Home Remodeling in Ontario, CA

Half of Ontario's homes were built before 1980, and the 1950s were a boom decade

The Census Bureau's 2024 American Community Survey counts 55,966 homes in Ontario with a median year built of 1980. About half predate 1980, 23 percent predate 1960, and the 1950s alone added 7,712 homes. At the same time, 14 percent have gone up since 2010. An older Ontario house usually needs the behind the wall work first: updated wiring, a larger electrical panel and new supply lines, before a kitchen or bathroom can be finished properly.

Source: Census ACS 2024 5-year, Table B25034, Ontario city

Homes fronting Euclid Avenue between G Street and the 10 are a historic district

George and William Chaffey laid out Euclid Avenue in 1882 as the backbone of their Model Colony, with twin roadways and a landscaped center median, and in 2005 the avenue and median were listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The city's Euclid Avenue Historic District includes every property that fronts the avenue north of G Street and south of Interstate 10, with homes from the late 1880s through 1965. Ontario's historic preservation code lets owners do ordinary maintenance and repair without review as long as it does not change the design, material or outside appearance; anything beyond that goes through a Certificate of Appropriateness. Historic homes can qualify for a Mills Act contract, a 10 year property tax reduction that renews automatically.

Source: City of Ontario, Euclid Avenue Historic District

Ontario Ranch was 8,200 acres of dairy preserve until 1999

In 1967, San Bernardino County set aside 14,000 acres of the Chino Valley as an agricultural preserve for dairies. By the 1990s, rising costs and housing demand pushed dairy farmers to sell, and in 1999 Ontario annexed 8,200 acres of the former preserve and named it the New Model Colony, now Ontario Ranch. The houses there are new, so remodels tend to be additions, patio covers, backyard ADUs and upgrades to builder grade kitchens rather than repairs.

Source: City of Ontario, Ontario Ranch Business Park Specific Plan Draft EIR, Cultural Resources

How much does a remodel cost in Ontario, CA?

In the 2023 American Housing Survey, owners in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metro reported a median of $10,000 for a kitchen remodel and $9,000 for a bathroom remodel, both above national medians. Local carpenters earned a median $34.08 an hour in May 2025, against $29.12 nationally.

Do I need a permit for a fence in Ontario, CA?

Yes if it is over 3 feet high. Ontario requires a permit for block walls, block pilasters, chain link, wrought iron and wood fences over 3 feet from grade, and for retaining walls over 2 feet measured from the bottom of the footing.

How long is an Ontario building permit good for?

A permit expires if work does not start within 6 months of issue or stops for more than 6 months. A plan check expires 12 months after the plan check fee is paid, so keep the project moving once plans are approved.

Can I remodel a house on Euclid Avenue in Ontario?

Yes, but homes fronting Euclid Avenue between G Street and Interstate 10 are in a historic district. Ordinary repairs that do not change design, material or appearance need no review; other exterior changes need a Certificate of Appropriateness. Historic homes may qualify for a Mills Act property tax contract.

Can a homeowner pull their own permit in Ontario?

Yes. Ontario lets an owner who lives or will live in the house get the permit and do the construction, alteration or repair on the house and its accessory buildings. Applications are submitted electronically through Citizen Portal Access, and fees are based on the project's valuation plus an 80 percent plan review fee.