Whole-House Renovation in San Diego
From a cosmetic refresh to a full down-to-studs gut, we transform older and tired San Diego homes into the home you actually want to live in – with one fixed bid, one point of contact, and licensed, bonded & insured work throughout.
- Licensed CSLB #1004363
- Fixed written pricing
- Owner-led since 2014
- Workmanship warranty
Get a Free Whole-Home Renovation Quote
Tell us about your home and your goals. Our team will walk the property, talk through scope, and follow up with a clear, itemized fixed bid – no pressure and no guesswork.
CSLB #1004363
45 Google reviews
Across San Diego County
Owner-led, fixed-bid
A whole-house renovation is the most involved project most San Diego homeowners ever take on, and it deserves a contractor who treats it that way. San Diego Custom Home, Bathroom & Kitchen Remodeling has rebuilt and refreshed homes across San Diego County since 2014, and owner our team personally guides every project from the first walkthrough to the final punch list. Whether your 1950s Kensington bungalow needs new electrical, plumbing, and HVAC behind the walls, or your North County two-story simply needs updated finishes throughout, we scope it honestly, price it as a fixed bid, and run it through City and County permitting the right way. You get one point of contact, one accountable license holder, and a renovation managed so it stays on schedule and on budget.
What a Whole-House Renovation Includes
“Whole-house renovation” covers a wide range of scope, and the first job is figuring out where your project really falls on that spectrum. We’ll be straight with you about what your home needs versus what simply looks dated, so you spend money where it counts.
- Cosmetic refresh: New paint, flooring, interior doors, trim, lighting, and fixtures throughout, with kitchens and baths updated but walls largely left in place. The fastest, most affordable path when the bones and systems are sound.
- Mid-level renovation: Selective wall removal to open up floor plans, reworked kitchens and bathrooms, new cabinetry and countertops, and targeted upgrades to electrical, plumbing, or HVAC where they’re failing or undersized.
- Down-to-studs gut: Interior walls stripped to the framing so we can replace aging electrical wiring, repipe galvanized or cast-iron plumbing, add insulation, and modernize HVAC before all-new finishes go in. This is the path for older San Diego homes that have never been meaningfully updated.
- Structural & layout changes: Removing or relocating load-bearing walls, adding beams, reframing rooflines, addressing foundation issues, and reconfiguring how the home actually lives.
- Kitchens, bathrooms & finishes: The high-impact rooms, handled in-house: custom cabinetry, tile, stone, plumbing and lighting fixtures, and the detail work that makes a renovated home feel intentional rather than patched together.
If your project is also pushing into added square footage or a fully new structure, ask about our home additions and custom home building services, the same crew and the same single point of contact carry over.
Our Whole-Home Renovation Process
A renovation of this size only goes smoothly when the sequence is planned before the first wall comes down. Here is how we run every whole-house project:
- Consultation & assessment: our team walks the home with you, listens to how you want it to function, and inspects the systems most likely to drive cost: electrical panel and wiring, plumbing supply and drains, HVAC, the foundation, and any signs of structural or moisture problems. This is where we separate “needs” from “wants.”
- Design & fixed-bid proposal: We translate your goals into a clear scope, finalize layouts and finish selections, and deliver an itemized fixed bid. You know the price before work starts, the exact number is locked in after the walkthrough and design, not adjusted on you mid-project.
- Permits & approvals: We pull the required City of San Diego or County permits, coordinate any structural engineering, and build Title 24 energy compliance into the plans so inspections pass the first time.
- Phased construction: Demolition, rough systems (electrical, plumbing, HVAC), framing and structural work, inspections, insulation and drywall, then cabinetry, tile, and finishes, sequenced so trades aren’t tripping over each other and the project keeps moving.
- Final walkthrough: We walk every room with you, build and complete a punch list, confirm inspections are signed off, and don’t consider the job done until you do.
Updating Older San Diego Homes
San Diego County has a huge stock of homes built in the 1920s through the 1970s, charming, well-located, and often hiding outdated systems behind the plaster. Much of the real value in a whole-house renovation is the work you never see once it’s finished.
- Electrical: Replacing knob-and-tube or aluminum wiring, upgrading undersized panels, adding dedicated and GFCI/AFCI circuits, and bringing the home up to current code so it’s safe and insurable.
- Plumbing: Repiping failing galvanized steel or cast-iron supply and drain lines, relocating plumbing for new kitchen and bath layouts, and upgrading water heating.
- HVAC: Adding or modernizing heating and cooling, improving ductwork and ventilation, and right-sizing systems for how San Diego homes actually use them.
- Title 24 energy upgrades: California’s energy code is triggered on most major renovations. We build in compliant insulation, windows, lighting, and high-efficiency equipment as part of the plan rather than as a surprise at inspection.
- Structural & foundation: Addressing settling, post-and-pier or slab issues, dry rot, and termite damage, and reinforcing framing when we open up walls or remove load-bearing elements.
- Preserving character: Modernizing what’s behind the walls while protecting the original details, coved ceilings, hardwood floors, archways, and period trim, that give older San Diego homes their charm.
What a Whole-House Renovation Costs in San Diego
Whole-house renovation costs in San Diego vary widely based on the age and condition of the home, how much you’re changing behind the walls, and the level of finishes you choose. Pricing is most useful expressed per square foot. These are typical ranges – the exact price is a fixed bid after a walkthrough, not a quote.
- Cosmetic refresh: Roughly $70–$150 per square foot. New paint, flooring, fixtures, and lighting throughout, with light kitchen and bath updates and systems left largely in place.
- Mid-level renovation: Roughly $150–$300 per square foot. Reworked kitchens and bathrooms, some wall changes, new cabinetry and counters, and targeted electrical, plumbing, or HVAC upgrades.
- Down-to-studs gut: Roughly $300–$500+ per square foot. Full replacement of electrical, plumbing, and HVAC, new insulation and drywall, structural changes, and all-new finishes. Higher-end materials, complex layouts, and significant structural or foundation work push toward and beyond the top of this range.
For a 1,800-square-foot home, that’s a wide span, which is exactly why we don’t hand out a single number over the phone. After our team walks your home and we finalize scope and selections, you get one itemized fixed bid so there are no moving targets once construction starts. Permit fees and any required engineering are spelled out as part of that bid.
Why San Diego Homeowners Choose Us
- Fully licensed: CSLB #1004363, bonded & insured. You’re working with an accountable license holder, not an unlicensed handyman or a faceless sales operation.
- Owner-led, one point of contact: Owner our team is personally involved from the first walkthrough through the final punch list. You always know who’s responsible for your project.
- Fixed-bid pricing: A clear, itemized price locked in after the walkthrough and design, not an estimate that creeps upward as the job goes on.
- San Diego experience since 2014: 10+ years renovating homes across San Diego County, including older properties that need real work behind the walls, with full command of City and County permitting and Title 24.
The difference is in the contract
| What matters | San Diego Custom Remodeling | Typical contractor |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed written bid before any work starts | Always | Often vague or hourly |
| One accountable team, never subcontracted out | Yes | Frequently subbed |
| Licensed, bonded & insured (CSLB #1004363) | Yes | Not always |
| Permits pulled and inspections coordinated | Every job | Sometimes skipped |
| Written workmanship warranty | Yes | Rarely |
Project gallery
One written price. No surprise change orders.
After we walk your space, you get a single itemized bid for the agreed scope. If it is not in the contract, you do not pay for it. Every project is backed by a written workmanship warranty and the work of a licensed, bonded, and insured San Diego team.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a whole-house renovation cost per square foot in San Diego?
In San Diego, a cosmetic refresh typically runs about $70–$150 per square foot, a mid-level renovation about $150–$300 per square foot, and a down-to-studs gut about $300–$500+ per square foot. Older homes that need new electrical, plumbing, HVAC, or structural work sit at the higher end. These are typical ranges, your exact price is a fixed bid we provide after our team walks the home and we finalize scope and finishes.
How long does a whole-house renovation take?
Timeline depends on scope. A cosmetic refresh often takes a few weeks to a couple of months, a mid-level renovation commonly runs 3–5 months, and a full down-to-studs gut with structural and systems work typically runs 6–9 months or more, including design and permitting. City and County permit review, inspections, and material lead times all factor in. We give you a realistic phased schedule with your fixed bid so you know what to expect before work begins.
Can we live in the home during the renovation?
Sometimes, and we’ll be honest with you about it. For a cosmetic or room-by-room renovation, many homeowners stay put while we phase the work so at least one kitchen and bathroom remain usable. For a down-to-studs gut, where power, water, and HVAC are offline and the home is full of dust and construction, moving out is usually safer, faster, and less stressful. We’ll talk through living-in versus moving-out during the walkthrough so you can plan ahead.
Do whole-house renovations in San Diego require permits?
Yes. Structural changes, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and most major renovations require permits from the City of San Diego or the County, depending on where you live, and California’s Title 24 energy code is typically triggered. As your licensed contractor (CSLB #1004363), we pull the required permits, coordinate any structural engineering, and schedule inspections so the work is documented, code-compliant, and won’t become a problem when you sell or insure the home.
Should I renovate or just tear down and rebuild?
It depends on the home’s condition and your goals. If the foundation and structure are sound and you love the location and character, a renovation, even a down-to-studs gut, is usually the better value and preserves what makes the home special. If the structure is severely compromised, the layout can’t deliver what you want, or renovation costs approach the cost of new construction, building new can make more sense. Our team will give you an honest assessment, and we offer custom home building if a rebuild is the right call.
What gets updated behind the walls in a whole-house renovation?
The work you don’t see is often the most important. In older San Diego homes, a down-to-studs renovation typically replaces aging or unsafe electrical wiring and undersized panels, repipes failing galvanized or cast-iron plumbing, modernizes HVAC and ductwork, adds insulation, and reinforces framing or addresses foundation issues. We bring these systems up to current code and Title 24 standards before any new finishes go in, so the home is safe, efficient, and sound for decades, not just pretty on the surface.