RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA
Home Remodeling Contractor in
Riverside, CA
With more than 10 years of experience, ARD Remodeling takes on kitchens, bathrooms, floors and whole-home updates for homeowners in Riverside, California. Riverside has a large share of houses from the 1970s, so the free estimate begins with a walk through your home and a talk about what you want to change and what you know of its history. We put the scope in writing, work out what the city is likely to ask for, and only then talk about dates.
- Free estimates
- Riverside and nearby
- Scope on paper
- One crew
Permits
How a Riverside permit application starts
The city's Building & Safety Division runs a Public Permit Portal. Applicants register, choose the property address and upload plans and supporting documents there. The counter is at City Hall on Main Street, and its phone line is the quickest way to ask how a particular job is treated. We go through the same steps while we write your scope, so the paperwork you hand over matches what you plan to build.
Portal first
Register, pick the property address and upload drawings and documents.
Call before you order materials
Building & Safety answers permit questions at (951) 826-5800. Ask about your actual job instead of guessing.
Drawings follow the scope
Larger jobs need plans to upload, so we sort out which drawings are needed while the scope is still on paper.
A work window that includes Saturdays
The city lists weekday construction from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday work from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., under Municipal Code 7.35.010. We schedule the loudest tasks, such as demolition and tile cutting, for days you and your neighbors have agreed on, and keep quieter finish work for the edges of the window.
Tell the street first
A short note to nearby neighbors before demolition day costs nothing and avoids surprises.
Associations set their own rules
An HOA or a condo building can limit hours more tightly than the city does. Get its rules in writing before you fix a start date.
PLACES TO START
Starting points for a Riverside remodel
Most plans combine two or three of these, and we help you decide the order.
A kitchen reworked around how you cook
Cabinets, counters, lighting and appliance locations planned together, with plumbing and gas moved only when the plan needs it.
A bathroom brought up to date
Shower, vanity, tile and waterproofing handled as one plan.
New floors through connected rooms
One floor material across neighboring rooms keeps a house from feeling chopped up.
Living and dining areas
Lighting, built-ins and paint that tie open rooms together.
Wider openings between rooms
Opening a wall between kitchen and dining room, after we check what that wall carries.
More daylight
New or resized windows and doors, with a historic review first where it applies.
Housing
Remodeling a house from the 1970s
According to the city's Housing Element, the largest share of Riverside's housing units was built between 1970 and 1979, and about three quarters of the housing stock went up before 1990. For a remodel, that age tells us what to look for once the work begins: original supply lines and wiring, older finishes, and rooms laid out for a different way of living. Tell us the year your house was built, and anything you remember about past repairs, at the first visit.
Show us the history
Past permits, original plans and photos of earlier repairs help us ask better questions before anything is opened.
Pipes and circuits behind the room
We check the plumbing and wiring that serve the rooms you are changing and write what we find into the scope.
Layouts from another era
A closed-off kitchen or a narrow hall can often be reworked. We test the options on paper before any wall is touched.
THE FIRST ROOM YOU SEE
An entry that works as hard as the kitchen
The entry is where coats, shoes, mail and keys land every day. We treat storage, light and the floor at the front door as part of the plan, so the first room feels as finished as the kitchen beyond it.
- Bench and hooksBuilt-in seating with hooks above keeps coats and bags off the floor.
- Light you can switch onCeiling and wall lights are placed with the wiring, so the entry is bright after dark.
- A floor for daily trafficOne tile or plank floor carries from the door into the next room.
If your house is designated or in a historic district
Riverside's Historic Sites page says owners of designated or eligible properties submit a Certificate of Appropriateness for any exterior change, addition or repair, including alterations that do not require building permits. Applications go to the Cultural Heritage Board, Historic Preservation staff, or both. If your home might be on the list, find out before you pick windows, doors, siding or a new porch.
Exterior features come first
Windows, doors and porches are the usual questions on an older house. Ask the city, then order.
Pass on what you know
If a previous owner mentioned a landmark or district listing, tell us at the estimate.
FOR THE FIRST VISIT
What to have ready before we meet
A rough folder is enough. We fill the gaps during the free estimate.
- 1Your address, and the year the house was built if you know it
- 2Photos of each room you want changed
- 3Anything you have about past repairs, permits or plans
- 4Whether the property is designated, or might be, as a historic home
- 5Your HOA's rules, if it has any
- 6A short list of what you want to keep exactly as it is
Missing something? We can track it down together after the visit.
WHAT WE REMODEL
Remodeling Services in Riverside
Service overviewKitchen RemodelingBeautiful kitchens that bring together thoughtful design, quality materials and expert craftsmanship.See the service 
RiversideBathroom Remodeling in RiversideCustom showers, vanities, tile, lighting and improved layouts for a bathroom that looks beautiful and works better.Open the Riverside page 
Service overviewFlooring & TileStylish, durable, and professionally installed flooring and tile for every room in your home.See the service 
Service overviewWhole-Home RenovationsDesign, construction and finishing details brought together into one carefully coordinated project.See the service 
Service overviewLiving Room RemodelingFlooring, ceilings, lighting, built-ins and open-concept layouts that make the room you use most feel finished.See the service 
Service overviewWindows & DoorsEnergy-efficient windows, sliding patio doors and modern entry doors with a clean finished look.See the service
LET'S TALK IT OVER
Thinking about changes to your Riverside home?
Share a few photos or ask for a visit. We will tell you what the job involves and which city office to ask.
HOW IT WORKS
How a project in Riverside runs
Step 1
Visit and measure
We see each room in person, take measurements and ask how the house works for you every day.
Step 2
Choices and a written scope
Materials and finishes are chosen together, and the scope is written down before dates are set.
Step 3
Match the work to the city
We work out what Building & Safety is likely to ask for and whether a historic review could apply to your property.
Step 4
Build inside the allowed hours
Trades are sequenced within the city's construction hours, and we walk through the finished rooms with you at the end.
Good to know
Before you start in Riverside
Every point below comes from the source shown on its card, with the date we last checked it. Rules change, so confirm anything that affects your project directly with the source.
- Official source
Counter address and hours
The Building & Safety Division is at City Hall, 3900 Main Street, 3rd Floor, Riverside, CA 92522. The city's contact page lists counter hours of Monday to Friday 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., with Wednesday hours of 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Phone: (951) 826-5800.
City of Riverside, Building & Safety, Contact Checked 2026-10-30 - Official source
Online permit applications
Building permit applications are submitted through the city's Public Permit Portal at RiversideCA.gov/publicpermitportal. Applicants register, choose Building Permits, select the property address and upload plans and documents. Permit questions go to Building & Safety at (951) 826-5800.
City of Riverside, Public Permit Portal Checked 2026-10-30 - Official source
Construction hours
The city lists construction hours under Riverside Municipal Code 7.35.010: Monday to Friday 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Saturday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with no work on Sundays or federal holidays.
City of Riverside, Building & Safety, Inspections Checked 2026-10-30 - Official source
Age of the housing stock
The city's Housing Element (sixth cycle, 2021-2029) reports that the largest share of Riverside's housing units was built in 1970-1979 and that approximately 76% of the housing stock was built before 1990, based on American Community Survey data for 2014-2018.
City of Riverside, Housing Element Technical Background Report Checked 2026-10-30 - Official source
Historic properties
Owners of designated or eligible historic properties submit a Certificate of Appropriateness for any exterior change, addition or repair, including alterations that do not require building permits. Applications go to the Cultural Heritage Board, Historic Preservation staff, or both.
City of Riverside, Historic Sites Inventory & Studies Checked 2026-10-30
FAQ
Remodeling questions in Riverside
Direct answers to what homeowners ask us most. If your question is not here, call or send a request.
- Riverside
- Permits
- Clear scope
Do you work in every part of Riverside?
Riverside is on our service-area list, along with nearby Corona, Norco and Eastvale. Send your address with a request and we will confirm the visit.
Where do I apply for a building permit in Riverside?
The city takes applications through its Public Permit Portal, and Building & Safety at City Hall answers questions at (951) 826-5800. We help assemble the paperwork once the scope is clear.
Can a crew work on Saturday in Riverside?
Under the city's listed hours, weekdays run 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays and federal holidays are not on the schedule.
My house was built in the 1970s. Does that change the plan?
It can. Homes of that period may still have original pipes, wiring and finishes behind the walls, and the layout may predate the way you live today. We ask for the build year at the first visit and check the systems serving each room before the scope is final.
Do exterior changes ever need Historic Preservation review?
For a designated or eligible historic property, the city asks for a Certificate of Appropriateness for exterior changes, additions and repairs, even where no building permit is needed. If you think your home may qualify, check with the city before choosing exterior materials.
Who approves a project in an HOA community?
The association's approval is separate from the city's. Ask for its architectural and work-hour rules early, because its review schedule can decide your start date.
What should I send for a first conversation?
A few photos, your address and a short list of goals are enough. Call (424) 402-5114 or use the request form on this page, and we will arrange a free estimate visit.
Service area
Also serving near Riverside
We work across Riverside, Orange, Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties. Call or send a request and we will confirm your address.
READY TO GET STARTED?
Planning a remodel in Riverside?
Tell us about your home and your plans. We will confirm the details and set up your free estimate.