A whole-home remodel is the biggest project most homeowners will ever take on. It touches every room. It runs for months. And it raises the same question every time: who is actually running this job?
At HH Builders, the answer is one contractor. Us. Here's how we run a whole-home remodel, step by step, so you know what to expect before the first wall comes down.
Step 1: The walkthrough
We start by walking your house with you. Every room. You tell us what works, what doesn't, and what you want the house to become. We look at structure, layout, plumbing, and electrical while we're at it, because in a whole-home remodel, everything connects.
By the end of the walkthrough, you should have a clear sense of what's realistic and what it involves. No vague promises. Just a straight conversation about your house.
Step 2: The plan and the scope
Next, we turn that conversation into a plan. Which rooms get rebuilt, which get refreshed, and in what order. Kitchens and bathrooms are usually the heaviest lifts - cabinets, counters, plumbing, flooring - but a whole-home remodel also means the rooms in between. Living areas, bedrooms, hallways. All of it moves as one project, not five separate ones.
A written scope matters here. It tells everyone what's included, so there are no surprises halfway through.
Step 3: Permits
Remodeling work in Los Angeles needs permits. We handle that. Permit records show our track record: 230 permitted projects, and a General Building license, #743872, verified active.
Permits take time, and it's tempting to skip them. Don't. Permitted work protects you when you sell, and it means the work gets inspected. We build it to pass.
Step 4: Demolition and rough work
This is the loud part. Walls come out, and the house looks worse before it looks better. That's normal.
Once demolition is done, the rough work goes in: framing, plumbing, electrical, and any structural work the plan calls for. This is where having one contractor pays off. These trades don't work in isolation - the plumber's rough-in needs to line up with the cabinet plan, the electrician's layout needs to match the lighting design. We coordinate all of it, so nothing gets torn out and redone because two trades didn't talk.
We've done structural work on homes before, including shoring piles to address settlement issues. If your remodel uncovers something structural, it stays in the same hands instead of becoming a new problem for a new contractor.
Step 5: Inspection checkpoints
As rough work finishes, it gets inspected. Framing, plumbing, electrical - each gets signed off before walls close up. This isn't paperwork for its own sake. Once drywall goes up, hidden work is expensive to fix. Inspections catch problems while they're still cheap to fix.
Step 6: Closing the walls
Insulation goes in, then drywall, then texture and paint. Suddenly the house looks like a house again, and the project starts to feel real. This is also when most homeowners stop feeling like they live in a construction site and start feeling like they live in a home that's nearly done.
Step 7: Finishes
Now the visible work: flooring, cabinets, counters, tile, fixtures, doors, trim. Kitchens and bathrooms get the most attention here, but every room gets finished to the same standard.
This stage rewards good planning. Materials ordered early arrive on time. Trades follow each other in a sensible sequence instead of getting in each other's way. That sequencing is our job, and we've had 28 years to get good at it.
Step 8: The punch list
No remodel ends perfectly. There's always a short list: a door that needs adjusting, a scratch on a cabinet, a switch plate that sits crooked. We walk the house with you, write the list down, and work through it. The job isn't done when we say it is. It's done when you say it is.
What one contractor means for you
Here's the practical difference. On a whole-home remodel, you might otherwise hire a general contractor, then find your own cabinet installer, tile setter, painter, and flooring crew - and referee between them when schedules collide.
With us, you have one number to call. One person accountable for the schedule, the quality, and the result. If the flooring crew finishes early and the counters aren't in yet, that's our problem to solve, not yours.
Questions we get
How long will it take? Honestly, it depends on the scope. A whole-home remodel is measured in months, not weeks. We'll give you a realistic timeline for your specific project, and we keep you posted as it moves.
Do we have to move out? Often, yes, at least for the heavy demolition and rough-work stages. Some families stay through parts of it. We'll talk through what your project realistically allows.
Can we do part of the house now and part later? Yes, but planning it as one project from the start - even if you build it in phases - saves rework later.
Talk to us
If you're thinking about a whole-home remodel, kitchen, bathroom, or an addition, call us at +8772494210 or email info@hhbuildersinc.com. We're open 8am to 10pm, every day of the week.
We're busy with the work, and we're happy to talk about yours.