aging parents, but the garage foundation was a 4-inch floating slab with no footings to support a second story. We brought in a structural engineer, obtained Carlsbad’s ADU pre-approved plan checklist, and wrote a flat price for underpinning the existing slab with 18-inch-wide, 24-inch-deep continuous footings, building a 2-by-6 framed structure with OSB shear panels, and tying into the main house’s electrical and plumbing via a 50-foot trench. The finished unit includes a kitchenette with a two-burner induction cooktop, a 3/4 bath with a curbless shower, and a separate meter for the ADU’s electrical service. The photo record shows the footing forms before pour, the shear nailing pattern inspected by the city, and the final certificate of occupancy. The project finished within 4 percent of the original written price - the only change order was for upgraded Milgard Tuscany windows the homeowner requested after seeing the sample.
Driveway & Pavers: Cracked Concrete in Tamarack Beach Area
The existing driveway was 800 square feet of poured concrete poured directly on native clay with no aggregate base - standard for 1970s Carlsbad construction, and cracked in a classic pattern from root intrusion and thermal expansion. We removed the concrete, excavated 8 inches, and installed a compacted Class II base with 3/4-inch crushed aggregate in two lifts. The written price included Belgard Catalina pavers in a random three-piece pattern with a soldier course border in charcoal, set on 1 inch of bedding sand with a geotextile fabric separation layer. We pitched the surface 1 percent toward the street for drainage per Carlsbad’s stormwater requirements and installed a channel drain at the garage entry where pooling had been worst. The photo record shows the clay subgrade exposed, the plate compactor reading 98 percent Proctor density on the base, and the final polymeric sand sweep locking the joints.
Fence Installation: Rotten Redwood in Aviara
A 120-foot perimeter fence of 1-by-6-inch redwood dog-eared boards had rotted at grade - the posts were set in concrete below the mulch line, which trapped moisture against the wood and accelerated fungal decay in Aviara’s irrigated, shaded lots. We pulled every post, found 14 of 16 rotted through at the concrete interface, and wrote a flat price for new 4-by-4-inch pressure-treated posts set in crushed gravel (no concrete at grade, so water drains), with 1-by-6-inch Western red cedar boards fastened with stainless steel ring-shank nails. The design included a 2-inch gap below the bottom board for airflow and a cap rail to shed water. The photo record shows a post split open to reveal the rot, the gravel bedding detail, and the finished fence with the written warranty card.
Want Results Like These?
Every project here started with a free estimate and a written flat price. Bring a competitor’s quote and we’ll review it line by line at no charge. Call (858) 815-9080 to schedule your free estimate. Grant Rowan or a live team member will answer, day or night.
Written by Grant Rowan, Owner at Rowan Construction Group Carlsbad, serving Carlsbad since 2007.