Figures below are planning ranges for Greater Los Angeles, intended to help you build a realistic budget. They are not a quote — every project is priced from its own site, scope, and selections.
What a whole-house remodel is
A whole-house remodel renovates most or all of a home at once: layout, systems, kitchen, baths, finishes, and often the exterior. It sits between a single-room remodel and a new custom home.
Doing the work together is almost always cheaper per unit of work than doing it in phases. Each trade mobilizes once, walls open once, and the electrical, plumbing, and mechanical systems get planned as one design instead of patched room by room.
What a whole-house remodel costs in Los Angeles
In Greater Los Angeles, a whole-home cosmetic refresh typically runs $150 to $250 per square foot, and a whole-home gut renovation $300 to $550 per square foot. Where your project lands depends on how much of the structure and systems change, and on finish level.
Plan a 15 to 20 percent contingency. A full renovation opens every wall, so it finds every hidden problem an older house has.
What usually gets upgraded
The best whole-house remodels fix the things you cannot see along with the things you can.
- Electrical service and wiring, sized for modern loads
- Supply and drain lines, especially galvanized pipe and old cast iron
- Heating, cooling, and ventilation, resized for the new layout
- Insulation, air-sealing, and windows
- Kitchen, baths, flooring, millwork, and lighting
- Exterior: roof, siding or stucco, doors, and outdoor living
Remodel or tear down and rebuild?
A remodel usually makes sense when the structure and foundation are sound and the layout can be corrected without moving most walls. A rebuild starts to make sense when the foundation, framing, and every system all need replacing anyway.
We look at the house with you, walk through what each path would involve, and price the option you choose before anyone commits. If a new custom home is the better answer, we build those too.
How we run a whole-house remodel
Every project follows the same four steps.
- Consult: we walk the house, listen to how you want to live, and write down what is in this job
- Plan: drawings, a schedule, and a clear price before anyone starts
- Build: one crew, weekly updates and photos, and every change gets a written yes first
- Deliver: a walkthrough, a punch list, and we stand behind the work
Frequently asked questions
How much does a whole-house remodel cost in Los Angeles?
In Greater Los Angeles, a whole-home cosmetic refresh typically runs $150 to $250 per square foot, and a whole-home gut renovation $300 to $550 per square foot. Structural changes, system replacements, and finish level account for most of the difference. These are planning ranges, not a quote.
Can I live in the house during a whole-house remodel?
Usually not during a full gut renovation, because the systems are off and the work reaches every room. On a phased or partial remodel it is sometimes possible to keep part of the house livable. We talk through it during planning so you can arrange housing before work starts.
Should I remodel in phases or all at once?
Doing related work at once is almost always cheaper per unit of work, because each trade mobilizes once and walls open once. Phasing makes sense when cash flow requires it or when you need to stay in part of the home. The most expensive approach is phasing work that touches the same walls or systems twice.
Do you handle permits for a full renovation?
Yes. We coordinate plan check, permits, and inspections with the building department that covers your address, whether that is LADBS, Los Angeles County, or a neighboring city.
Is SAS Builds licensed?
Yes. SAS Builds holds California contractor License #1073990, issued by the Contractors State License Board. You can verify it for free at cslb.ca.gov.
