The back of the Shelby building in Gardena had been Carroll Shelby's old apartment and a patchwork of offices, and it was going to become the Snake Pit VIP lounge. Nobody could see what was above the ceilings.
I did the preliminary demolition before the plan was approved. Cut a few holes, looked at the structure and the ceiling, patched them back up.
A lot of contractors avoid looking inside the walls on a renovation, because a surprise turns into a change order and a fight. I would rather see the connections, the hold-downs and the ceiling while the design can still use what we find. It costs very little.
The demo opened up a tall, wide volume with a barrel ceiling nobody could see from outside. Everyone agreed the second they saw it, so there was nothing to sell. The structure became the feature, with a double-sided showpiece fireplace at the entrance and very large screens on it.
Because we did the preliminary demolition and didn't wait until the plan was approved, it was really easy. That was the key to the whole thing. Look inside the walls before the design is locked. Found early, a hidden condition is a design opportunity. Found late, it is a change order.