Remodel Planning in Somersett

West Reno’s master-planned community — where layered HOA structure, newer construction, and high-desert hillside conditions shape every project.

The Goal

Somersett was master-planned at a scale that’s unusual even by Nevada standards — 2,391 acres, two golf courses, two full-size clubhouses, 27 miles of trails, and nearly 3,700 homes across a range of neighborhood types. Construction ran from 2001 through the mid-2010s, which means the earliest homes are now approaching their second decade past original build, and the finish and systems refresh cycle is underway for a meaningful portion of the community.

The goal in a Somersett renovation is usually one of two things: lifestyle improvement in a home the owners plan to stay in for years, or strategic updating in a home being prepared for sale in a market where move-in condition commands a premium. Both are valid, and the planning approach differs. Long-term renovations justify higher investment in quality and systems; sale-prep renovations focus on high-visibility improvements with reliable return.

The Scope

Somersett spans a range of product types: production homes in the lower sub-communities, higher-end production homes and semi-custom in the middle, and custom homes in the gated upper portions of the community. The renovation scope is different depending on which category your home falls into.

Production homes in Somersett — built by national and regional builders — are well-constructed but built to standard specifications. The opportunity is in upgrading finishes, customizing layouts, and adding features that weren’t included in the base build. Kitchen and bath updates, flooring replacements, patio additions, and outdoor kitchen builds are the most common projects. For custom homes at the top of Somersett, projects tend toward whole-house refinements, primary suite expansions, and significant outdoor living additions taking advantage of the hillside views.

Somersett sits in the hills west of Reno against Peavine Mountain, at elevations ranging from approximately 4,600 to over 5,000 feet in the higher sections. The west-side location means more wind than the valley floor, and the hillside lots mean retaining walls and grading are often involved in outdoor projects.

The Constraints

Somersett has a layered HOA structure. The Somersett Owners Association covers the entire community. Sub-associations govern specific neighborhoods within it. Some gated sections have their own covenants on top of both. Before starting exterior work, confirm exactly which associations govern your parcel and what each one requires for architectural review.

The Somersett Owners Association requires architectural approval for most exterior modifications: additions, patio structures, outdoor kitchens, paint color changes, fence modifications, and landscaping changes. The approval process has defined timelines, typically 30 to 45 days for a complete submittal. Incomplete submittals are returned and restart the clock. Knowing exactly what documentation the committee needs before submitting is the difference between a clean approval cycle and a 90-day process.

City of Reno permitting applies to all structural and mechanical work. The combination of HOA approval and city permit timelines means planning 3 to 4 months of pre-construction process for any exterior project. Interior work — kitchen, bath, flooring — doesn’t require HOA approval but does require city permits for structural or mechanical changes.

One constraint specific to Somersett’s hillside lots: retaining walls, grading, and drainage are often involved in outdoor living projects, and these require engineering. A patio addition on a flat lot is straightforward. The same addition on a sloped lot in Somersett can involve a structural engineer and grading permits. This adds cost and time that flat-lot projects don’t have.

The Timeline

A focused interior renovation in Somersett — kitchen, bath, flooring — runs 4 to 6 months from design to completion. Exterior projects with HOA review add 2 to 3 months of front-end process. A hillside outdoor living addition involving engineering and grading adds another layer: plan for 5 to 6 months of pre-construction for a complex outdoor project.

The exterior work season at Somersett’s elevations runs May through October. The hillside and west-side exposure means wind is a more consistent factor than at valley floor. Exterior painting in particular needs calm days, which are less reliable at Somersett’s elevation and exposure.

The Sequence

Identify all governing associations before doing anything else. Confirm review requirements for each. Engage a designer with HOA submittal experience. Develop design documents to the detail level each association requires. Submit to HOA and city simultaneously where possible. Select contractor after HOA approval is in progress. Begin construction after all approvals are in hand.

For outdoor projects on hillside lots: engage a landscape architect and structural engineer early. Their input shapes the design before the designer finalizes it, not after. A retaining wall design that comes back from the engineer with significant changes after the landscape plan is complete means redrawing the landscape plan. The right sequence is: engineering constraints first, design second.

The Decision Points

The first decision point in Somersett is whether to pursue the full scope or phase the work. Many homeowners in this community prioritize the kitchen and primary bath first, then return for outdoor living or secondary spaces. Phasing is reasonable as long as the sequencing makes sense — you don’t want to finish a kitchen and then open walls for plumbing in the same area six months later. Plan the phases with the full project in mind, even if you execute in parts.

The second is outdoor investment. Somersett’s hillside setting often produces significant views — toward Reno, toward Peavine, toward the Sierra. Outdoor spaces that engage those views tend to be used extensively from May through October. The return on a well-designed outdoor living space here is high in quality-of-life terms, and it shows in the market when homes sell.

The Common Mistakes

The most common mistake in Somersett is not confirming the full HOA structure before starting design. Homeowners who design their outdoor project and submit to the Somersett Owners Association sometimes discover they also needed sub-association approval — and now they’re either starting over or building something not fully approved. Confirm all governing bodies first. It takes 30 minutes and prevents weeks of delays.

The second is treating hillside lots like flat lots for outdoor project budgeting. Retaining, grading, drainage, and engineering costs add meaningfully to projects on sloped lots. A $75,000 patio project on a flat lot in South Meadows might run $110,000 on a Somersett hillside lot. Build that into the budget from the start.

The Smart Approach

Somersett is a community with real amenities, an active ownership base, and a consistent aesthetic standard. Projects that succeed here are the ones that work with the HOA structure rather than treating it as an obstacle. Hire for HOA experience. Submit complete packages. Plan timelines that include the approval cycle, not timelines that assume it goes quickly.

The homes in Somersett that are consistently valued at the top of their tier are the ones that have been thoughtfully improved — not just for show, but for how they live. The hillside setting, the trail access, the clubhouse proximity — these all contribute to the case for investing in this community. Renovations that match that quality reinforce the investment.