Home remodeling projects come in all shapes and sizes, but whole-house remodels are the biggest and most extensive.
When people talk about renovating "down to the studs," they're talking about a whole home remodel. For homeowners, this type of project is a serious undertaking, but it's also an opportunity to transform their entire house and ensure that every detail fits their needs and preferences.
In this post, we'll explain what goes into a whole home remodel and who it makes sense for. We'll also give an overview of the steps involved, from brainstorming to construction to moving into a newly renovated home.
In a whole house remodel, your home is taken down to the studs and then reconstructed with a fresh design. It's like getting a new home but without having to move to a new place.
In most cases, renovating your entire home involves significant changes to the floor plan, which can mean taking out existing walls, adding rooms or bathrooms, and reworking plumbing, electrical wiring, and HVAC infrastructure.
In these home remodeling projects, it's also common to build out an addition or create a new indoor-outdoor space.
This type of gut remodeling and custom redesign is different than what house flippers do, which is usually just cosmetic. A true whole-house remodel gets into structural changes that can at times seem equivalent to new construction.
Not every homeowner wants or needs a whole home remodel. In our experience, these projects make the most sense for:
Fully remodeling a home takes time and planning. For most homeowners, it can be hard to know how to get started and what the process should look like. I'll try to offer some clarity by going over the 10 steps to the process of whole home remodeling.
The best home renovations need high-end design work, so you'll want to find a designer with proven experience handling significant remodeling projects. Ask friends and family for referrals, check online reviews, and reach out to well-established remodelers in your area.
When looking for a designer, consider hiring a design-build firm. These firms manage remodeling projects from beginning to end with a single contract. With the design-build approach, the designer and the construction team work collaboratively from day one, which can make for a more seamless and efficient remodeling process.
Reflect on each designer's communication style and whether you would feel comfortable working with them during a major project. Also, ask for references and examples of their work from prior whole-home renovations.
For the next step, you want to think about why you want to remodel and what you want to see in an upgraded version of your home. Your designer will help guide you through this process.
You can start by listing out all your grievances with your existing home. Whether it's a minor annoyance or a major disruption, take note.
Next, you get to brainstorm about your dream home. It could be a totally reworked floor plan, a home theater or gym, or a basement bar with custom cabinetry and premium materials. Go wild, and whatever ideas come to you, jot them down.
After that, you'll want to look at what you've written down and start identifying priorities. At this point, you don't have to make final decisions, but you should develop a sense of the "must-haves" for your remodel.
Keep in mind that you're probably not going to want to take your house down to the studs ever again. So don't leave out important elements that will be far easier to take care of when your whole home is being remodeled.
Next, your design team will get to work on a conceptual design for your whole house remodeling project.
In this phase, you'll have a chance to review drawings with different options and give feedback to the designer. Over time, you'll move closer and closer to approving a detailed plan for the renovation of each part of your home.
The next step is to get an estimate of your home renovation project budget.
If you work with a standalone designer or architect, they may be able to give you some very rough estimates of what they think the different layout and finish options will cost. On the other hand, if you hire a design-build firm, your team will be estimating building costs throughout the design process to help you stay within a comfortable budget and let you make informed design choices based on real numbers.
Any home renovation project can be expensive, but, as you'd expect, the total cost is higher for a project of this scope. There's no standard whole home renovation cost because the budget depends on various factors, including:
If you're looking for a way to save money, you can consider redesigning only the first floor of your house. While not technically a whole home renovation, a main floor overhaul can give your home a new feel and enhanced functionality at a lower cost.
Before getting ready for construction, your remodeler has to complete the design stage. A major remodel may require review and approval by a structural engineer or architect.
Part of finalizing the design is making decisions about different fixtures and finishes. You can work with the designer to pick out things like appliances, window treatments, light fixtures, and any other items that a contractor will need to install during the project.
If you go the design-build route, your remodeler will finish the iterative design process by giving you a fixed bid for the entire project.
If you hire a design-build firm, you get to skip this step entirely. With the design-build model, there's a seamless handoff from the designer to the production team, which already has your remodel on their schedule.
If you went with a standalone designer in Step #1, you will need to take your building plans and specs and shop around for a suitable general contractor. As you start getting bids or estimates back from contractors, those will be the first "real-world" numbers you will see for your project.
Often, these figures are higher than homeowners expect (and they may be higher than a designer estimated as well). If you find that the plans that you so carefully developed with your designer are too costly to build, then you'll have to go back to Step #5 for value engineering to scale back the project and find cost savings.
Both you and the remodeler are involved in preparing for the actual work to start.
Your remodeler will handle things like pulling permits and lining up subcontractors for things like plumbing, electrical work, painting, and carpentry. They'll also source materials and make sure they are on hand so that the project can stay on schedule.
Since your entire house is going to be undergoing a renovation, you will probably need to find another place to stay for at least a period of time. Before kicking off any demolition, you may need to move furniture or other items out of the way so that they don't get damaged and so that the remodeler has room to work.
This step of the home renovation process goes room by room to transform your home. Typically, a project manager will keep you in the loop as work progresses and let you know of any changes to the schedule or if any unexpected problems or costs arise.
Once the heavy lifting is done, there are still a few loose ends to wrap up. You'll do a walkthrough with the remodeler and take note of anything that needs to go on the "punch list" of items to finish.
You or the remodeler may need to arrange for inspections to ensure that all the plumbing and electrical work meets local building codes.
Once all of these items are complete, you can consider the project finished.
Moving back into your home is the best part of any home renovation. You'll get to experience first-hand all the benefits of your efforts to plan the remodel.
With the remodeling done, you get to reap the benefits of what often feels like a brand-new house.
Our company has been proudly serving the Geneva, Northern Illinois, and Southern Wisconsin areas for 25 years. We have expertise in all aspects of home remodeling, and our designers are passionate about helping clients feel happier in their homes.
To learn more about us, take a look at our website and portfolio, or you can reach out and schedule a call or in-home visit to discuss your remodeling plans.