Remodeling in Royal Oak
Custom Edge is based in Royal Oak. Most of the houses here were built between 1920 and 1955, on 40 to 50 foot lots, with small kitchens, one bathroom upstairs, and a basement nobody planned to live in. That is the work we do every week.
Request a walkthrough →What We Find Behind Royal Oak Walls
Four house types cover most of the city. Knowing which one you have tells us what is likely behind the plaster before we open it.
1920s Brick Bungalows
South and central Royal Oak. Full-width front porch, arched living room opening, one bath at the top of the stairs. Plaster over lath, oak floors under the carpet, and a kitchen that was never meant to hold a dishwasher.
Tudors and Colonials
Vinsetta Park and the streets off Woodward. Steeper rooflines, leaded glass, and stair halls worth keeping. Additions here have to match brick and roof pitch or the house never looks right again.
Postwar Ranches
North of Thirteen Mile and around Red Run. Low-slope roofs, wider lots, and open-plan potential once a bearing wall comes out. Original 60 and 100 amp services are common.
Two-Story Additions
Where a 1,100 square foot bungalow has to hold a family of four. Second floors and rear additions are the most-requested Royal Oak project, and the most zoning-sensitive.
Six Things Royal Oak Houses Have in Common
None of these are surprises to us. They are surprises when a contractor from outside the area finds them in week three and asks for a change order.
Clay Soil and Basement Water
Royal Oak sits on heavy clay. Water moves slowly away from foundations, so footing drains, grading, and a working sump matter more here than the finish materials. We test before we frame.
Older Sewer Laterals
Clay laterals on pre-war streets crack and root-intrude. Before finishing a basement we recommend scoping the line, and we install a backwater valve where the city connection allows it.
Undersized Electrical Service
60 and 100 amp panels are still common. A kitchen with an induction range or a finished basement usually means a 200 amp service upgrade, priced up front rather than discovered.
Galvanized Supply, Cast Iron Waste
Original supply lines restrict flow and cast iron stacks crack at the hub. While walls are open we replace what we can reach instead of tiling over it.
Low Basement Headroom
Many Royal Oak basements measure 6'8" to 7'2" to the joists. We map ducts and beams before quoting so you know the real finished height room by room.
Narrow Lots, Tight Access
40 to 50 foot lots with a detached garage off the alley. Dumpster placement, material staging, and neighbor access get planned before day one, not negotiated during demolition.
We Pull the Permit, You Do Not
Royal Oak reviews plans before it issues, and building, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical are separate trade permits. We handle all of it under our builder license and meet the inspector on site, so you are never the one standing in line at City Hall.
- →Drawings prepared for Royal Oak plan review, not generic
- →Zoning setbacks and lot coverage confirmed before design is final
- →Building, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical permits pulled by us
- →Inspections scheduled around the review queue so trades never idle
- →Final approvals and paperwork handed to you at closeout
Requirements change. We confirm current Royal Oak code and zoning with the Building Division on every project before we price it.
Where We Work in the City
Royal Oak is small enough that Tim can be on your street the same week you call. That is the point of keeping the radius tight.
Services for Royal Oak Homes
Basement Remodeling
The most common Royal Oak project. Water first, then headroom, then finish.
See the service →Kitchen Remodeling
Opening up a closed 1920s kitchen usually means a bearing wall and a service upgrade.
See the service →Bathroom Remodeling
One bath at the top of the stairs, original cast iron waste, no exhaust fan. We fix all three.
See the service →Home Additions
Rear and second-story additions on 40 foot lots, planned against setbacks and lot coverage.
See the service →Wall Removal
Bungalow living-and-dining walls are almost always structural. We engineer the beam.
See the service →Whole House Renovations
Pre-war houses where the wiring, plumbing, and layout all need to change at once.
See the service →Royal Oak Homeowners Ask Us This
Anything not answered here, call Tim directly at 313.236.0985.
Do I need a permit for a basement finish in Royal Oak?
Yes. Royal Oak requires a building permit for finishing a basement, plus separate electrical, plumbing, and mechanical permits for the trade work. We pull all of them and meet the inspector.
Can I add a second story to a bungalow here?
Often, but the answer comes from zoning before it comes from framing. Lot coverage, setbacks, and height limits decide the envelope, so we confirm those with the city before drawing anything.
Why do so many Royal Oak basements take on water?
Heavy clay soil, original footing drains, and grading that has settled toward the house over eighty years. It is almost always fixable, but it has to be fixed before finishing, not after.
Will my 100 amp panel handle a remodel?
For a bathroom, usually. For a kitchen or a finished basement, usually not. We run the load calculation during pricing so a service upgrade is a line item, not a mid-project surprise.
Where do you put the dumpster on a narrow lot?
Driveway or alley, coordinated with the city and your neighbors before the first day. On the tightest lots we schedule smaller loads more often instead of parking a container for six weeks.
How long does Royal Oak plan review take?
It varies with the season and the size of the project. We build the queue into the schedule we give you and submit as early as the drawings allow.
Full service area across Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties, Downriver, and Monroe County.
We Are Already in the Neighborhood
Tim walks the house, tells you what the work actually involves, and gives you a real price range. No deposit, no sales visit.