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← What would you do with it?

Make it yours: what San Diego buyers fix first, and what it costs.

The top five first-year projects, real local prices, and a calculator for your square footage.

See how much of your list your rebate covers

A bright living room mid-refresh: fresh paint, new LVP flooring, a ladder in frame.

The short version

  • Buyers of existing homes spend about $18,700 in their first year.
  • San Diego labour runs roughly 23% above the national average, so national estimates read low here.
  • Most cosmetic work needs no permit. Anything electrical, plumbing, HVAC or solar does.

The top five first-year projects

  1. 1. Rekey or smart locks

    Do it the first week. You have no idea how many keys are out there.

    Rekey $50–$200 a lock. A smart lock installed is $96–$231.

    DIY-able: Yes · Permit: No

  2. 2. Interior paint

    Cheapest and fastest while the house is still empty.

    One room, walls only: under $1,000. A room with ceilings and trim: $1,500–$2,800. A whole mid-size house: $10,000–$15,000.

    DIY-able: Yes, slowly · Permit: No

  3. 3. Flooring

    Also easiest before the furniture arrives.

    See the table below — installed, San Diego.

    DIY-able: LVP and laminate, yes · Permit: No

  4. 4. Drought-friendly landscaping

    Get pre-approved BEFORE you remove the grass. Synthetic turf doesn't qualify.

    Turf replacement rebate: $2 a sq ft, up to 5,000 sq ft, through SoCal Water$mart.

    DIY-able: Partly · Permit: Usually no

  5. 5. Appliances, lighting and window coverings

    Window coverings are the one people forget to budget for, and every window needs one.

    Refrigerator $600–$2300+. Dishwasher from $400. Replacing a ceiling fan $150–$500. Blinds $30–$200 a window.

    DIY-able: Some · Permit: Electrical, yes

Flooring, installedPer sq ft
Laminate$6–$14
Luxury vinyl plank$7–$15
Engineered hardwood$9–$18
Solid hardwood$12–$25
Carpet$2–$8
Tile (national)$10–$50

Bigger ideas

  • Solar

    About $3.14 a watt in San Diego. Note the 30% federal credit ended for systems installed after 31 December 2025.

  • Level 2 EV charger

    $850–$1800. A panel upgrade adds $2,800–$4,200. Permit required.

  • Ductless mini-split

    $3,000–$6,500 for a single zone.

  • Kitchen cabinet painting

    $1,800–$7,500, depending on the kitchen.

  • ADU

    Detached, $385–$475 a sq ft. A garage conversion is $150K–$230K.

  • Outdoor living

    A deck averages about $15,700.

Permit cheat sheet, City of San Diego

No permit

  • Paint, inside and out
  • Flooring
  • Cabinets
  • Fences up to 7 ft
  • Patio covers up to 300 sq ft and under 12 ft tall
  • Decks under 200 sq ft and 30 inches or less off the ground

Permit required

  • Electrical, including new fixtures and outlets
  • Water heater
  • Plumbing fixtures
  • HVAC
  • Changing a window or door opening
  • All solar
  • Retaining walls over 3 ft

From the City's “when is a permit required” sheet. Unincorporated county and other cities differ.

Get the turf rebate approved first

SoCal Water$mart pays $2 a square foot up to 5,000 square feet — but only if you're approved before the grass comes out. Removing it first disqualifies the whole project, and synthetic turf doesn't count either way.

Price your list

Project cost estimator

1,800 sq ft
0 sq ft
Flooring material
3
Cabinet painting
0 sq ft

Rebate is $2/sq ft up to 5,000 sq ft. Get approved before you remove the grass.

0

Estimated cost

$10,050–$15,993

Interior paint
$9,900–$15,300
Rekey or smart locks
$150–$693
Net
$10,050–$15,993

San Diego installed prices, reviewed 2026-09-24. Labour here runs about 23% above the national average.

No sale, no fee. Nothing up front either.

The flat fee comes out of escrow when you close. If your home doesn't sell, or you change your mind, you owe nothing — there's nothing to refund because nothing was taken.

See the plans

Based on a $1M San Diego home where the seller offers 3% to the buyer's agent. Applied to closing costs first. How much can go to you beyond that depends on your loan. Estimate only, not a guarantee.

How SelfCloze helps

The first-year list is real money, and it lands right when you have least of it. What you keep at closing is what pays for paint and floors before the furniture arrives.

Questions people ask

What should I do first?
Rekey or replace the locks in week one — you have no idea how many keys are out there. Then paint and flooring, while the place is empty and the work is cheapest and fastest.
Do I need a permit to replace a light fixture?
In the City of San Diego, electrical work including new fixtures and outlets needs a permit. Paint, flooring and cabinets don't. The city publishes a 'when is a permit required' sheet, and it's worth two minutes.
Is the turf rebate real?
Yes — SoCal Water$mart pays $2 a square foot up to 5,000 square feet for turf replacement. You must be approved before you remove the grass, and synthetic turf doesn't qualify.
Is solar still worth it?
San Diego installs run about $3.14 a watt. Note that the 30% federal credit ended for systems installed after 31 December 2025, so the maths is different from what you may have read.

Spend it on the house, not the commission.

Photos, pricing, negotiation, showings, inspections, Zillow Pro Agent — the whole job, done for you. One flat $4,999 out of escrow, whatever your home sells for.

Compare the plans

Based on a $1M San Diego home where the seller offers 3% to the buyer's agent. Applied to closing costs first. How much can go to you beyond that depends on your loan. Estimate only, not a guarantee.

See how much of your list your rebate covers