General Contractor in Palm Springs
Any Palm Springs project that crosses trade lines and requires a building permit calls for a licensed general contractor to carry it through. Horizon Construction and Remodeling is a California Class B general building contractor serving Palm Springs, and we manage remodels, additions and new construction from the first drawing to the final inspection sign-off. Much of the city’s housing stock dates to the late 1940s through the mid 1960s, including the roughly 2,200 post and beam homes the Alexander Construction Company built across neighborhoods like Racquet Club Estates, Twin Palms and Deepwell Estates. Those low slope roofs, deep overhangs and floor to ceiling glass walls make for striking homes, and updating one typically pulls framing, plumbing, electrical and finishes into a single coordinated job, which is exactly the work a Class B license covers.
Services We Offer
Room Additions & ADUs
Whole Home Remodels
New Construction
About Working with a General Contractor in Palm Springs
Working with a general contractor in Palm Springs begins with a site visit and a written scope of work, so both sides agree on exactly what is being built before any contract is signed. Because so much of the city’s housing stock dates to the Alexander Construction era of the late 1940s through the mid 1960s, many projects involve mid century post and beam structures that require a structural engineer or energy consultant at the drawing stage. If your home carries a Class 1 or Class 2 historic designation, we identify that early and account for the Certificate of Appropriateness process with the Historic Site Preservation Board before exterior work is priced or scheduled.
Once drawings are complete, we submit plans to the City of Palm Springs Building Safety Department, respond to plan-check comments and pull the permit. All material and fixture selections happen before crews arrive, keeping the schedule intact. A single project manager coordinates every trade in sequence, issues written change orders for any scope adjustments, and at close calls for final inspection, collects lien releases and walks the finished job with you.
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Permits for general contracting work in Palm Springs run through the City of Palm Springs Building Safety Department. What makes this city different from many others is the historic designation layer that sits on top of the standard permit process. Properties classified as Class 1 or Class 2 historic resources require a Certificate of Appropriateness before any exterior alteration or demolition can move forward, a decision made by the Historic Site Preservation Board or the Historic Preservation Officer. Interior-only work is exempt from that review, but anything touching a facade, a roofline, or the street-facing character of the structure triggers it. Given how many homes in neighborhoods like Racquet Club Estates, Twin Palms, and Vista Las Palmas were built during the Alexander Construction Company era of the late 1940s through the mid-1960s, that designation affects a significant share of remodeling projects here.
We account for those layers before a contract is signed, not after plan check sends a set back for revision. The drawings, the schedule, and the bid all need to reflect the actual approval path for your specific property. Skipping that step early is one of the most common reasons remodels in historic districts run over time and over budget.
A Class B general building license covers projects involving at least two unrelated building trades, or any framing and carpentry, on a structure people live or work in. A specialty licensee can do excellent work within a single trade but cannot legally act as prime contractor on a multi-trade remodel. Before signing with any contractor in Palm Springs, look up the license number on the Contractors State License Board website. The record should be active, show the correct classification, carry the company’s legal name, and reflect whether a bond and workers’ compensation coverage are on file.
California’s Business and Professions Code 7159 requires home improvement contracts to be in writing and include a description of the work, a payment schedule tied to work actually completed, and specific consumer notices including cancellation rights. Under Business and Professions Code 7159.5, the down payment a contractor may request is capped by state law, and progress payments cannot run ahead of completed work. If a contractor asks for a large sum before work begins, that is a warning sign worth taking seriously. Subcontractors and suppliers who go unpaid can record a mechanics lien against your property even if you paid the general contractor in full, which is why collecting lien releases as payments go out is standard practice on any well-run job.
Other Remodeling Services We Offer
A kitchen remodel touches more trades than any other room in the house: layout, cabinetry, plumbing, electrical, ventilation and finishes. Horizon designs and builds kitchen remodels under one contract, from the measured layout to the final inspection.
Whether you envision a classic Southern California pool or a fully customized backyard oasis, Horizon Construction & Remodeling delivers the highest level of quality and service. Our comprehensive pool design and remodeling services cover everything from layout and decking to built-in BBQs and final touches like landscaping. Let Horizon be your trusted partner in transforming your backyard into the perfect outdoor retreat.
If you are planning a complete bathroom remodel or simply want to change your tub, shower, update your plumbing fixtures, or make the space more efficient, our team at Horizon will help you through the process with expert advice, professional craftsmanship, and affordable options with beautiful results. Learn more about our bathroom remodeling services.
Transform your space with our expert interior work services. We offer a comprehensive range of solutions — from space planning and custom design to the selection of high-quality finishes and materials. Our team of experienced professionals works closely with you to create a space that’s both functional and stylish, tailored to your unique needs, goals, and budget. Whether you’re updating a single room or overhauling your entire interior, we bring precision, creativity, and craftsmanship to every project.
At Horizon, we believe your home is more than just four walls — it’s where life happens. It’s the place you relax, gather with family and friends, and create lasting memories. That’s why we offer a full range of exterior work services designed to elevate your outdoor living space. From patios and hardscaping to custom decks and exterior renovations, we help turn your vision into a dream yard that complements your lifestyle and enhances curb appeal.
At Horizon Construction & Remodeling, our expert team includes a dedicated design and planning division that works hand-in-hand with licensed architects and structural engineers. We take care of everything — from detailed plans and blueprints to securing city permits — so you don’t have to deal with delays or red tape. Our goal is to streamline the process and provide a fully approved set of documents that aligns with both your vision and city regulations, saving you time and stress.
Why Choose Horizon Remodeling For General Contractor in Palm Springs
Horizon Construction & Remodeling Inc. has held a Class B General Building license since 2009 and is licensed and bonded. The license number on your contract is the same one used when permits are pulled, which matters in Palm Springs where work goes through the City of Palm Springs Building Safety Department. For homeowners in historic neighborhoods such as Racquet Club Estates or Vista Las Palmas, that permitting step can also involve a Certificate of Appropriateness before any exterior work begins, and having a single licensed contractor managing that process keeps things moving.
We work under a design-build structure, meaning drawings, engineering coordination, permits, and construction all sit within one contract and one project manager. The person who planned the work is directly accountable for how it gets built. That accountability is most important on the projects a general contractor exists for: whole-home remodels, room additions, ADUs, structural changes, and ground-up new construction.
Many Palm Springs homes date to the late 1940s through the mid-1960s, with post-and-beam construction, low-slope roofs, and compact original kitchens that homeowners now want to reconfigure. Coordinating multiple trades correctly on that kind of structure is exactly where our approach holds its value.
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General Contractor FAQ
Do I need a general contractor for my project in Palm Springs?
For any project in Palm Springs that pulls a building permit, crosses two or more unrelated trades, or touches structural framing, California generally requires a licensed contractor holding the right classification, and a multi-trade job calls for a Class B general building contractor. Owner-builder status is an option on your own home, but it shifts every scheduling decision, inspection, and potential employer obligation onto you personally. In a city where so many homes are mid-century post-and-beam structures in historically sensitive neighborhoods like Vista Las Palmas or Deepwell Estates, that paperwork load adds up fast, and most homeowners find that managing it alongside an addition, a whole-home remodel, or a new build is effectively a second full-time job.
Who pulls the permit, and who deals with the inspector?
Yes, Horizon pulls permits directly under our license through the City of Palm Springs Building Safety Department, and we carry responsibility for passing every inspection from start to finish. That covers foundation and framing through rough trade work and on to the final sign-off. If an inspector flags something, we fix it and schedule the re-inspection. We close out the permit when the job is done, which keeps the work on record with the city and matters whenever you refinance or sell.
How long does a general contractor project take?
How long a project takes depends on what the scope involves and how the local permit process unfolds. In Palm Springs, where so many homes date to the Alexander-era construction boom of the late 1940s through the mid-1960s, design and engineering for a larger remodel or addition often run several weeks to a few months before plan check even begins, and the City of Palm Springs Building Safety Department’s review can add several more weeks depending on workload and correction rounds. A single-room remodel typically runs several weeks in the field, while a whole-home remodel, addition, or new build usually takes many months. We give you a realistic schedule once scope is defined, not a guarantee.
What drives the cost of a general contractor project?
Cost in a general contracting project is shaped first by scope and structure. Adding square footage, relocating walls, or altering a roofline pulls in engineering, framing, and additional inspections, all of which affect the budget. Bringing electrical service up to date, replacing aging plumbing, or satisfying current Title 24 energy requirements adds further work. In Palm Springs, where so many homes are mid-century post-and-beam structures in neighborhoods like Twin Palms or Racquet Club Estates, site conditions, finish selections, and any historic designation also factor in. Changes after construction begins are the single most avoidable cost driver, so we lock selections down before the first nail goes in.
How much can a contractor ask for up front?
California law caps the down payment a contractor can collect on a home improvement contract, and after that initial payment, what you owe should track the work that has actually been completed. A contract demanding a large portion of the total before anyone lifts a tool is a warning sign worth taking seriously. In Palm Springs, where many mid-century modern homes in neighborhoods like Twin Palmas and Deepwell Estates are subject to historic review before exterior work can begin, a clear payment schedule tied to defined project milestones matters even more. Our contracts follow the statute, spell out each payment against a specific stage of work, and include the consumer notices California requires.
Do you use subcontractors?
Yes, like nearly every general contractor, we use licensed specialty subcontractors for certain trades, and those subs work on our schedule and under our direct supervision. We take responsibility for their work, pay them and suppliers on time, and provide lien releases as each payment goes out, so a preliminary notice is routine paperwork rather than a cause for concern. In Palm Springs, where so many mid-century modern homes in neighborhoods like Twin Palms or Racquet Club Estates carry historic designations that add permitting layers, having one project manager coordinate every trade matters more than it might elsewhere.
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Horizon is a licensed Class B general building contractor serving Palm Springs and the surrounding Riverside County communities.