A 1960s kitchen boxed in by soffits and a 2000s primary bath with a garden tub nobody fills are both common in Merced’s housing. All American Renovations works from a shop in southeast Fresno, about 70 minutes away on Highway 99, and takes on kitchen and bathroom remodels here when the ZIP code and the project fit our service area.

A railroad town that kept growing

The Central Pacific Railroad founded the town in 1872, and it incorporated as a city in 1889. It is the county seat, it has long been known as the Gateway to Yosemite, and a University of California campus opened here in 2005.

That long run of growth left houses from nearly every decade of the last century. Before we talk finishes, we want to know when your house was built and what has been changed since, because the answer decides what is likely behind the walls.

What Census estimates say about Merced homes

The median home in the city was built around 1983, but the spread tells you more. Roughly one in ten homes predates 1950, about 35% went up between 1950 and 1979, around 27% date from the 1980s and 1990s, and close to 28% were built in 2000 or later. About 44% of occupied homes are lived in by their owners.

In kitchens, that range runs from closed galley layouts with soffits and a single ceiling light to 1990s oak cabinets with tiled counters, and 2000s kitchens with granite and maple that look dated but are still sound. In bathrooms, it runs from original tile around a tub-shower combination to cultured-marble vanity tops, fiberglass surrounds, and builder-grade shower pans now due for their first full replacement.

About 45% of the city’s homes were built before 1980. In houses built before 1978, federal lead-safe rules apply whenever painted surfaces are disturbed, and older homes can hide galvanized supply lines or wiring that was never sized for modern appliances.

What we take on, and what we don’t

Our work is kitchens and bathrooms only, under California CSLB license #1111311 in the B-2 Residential Remodeling classification. That covers cabinets, counters, flooring, tile, showers, tubs, vanities, light fixtures on existing circuits, and the finish work that ties a room together. Additions, roofing, whole-house renovations, and HVAC are outside our scope.

Some changes need more than a remodeler. Work on load-bearing walls involves engineering, and new circuits, panel upgrades, or re-piping go to the licensed electrical and plumbing trades we coordinate. Each of those is evaluated during the in-home consultation, never promised from photos.

Permits inside city limits and in the county

Inside the city, building permits and inspections run through the Inspection Services Division, part of the Development Services Department. Our City of Merced permit guide explains how that process works.

Unincorporated communities nearby, such as Planada and Le Grand, fall under the county instead, and the county permit guide covers those addresses. Either way, whether your project needs a permit is confirmed during the in-home consultation, once the scope is settled.

The drive, and how scheduling works

Merced is about 70 minutes from our shop, roughly 57 miles by road. We don’t keep an office here, so every consultation and site visit starts at 4143 E Madison Ave in Fresno, and we would rather say so plainly than imply otherwise.

That distance is why the process starts online. The estimator asks for your ZIP code, so coverage is confirmed before anything is booked, and consultations are scheduled Monday through Saturday. At this distance it also pays to settle cabinet, tile, and fixture selections before demolition, because a missing part costs a trip as well as a day.

Summer heat and well water

Merced averages close to 100 days a year at 90 degrees or hotter. Strong afternoon sun through a west-facing slider affects flooring and finish choices, and a bathroom in a house closed up for air conditioning needs an exhaust fan that actually clears steam. The guide to materials for Central Valley heat goes into detail.

City water comes from municipal wells, and the dissolved minerals in groundwater can show up as spots on shower glass and crust on faucet aerators. Before recommending finishes, we look at what is building up on the fixtures you have now.

Starting with a planning range

Pick a kitchen or bathroom on the estimate request page and answer the questions for that room. You see a personalized planning range on screen, not a quote. Kitchen projects start around $25,000, a typical kitchen remodel lands around $40,000, and larger kitchens with layout changes or premium selections run $50,000 to $60,000. Bathroom projects start around $15,000, a typical bathroom remodel lands around $25,000, and primary suites or layout changes run $30,000 to $40,000.

When the range fits your budget, you book a free in-home consultation, where measurements, existing conditions, permit needs, and selections are confirmed before you get a clear plan and schedule. Planning both rooms? Run the estimator once for each, and see our Merced County service area for nearby communities.