Whole Home Remodeling in Calabasas
Most homeowners who ask us about whole home remodeling in Calabasas already love their neighborhood. What they want to change is how the house actually lives. Many of these homes are two-story hillside or gated tract houses built between the 1970s and 1990s, largely developed as planned subdivisions in the years before the city incorporated in 1991, making Calabasas the newest city in Los Angeles County. Those homes often have large but dated kitchens centered on an island, with the family room kept formally separate. A whole home remodel addresses that as one coordinated project: rooms reworked together, walls relocated, plumbing and electrical brought current, and the work covered under a single permit pulled through the City of Calabasas Building and Safety Division. That scope is planned from the first walk-through, not figured out as we go.
Services We Offer
Structural & Seismic Work
Roof, Windows & Envelope
Additions & ADUs
Our Whole Home Remodeling Process in Calabasas
Whole home remodeling in Calabasas begins with a full walk-through of the house before a single drawing is made. Many homes here were built in the 1970s through the 1990s as part of planned hillside subdivisions, and decades of use mean attics, slabs, electrical panels, and supply lines all get a careful look before we commit anything to paper. Where something is uncertain, we investigate first, whether that means a sewer camera, asbestos testing on old textured ceilings, or a structural review of framing that was altered in a previous project. If any work falls near a protected oak on the property, we coordinate the oak tree permit required under the city’s ordinance before construction starts, since the City of Calabasas Building and Safety Division expects that paperwork to be in order upfront.
Once the existing conditions are documented, we draw the current layout and the proposed layout together, so changes happen on paper where they cost nothing. Structural engineering and Title 24 energy documents go into a single plan set submitted for one permit. Cabinets, tile, flooring, and fixtures for every room are selected at our Fullerton design center before demolition begins. Construction then follows a set sequence, demolition, structural work, rough plumbing, electrical and HVAC, inspections, insulation, drywall, and finishes, with one project manager carrying the job through final inspection.
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Whole home remodeling in Calabasas almost always means pulling a full building permit with plan check, because the work touches structure, mechanical systems, plumbing and electrical all at once. Those permits run through the City of Calabasas Building and Safety Division, and the review process reflects the hillside subdivision character of the city, where grading, setbacks and site conditions are often part of the conversation. If your property has a protected oak tree nearby, the city’s Oak Tree Ordinance can require a separate oak tree permit before any ground disturbance begins. We look at that early, since it can affect where materials stage, how exterior work is sequenced and which review path applies before a single wall comes down.
The age of the housing stock in Calabasas shapes nearly everything we find inside the walls. Most homes here were built between the 1970s and the 1990s, and that era brings predictable conditions: galvanized supply lines that have already outlived their useful life, electrical panels that were undersized from the start, popcorn ceilings that may contain asbestos, and flooring or duct wrap with the same concern. Suspect materials are tested before we disturb them, and any abatement goes to a licensed specialty contractor. Homes built before 1978 may also have lead-based paint, and we follow EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting rule requirements when that work is in scope. A whole home remodel is the most practical time to correct all of it, because the walls are already open.
Two California rules come up on nearly every project. State law requires water-conserving toilets, showerheads and faucets to replace older high-flow fixtures on many permitted remodels of homes built before 1994, so we work that into the fixture schedule from the beginning rather than discovering it at final inspection. California’s Title 24 energy code applies to remodels as well as new construction, and the 2025 standards cover permits filed on or after January 1, 2026. New windows, insulation, lighting and any HVAC changes all have to comply, and we prepare the required compliance documents with the plans.
Structure is the other major variable in these older two-story tract homes. Removing a load-bearing wall to open the kitchen toward the family room, a very common goal in Calabasas given how formally those spaces were separated at original construction, means an engineered beam, posts and sometimes new footings. Raised-floor houses may benefit from foundation bolting and cripple-wall bracing while the work area is accessible. Unpermitted additions and enclosed patios from prior decades are common and must be legalized or rebuilt before the city will sign off on the larger project. If additional square footage is part of the plan, state law also allows an ADU on most single-family lots and it can be designed alongside the remodel.
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 Whole Home Remodeling in Calabasas
Horizon Construction & Remodeling Inc. is a licensed and bonded general building contractor that has been doing this work since 2009. A whole home remodel is exactly the kind of project a Class B General Building license is built for: multiple trades, structural decisions, and coordinated permitting all moving at the same time under a single contract.
Many Calabasas homes date to the 1970s through the 1990s, and behind the finishes they often carry the surprises typical of that era, outdated wiring runs, aging plumbing, and insulation that no longer meets current Title 24 requirements. We are direct with homeowners about what an older house is likely to need once walls are open, and which items can reasonably wait without creating larger costs down the road. Permits for this work go through the City of Calabasas Building and Safety Division, and if your project touches anything near a protected oak tree on the property, an oak tree permit under the city’s ordinance may be required before construction can begin. We account for that early so it does not stall the schedule later.
One project manager carries your job from the first set of drawings through final inspection. The people coordinating the design are the same people talking to the crew in the field, so nothing gets lost between planning and build. Specialty trade portions are performed by appropriately licensed subcontractors we coordinate directly. Contact us to request a free estimate for your Calabasas whole home remodel.
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Whole Home Remodeling FAQ
How is a whole home remodel different from a regular home remodel?
A whole home remodel treats the house as one connected system rather than a series of separate jobs. Instead of updating a kitchen this year and a bathroom next year, multiple rooms are addressed at once, walls are moved or removed to reshape the floor plan, and plumbing, electrical, and HVAC are updated throughout. Everything is drawn, permitted through the City of Calabasas Building and Safety Division, and sequenced together, so trades move through once without reopening finished work later.
What's the difference between a whole home remodel and a complete home renovation?
A remodel changes layout and finishes, while a renovation restores what holds the house together: structure, windows, plumbing, wiring, and heating and cooling systems. Most whole home remodeling projects in Calabasas are some of both, especially in the two-story tract homes built across areas like Calabasas Hills and The Colony before the city even incorporated in 1991. We scope everything together, addressing what protects the house first, then systems that become hard to reach once walls close, then the finishes you live with every day.
Do we have to move out during a whole home remodel?
Whether you stay in your home during a whole home remodel in Calabasas depends on the scope of the project. If the kitchen and every bathroom are coming out at the same time, or floors and drywall are being replaced throughout, most families move out for at least the heaviest phases of construction. Some homeowners do stay when the work can be phased, keeping one bathroom operational and setting up a temporary kitchen in another room, though phasing adds time to the schedule. We walk through that trade-off once the plan is drawn.
How long does a whole home remodel take?
How long a whole home remodel in Calabasas takes depends on scope, how fast selections get made, and how smoothly plan check moves. The City of Calabasas Building and Safety Division handles permitting, and design plus plan check alone can run several weeks or more, often matching the length of construction itself. For the two-story tract homes that make up much of the city’s housing stock, construction typically runs several months, and longer projects involve structural work, additions, or surprises uncovered behind existing walls. We build a schedule specific to your home into the proposal, and getting drawings started early is the biggest factor in shortening your move-back-in date.
Who handles the permit for a whole home remodel in Calabasas?
Yes, we handle the full permit process for whole home remodeling in Calabasas. Our team prepares the plan set, structural engineering, and Title 24 energy documents, submits everything to the City of Calabasas Building and Safety Division, and works through plan-check comments until the permit is issued. Many of the hillside and gated tract homes built here before the city incorporated in 1991 also sit near protected oaks, so when that applies we account for the oak tree permit requirement before construction begins. We schedule and attend all required inspections, from framing through final, and if an HOA approval is also needed, we build that into the timeline.
What drives the cost of a whole home remodel?
Whole home remodeling costs vary too widely for us to publish ranges, because two houses the same size can land far apart in price. In Calabasas, where most homes are two-story hillside or gated tract builds from the 1970s through the 1990s, the biggest drivers tend to be structural changes like removing a load-bearing wall, relocating a kitchen or bathroom, how much repiping, rewiring, and panel work the house needs, any lead or asbestos handling, added square footage, and the finish level you choose. Your proposal breaks all of it out line by line, separating must-do items from options.
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Horizon is a licensed Class B general building contractor serving Calabasas and the surrounding Los Angeles County communities.