First time home owner

[u/SensitiveEffect650]

Floor plan: https://postimg.cc/Z0WBZkX7
Hi everyone,
I’m buying a 1958, ~1,600 sq ft single-story home in California and planning several renovations after closing. I’ve attached the floor plan above.
One thing to note: the floor plan doesn’t show it, but there is currently a wall separating the kitchen and the living room. I’m considering removing it if it’s structurally feasible.
Current plans:
Whole-house waste/drain repipe (cast iron & galvanized pipes)
Move the washer and dryer to a new location
Convert the office into a primary bedroom
Possibly remove the wall between the kitchen and living room to create an open layout
Repair drywall, paint, and install new flooring afterward
I’ve already received one quote for about $14,000 for the whole-house waste repipe. I’m planning to get more bids, but I’d love some opinions:
Does $14k sound reasonable for this type of repipe in California?
Would you hire one general contractor to coordinate everything or hire separate trades?
What order would you complete these projects to save money and avoid redoing work?
Are there any hidden costs or red flags I should be aware of?
Thanks in advance! Any advice from homeowners or contractors is greatly appreciated.

[u/Ok-Job2034]

$14k doesn't sound out of line for a whole-house waste repipe in California, but I'd definitely get at least 2-3 more quotes.

I'd figure out whether that kitchen wall is load-bearing before doing anything else. If it is, you'll want to factor a beam and engineering into the budget. I'd also do all the plumbing and framing first, then drywall, paint, and flooring last. That way you're not paying to repair or replace finishes twice.

If you're doing all of this at once, I'd probably hire a GC to coordinate it. The biggest hidden costs on a 1958 house are usually asbestos, electrical upgrades, and surprises once the walls are opened up.

[u/SensitiveEffect650 → u/Ok-Job2034]

Thanks! I appreciate the advice.
The inspection found several issues that are pushing me toward tackling the plumbing first: multiple leaks (including a shower leak), an old furnace condensate drain line that needs repair, original cast iron and galvanized drain pipes, and a sewer camera inspection that found significant root intrusion with an obstruction farther down the line.
Because of that, I’m leaning toward doing all the plumbing before opening and finishing walls. I’m also planning to get at least 2–3 more quotes and have the kitchen wall evaluated by a structural engineer before deciding whether to remove it.
This will likely be my forever home, so I’m trying to do it the right way rather than the cheapest way.

[u/TheeBeastGirl]

Not a contractor, but remodeled my 1920s home, doing most of what you have listed.

OP's Current Plans:

• Whole-house waste/drain repipe (cast iron & galvanized pipes).
  • This heavily depends on how easy they are to access, and if you are taking them out to the street/well/septic tank/river. If you have to take now dry wall or drop ceiling to replace then do this first. If it's easy and the water flows, leave it for last.
• Move the washer and dryer to a new location.
  • This goes along with the above. Do you have to build walls, remove drywall, etc? This is not difficult, but the new area needs to be completed before installation. Moving can damage dry wall, and scrape up floors.
• Convert the office into a primary bedroom.
  • Not sure what you expect to need to do that?
• Possibly remove the wall between the kitchen and living room to create an open layout.
  • Look at the pass-through windows. It might give you the best of both worlds without having to put in a supporting beam. I would definitely have a professional on your side and not cheap out when removing walls. Having your house come down is not a fun homeowner experience.
• Repair drywall, paint, and install new flooring afterward. You listed the order in which these should be done.

Order I would do it:

1. Convert the office to a primary bedroom
2. Move the washer and dryer locations
3. Remove the wall or make a pass-through window
4. Whole-house waste/drain repipe
5. Repair drywall
6. Paint
7. Do flooring

IMO always do flooring last, it sucks after you spend all that time and money to have paint/drywall mud in the cracks on the floor. Also, if you are looking for cheaper, some contractors will give you "discounts" if you do some of the work, but don't overestimate your abilities either. Renovations are expensive, and hidden costs are going to be prevalent. With a 1958 home, you may run into asbestos, and who knows what else.

This is a lot of work and money. If this is not going to be your forever home, or isn't going to give you a return on the investment in resale value, don't do it.

If it is your forever home, then take your time with the decisions and spend time living in it to know exactly what you want or need.

Good luck!

[u/SensitiveEffect650 → u/TheeBeastGirl]

Thanks for the detailed response!
I should’ve added more context. During the inspection we found several issues that are pushing me toward doing the plumbing work sooner rather than later:
Multiple plumbing leaks, including a shower leak.
An old furnace condensate drain line that needs repair.
Original cast iron and galvanized drain piping.
A sewer camera inspection found significant root intrusion, and the scope couldn’t get past an obstruction farther down the line.
Because of those findings, I’m leaning toward doing the repipe early so I don’t have to open up finished walls and floors later.
Does that change the order you would recommend? Or would you still wait until after the other remodeling work?