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Whole House Remodeling Services In Southern California
Redesigning and rebuilding the inside of your home, and most likely the outside of it too, room by room until each space functions as one comprehensive plan is a whole house remodel. A whole house remodel is so much larger than simply a single room renovation; it touches your kitchen, bathrooms, living areas (including any return to an just-useful layout), bedrooms, flooring electrical, plumbing – and often layout itself. Costs for remodeling a whole house in Southern California run from $150,000 – $600,000+, based on square footage and scope. The full remodel process usually takes anywhere from 6-12 months, from the first idea through the final walk-through. Based out of Chino Hills, ACT Construction has been specializing in whole house remodels for over 26 years serving all of Southern California.
The reason homeowners select a whole house design over moving is straightforward: nearly every time, it truly is significantly less costly, we enjoy our community and school district as well as the back garden and they are stranded in a area wherever nearly all of your neighbors have moved away the components in the residence that aren’t functioning for you will need to be replaced or rebuilt. A remodel done right goes beyond updating finishes; it corrects the mistakes underneath an outdated layout, a kitchen cut off from the living room, bathrooms that are decades behind so your home works they way you actually live.
What is an Whole House Remodeling?
What a whole house remodel means is renovating your entire home all at once, as opposed to renovating different parts of your house separately and at different times. In a whole house remodel, you could be working on structural changes such as removing some walls from the kitchen to the living room, changing all the electrical systems in your house, updating the HVAC and plumbing systems, installing new floorings throughout the whole house, and changing your bathrooms and kitchen altogether.
Signs It's Time for a Whole House Remodel
A full remodel isn’t always the first step. Here are the situations that most often bring our clients to a whole-house conversation instead of a single-room fix:
- Multiple rooms need work at once. If your kitchen, bathrooms, and flooring are all overdue, tackling them together is usually more efficient and less disruptive than three separate projects spread over years.
- Your layout doesn’t match how you live. Closed-off kitchens, disconnected living spaces, or a floor plan built for a different era can only be fixed by rethinking the whole footprint, not just swapping finishes.
- Your systems are outdated. Old wiring, aging plumbing, or an inefficient HVAC system are easier and cheaper to address once, behind open walls, than piecemeal over separate projects.
- You’re planning to stay long-term. If you love your location but not your home’s condition, a whole house remodel resets the property for the next 20+ years.
- You’ve compared the cost of moving. Between agent fees, closing costs, and a higher mortgage rate on a new property, a full remodel often costs less than trading up to a home that already has what you want.
If several of these sound familiar, the next step is scoping which parts of the house actually need to change.
What a Whole House Remodel Can Include
- Kitchen remodel. Often the anchor of the project — new layout, cabinetry, countertops, and appliances, sometimes opened up into adjoining rooms.
- Bathroom remodels. Primary and secondary bathrooms updated together for a consistent look and matching fixtures throughout the house.
- Structural and layout changes. Removing non-load-bearing walls, relocating doorways, or reconfiguring rooms to improve flow.
- Flooring and finishes throughout. Consistent flooring, trim, paint, and lighting across the whole home instead of room-by-room patchwork.
- Systems upgrades. Electrical panel upgrades, re-piping, new HVAC, and insulation improvements, handled while walls are already open.
- Exterior refresh. Siding, windows, roofing, or a new front elevation, when the scope extends beyond the interior.
All remodeling is done taking into consideration the current architecture and design of your home, ensuring that the overall effect looks like it was purposefully designed and not an add-on process. Should you also want to add more space, our room addition specialists will be able to incorporate that as well.
Design & Planning Considerations
A few decisions early on shape the entire project:
Sequencing the work. How the order of remodeling the rooms is done will determine the cost and how comfortable your house remains when the renovations are taking place. Kitchen and bathroom are typically done together in an attempt to minimize the lack of these necessities.
Structural changes vs. cosmetic updates. Removing a wall separating the kitchen and living room needs an engineer’s opinion and may need a header beam; but a cosmetic change does not. We know what is structural and non-structural from your wishlist at an early stage itself.
Staying vs. moving out. Full remodels touching plumbing and electrical throughout the house are usually easier to complete if you relocate temporarily during the most disruptive phases. We map out which stretches of the project require this so you can plan ahead.
Consistency across rooms. Floor transitions, paint consistency, and trim compatibility between existing and new areas prevent a comprehensive renovation from appearing like individual renovations. These transition points are planned during the design phase, not midway through construction.
Systems capacity. Adding modern appliances, upgraded lighting, and additional bathrooms often means your electrical panel and plumbing need to be evaluated for capacity before finishes are chosen.
Typical Whole House Remodeling Investment Ranges
- Cosmetic Whole House Refresh (finishes, paint, flooring, fixtures): $150,000 – $250,000
- Mid-Range Remodel (kitchen + bathrooms + finishes + some layout changes): $250,000 – $400,000
- Full Structural Remodel (layout changes, systems upgrades, all rooms): $400,000 – $600,000+
Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Guide for Southern California Homeowners
01
FAM Promotions, Inc. DBA ACT Construction
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California Licensed General Contractor – License #883252
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Serving Southern California Since 1993
What Drives the Cost of a Whole House Remodel
The ranges above are a starting point. Your final number depends on:
- Square footage. Larger homes cost more overall, but the cost per square foot often drops slightly on bigger projects since design and permitting costs are spread across more space.
- Structural scope. Removing walls, relocating plumbing, or reconfiguring the layout costs significantly more than a finishes-only refresh.
- Number of wet rooms. Kitchens and bathrooms are the most expensive rooms to remodel because of plumbing, electrical, and fixture costs, so a home with more of them costs more to fully remodel.
- Finish level. Builder-grade materials throughout cost far less than custom cabinetry, natural stone, or high-end tile in every room.
- Systems condition. A home with outdated wiring or old galvanized plumbing needs system upgrades built into the budget, not optional add-ons.
We provide a detailed, itemized estimate before construction starts, broken down room by room, so you know exactly what you’re paying for.
Our Whole House Remodeling Process
- Free consultation. We walk your entire home with you and talk through priorities, budget, and which rooms matter most.
- Design and permits. We draft a whole-home plan, finalize material selections room by room, and file with your city’s building department.
- Approval. We track your permit application and manage any city requests for corrections or revisions.
- Phased construction. Our crew sequences the work to keep as much of your home livable as possible, with regular updates throughout.
- Room-by-room walkthrough. We inspect every finished space with you before we call the project complete.
Ready to start? Book a consultation and we’ll walk your home within the week to give you a realistic scope and budget.
Difference Between Whole House Remodel and Room-by-Room Remodeling
The difference between the whole house remodel and room-by-room remodeling is that the former involves planning and implementing the entire project in one plan and one schedule whereas the latter involves implementing the updates in different phases over many years through a separate discussion with the contractor.
In most cases, cost becomes the determining factor when making the choice between the two options. Room-by-room remodeling enables you to spread the cost in a timely fashion although it will be more costly than the whole house remodel because of the repeated cost of designing, permitting and mobilization as well as mismatched finishes from one project to another over the years.
Why Homeowners Choose ACT Construction
ACT Construction has operated as FAM Promotions, Inc. DBA ACT Construction since 1993, holding California General Contractor License #883252. Three decades in Southern California means we’ve managed whole house remodels through multiple building code cycles and permit process changes. A few things that set our process apart:
- One point of contact. You work with the same project lead from consultation through final walkthrough across every room of the project.
- A single, coordinated design. Your kitchen, bathrooms, and living spaces are planned together, so finishes and flow are consistent throughout the house.
- Transparent, itemized pricing. You see a room-by-room cost breakdown before construction starts, not after.
- Licensed and insured. Every project is covered, and every permit is filed and tracked by our team.
Financing a Whole House Remodel
Homeowners who wish to remodel their whole house usually finance it using home equity line of credit, cash-out refinancing, a renovation loan, or from savings. Since a whole house remodeling job varies widely in terms of cost due to the level of structural renovations involved, the way that this type of job is financed also differs from a single room remodeling. A large renovation loan would typically be required when dealing with structural remodeling of the house, but a cosmetic one could be done by taking out a small home equity line.
Common Mistakes Homeowners Make With Whole House Remodels
Remodeling room by room instead of planning together. Tackling rooms separately over the years often costs more in total and rarely produces a consistent finished look.
Underestimating the permitting timeline. Permits for structural changes can take 8-12 weeks in many Southern California cities. Many homeowners don’t build this into their planning.
Not planning where to live during construction. Full remodels touching plumbing and electrical throughout the house are highly disruptive if you try to stay. Planning your living arrangement early avoids a stressful mid-project scramble.
Choosing finishes too late. Selecting flooring, fixtures, and paint after construction begins almost always causes delays. Locking in finishes during design keeps the schedule on track.
Ignoring systems capacity. Adding new appliances and fixtures without checking your electrical panel or plumbing capacity leads to costly mid-project surprises.
Frequently Asked Questions
Whole House Remodel Cost In California?
Typically, whole house remodeling costs range from $150,000 to $400,000. For full structural remodels with layout changes and systems upgrades, costs can exceed $600,000, depending on square footage and finish level.
How Long Does a Whole House Remodel Take?
Design and permitting typically take 8-12 weeks. Construction itself takes 4-9 months depending on scope. In total, most whole house remodels take 6-12 months from first consultation to final walkthrough.
Do I need a permit for a whole house remodel?
Yes. Any structural changes, plumbing relocation, or electrical work requires a building permit. Cosmetic-only updates like paint and flooring generally don’t. We handle permit filing for every project.
Does a whole house remodel add value to my home?
Yes. A coordinated remodel that updates kitchens, bathrooms, and systems together typically returns strong value at resale, since it eliminates the “dated” rooms that make buyers negotiate down.
Can I live at home during a whole house remodel?
It depends on scope. A cosmetic refresh is usually manageable to live through. A full structural remodel touching plumbing and electrical throughout the house is easier to complete if you relocate during the most disruptive phases. We’ll map this out with you at the design stage.
Can I remodel in phases instead of all at once?
Yes, though we recommend designing the full plan upfront even if construction happens in phases, so every room’s finishes and layout stay consistent as you complete them over time.
Will you handle a room addition as part of my whole house remodel?
Yes. If your plan includes adding square footage along with remodeling existing rooms, our room addition team works within the same project timeline and design plan.
Will I need to arrange design and permits myself?
No. We handle design, permits, and city approvals for the entire project, so you have one point of contact from the first walkthrough to the final one.
