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Doing it all at once is often the simpler project.

A whole-home remodel lets you fix the plan, the systems and the finishes together, with one design, one permit and one disruption. It is a big decision, so it pays to understand the sequence before you start.

A renovated single-story Palos Verdes home with a new open plan, clerestory windows and a terrace facing the ocean

Why all at once

The benefits of a complete renovation.

Remodeling room by room over years means opening the same walls more than once, living through several rounds of disruption, and fitting new rooms around an old plan. A complete renovation lets the layout change to suit how you live now: kitchen to the view, bedrooms away from the street, glass where the light is.

It is also the moment to replace what you cannot see: wiring, plumbing, insulation, windows and drainage. Those are the parts that make a house comfortable and quiet for the next thirty years.

Open-plan living and dining room with clerestory light and a long view to the Pacific
  1. One design, so rooms work together
  2. One permit and one period of disruption
  3. New systems behind new finishes
  4. A plan built around the view and the light

How long it takes

Most of the calendar happens before construction.

For a 2,500 square foot whole-home remodel, our timeline planner shows about 35 weeks end to end in Rancho Palos Verdes, 37 in Palos Verdes Estates and 41 in Rolling Hills: six weeks of design, the city's review, about thirteen weeks of construction and two of inspections. The difference between cities is review time.

The same scope costs roughly $742k–$1.96M in Rancho Palos Verdes at a premium finish; finish level and how much structure changes decide where in that range it lands.

Chart: weeks to complete a 2,500 square foot whole-home remodel. Palos Verdes Estates 37 weeks, Rolling Hills 41 weeks, Rancho Palos Verdes 35 weeks, split into design, permit review, construction and inspections.
  1. Rancho Palos VerdesAbout 35 weeks
  2. Palos Verdes EstatesAbout 37 weeks
  3. Rolling HillsAbout 41 weeks
  4. Association review, where required, runs alongside the city permit

Complete-remodel tips

Five decisions to make early

  1. Decide the plan before the finishes

    Layout changes are cheap on paper and expensive on site. Settle walls, windows and stairs first.

  2. Budget a contingency

    Older homes hide surprises. Hold back part of the budget for what opening the walls reveals.

  3. Order long-lead items early

    Windows, doors, stone and appliances can take months. Ordering late is the commonest cause of delay.

  4. Plan where you will live

    For a full remodel, moving out is usually faster and cheaper than working around occupants.

  5. Check city and association rules first

    Know your approval path before drawings, so the design is approved once.

Common questions

Whole-home remodel questions

Remodel or rebuild?

If the foundation and structure are sound and the plan can be made to work, a remodel usually costs less and keeps what is good. If most of the structure has to change anyway, compare it honestly with building new.

How firm are these figures?

Figures are planning ranges from our cost estimator (2024 Southern California base rates, adjusted for each city and finish level). They are not a bid; a site visit and drawings set the real number.

Next

See the schedule for your city.

The timeline planner shows design, review, construction and inspection weeks for your project and city.

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