Whole-House Remodel in Los Angeles, CA

Full home renovation: what the finish package covers

Think of a full home renovation as two contracts that have to meet in the middle. One is the build. The other is a finish schedule, a single list that names every surface in every room.

Each line in that table has its own detailed page, starting with kitchen cabinets, bathroom vanities and flooring installation.

Remodel before moving in: using the empty-house window

The easiest time to remodel a whole house is between closing and move-in. Floors can run wall to wall without furniture in the way, dust is not settling on belongings, and trades can work long days. The catch is timing: the clock starts at closing, so finishes need to be chosen and ordered while escrow is still open. A practical approach is to visit the showroom with the listing photos and the inspection report, settle the kitchen and floor, and have the contractor confirm dimensions on the first day of access.

Inspection findings that point to a whole-house job

• Galvanized supply pipes or a cast iron main drain, which means walls and floors will be opened anyway.
• An original 1950s or 1960s kitchen and baths, with no updates since the house was built.
• Sloping or bouncy floors on a raised foundation that need subfloor work before any new flooring.
• A mix of carpet, sheet vinyl and tile layered over each other in the main rooms.
• Wiring or panel upgrades flagged by the inspector, which bring permits and wall openings with them.

How do you sequence an interior renovation?

The order matters because each finish protects or depends on the one before it. A typical sequence for an interior renovation:

1. Demolition, then framing changes, plumbing, electrical and HVAC rough-in.
2. Rough inspections, insulation and drywall.
3. Primer and first coats of paint while floors are still bare.
4. Cabinets, then a template for slab countertops once the boxes are set.
5. Countertops, then backsplash and shower tile.
6. Hard flooring, plus a protective covering while trim and fixtures go in.
7. Final paint touch-ups, then carpet in bedrooms and on stairs.

Some crews prefer to lay hardwood before cabinets so the floor runs underneath; others stop at the cabinet toe kick to save material. Agree on this before ordering, since it changes the square footage.

Planning finishes for a whole house remodel in Los Angeles at the showroom

1. 1

   Bring the plan set

   The contractor’s floor plan, elevations if there are any, and a list of rooms with rough square footage.

2. 2

   Choose the anchors

   Settle the flooring that runs through the house, plus the kitchen’s cabinet color and counter, side by side.

3. 3

   Build each room from the anchors

   Bath vanities, tops and tile chosen to work with the main floor and cabinet tone.

4. 4

   Write the finish schedule

   Every product, color, size and quantity by room, with overage for cuts.

5. 5

   Confirm with the contractor

   Cabinet sizes, appliance widths, plumbing locations and floor heights checked against the plans.

6. 6

   Order and stage deliveries

   Ask for expected arrival windows and schedule deliveries to match the build, not before the house is ready.

What drives whole home remodel cost?

• Structural and system work: walls moved, plumbing rerouted, electrical panels upgraded.
• Square footage of new flooring, plus removal of old floors and subfloor leveling.
• Number of kitchens and baths, which carry the most cabinetry, stone and tile.
• Finish level by room: a slab counter in the kitchen with prefab tops in secondary baths balances quality and spend.
• Condition of the house: hidden water damage, termite repairs or outdated wiring found during demolition.
• Changes mid-project, which are the most expensive kind of decision.

Choosing a house remodel contractor

A whole-house job needs a general contractor with a B general building license from the CSLB, who coordinates the trades and pulls permits. In the City of LA, those permits come from LADBS; other cities and unincorporated LA County have their own departments. Verify the license, look for a written scope that names who supplies and installs each finish, and make sure the payment schedule follows completed work. If the project grows to include a new bedroom or a bump-out, the room additions page covers how finishes are matched to new construction. Under that prime contractor, each specialty sub should hold its own CSLB classification, such as C-36 for plumbing, C-10 for electrical, C-54 for tile and C-15 for flooring. New lighting, windows and HVAC in an alteration also have to meet the California Energy Commission’s Title 24, Part 6 energy code, which the permit inspection checks.

After the move: protecting new floors and cabinets

Moving day is hard on a new house. Put felt pads under furniture before it comes in, lay runners on main paths, and never drag appliances across hardwood or vinyl. Keep humidity steady: wood floors and cabinet doors can gap slightly during a dry Santa Ana spell and close up again later. Seal grout and natural stone once the house is occupied and settled, and keep a box of each tile and a few flooring planks for future repairs.

Why Adcom for a home makeover in Los Angeles

• Every surface in one showroom, which keeps a whole-house palette consistent.
• Cabinets in a choice of colors and sizes, prefab or slab counters, and flooring from carpet to hardwood at different price levels.
• Installation of the selected products on request, coordinated with the general contractor.
• Residential and commercial projects are both named on the business’s own websites, useful for mixed-use or investment properties; see commercial remodeling.

Whole-house buyers and owners bring plans in from Burbank, Glendale, Calabasas and Los Angeles neighborhoods across the Valley.