Whole Home Remodeling in Colton
Most homeowners who ask us about whole home remodeling in Colton are happy with their neighborhood but frustrated with how their house functions. Colton’s housing stock spans from postwar single-story bungalows to 1980s and 1990s tract houses, most of them stucco, with closed-off kitchens and separate dining rooms that feel out of step with the way families use space today. The median build year sits around 1983, which means many homes also carry aging plumbing, wiring, and finishes that need to be brought current. A whole home remodel addresses all of that in one coordinated project, moving walls, reconfiguring the floor plan, and updating systems under a single permit pulled through the City of Colton Building and Safety Division. That is a fundamentally different undertaking than a single-room job, and we approach the planning accordingly from the first walk-through.
Services We Offer
Structural & Seismic Work
Roof, Windows & Envelope
Additions & ADUs
Our Whole Home Remodeling Process in Colton
Whole home remodeling in Colton begins with a full walk-through of the house before a single line gets drawn. Many homes here were built between the postwar years and the 1990s tract-housing boom, and that age range means we routinely find things that have to be resolved early: textured ceilings that may contain asbestos, framing altered by previous owners, panels that have not kept pace with modern loads, and supply lines approaching the end of their useful life. We use a sewer camera, asbestos testing, and a structural look at the framing when something is in question, because finding it on paper costs far less than finding it mid-build.
Once the existing conditions are documented, we draw both the current layout and the proposed one so you can review and revise before anything is ordered. Structural engineering and Title 24 energy documents go into a single plan set submitted to the City of Colton Building and Safety Division for one permit. Selections for cabinets, tile, flooring, and fixtures are made at our Fullerton design center before demolition starts. Work then follows a fixed sequence, rough trades, inspections, insulation, drywall, and finishes, with one project manager carrying the job through final inspection.
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A whole home remodel in Colton almost always requires a full building permit with plan check, because the work touches structure, mechanical systems, plumbing and electrical at the same time. Those permits go through the City of Colton Building and Safety Division, and unlike some jurisdictions, no unusual local overlay adds a separate layer of review. That means the governing factors are the California building code and the age of the house itself, which we confirm against your scope during our first site visit. Getting that right early matters, because it can affect exterior materials, setbacks and the review path well before any walls come down.
Colton’s housing stock runs from late-nineteenth-century structures near the historic core through postwar bungalows and into 1980s and 1990s tract houses, with a median build year around 1983. That range shapes what we find inside the walls. Homes built before 1978 may contain lead-based paint, and any work that disturbs it must follow the EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting rule; specialty trade portions of that work are handled by appropriately credentialed subcontractors we coordinate. Popcorn ceilings, certain older flooring and duct wrap can contain asbestos, so suspect materials are tested before any removal begins, and a licensed abatement contractor handles the remediation. Galvanized supply lines and undersized electrical panels turn up regularly in houses from that era, and a whole home remodel is the practical moment to address them while the walls are already open.
Two California requirements appear on nearly every project regardless of city. The state’s water-conserving fixture rule requires older high-flow toilets, showerheads and faucets to be swapped out on many permitted remodels of homes built before 1994, so we work those fixtures into the schedule from the start rather than catching it at final inspection. Title 24 energy standards apply to remodels as well as new construction, and new windows, insulation, lighting and HVAC changes all have to comply. We prepare the compliance documentation with the permit drawings.
Structure is the other major variable, particularly in the compact single-story bungalows and closed-floor-plan tract homes common across neighborhoods like Cooley Ranch and Indian Knolls. Removing a load-bearing wall to open the kitchen to the living area requires an engineered beam, posts and sometimes new footings. Raised-floor homes can benefit from foundation bolting while the work area is accessible. Unpermitted additions and enclosed patios are common throughout Colton’s older blocks and must be legalized, upgraded or rebuilt before the city will sign off on the broader project. If additional square footage is part of your goals, state law permits an ADU on most single-family lots, and it can be planned alongside the remodel to keep permitting consolidated.
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 Colton
Why Colton Homeowners Work With Horizon
- Horizon Construction and Remodeling Inc. has been licensed and bonded as a Class B general building contractor since 2009, and a whole-home remodel is exactly the kind of multi-trade, structurally involved project that classification is built for.
- We handle drawings, engineering coordination, permit filing with the City of Colton Building and Safety Division, and construction under one contract with one project manager, so you are never stuck relaying information between separate professionals.
- Many Colton homes date to the postwar era or the tract-building boom of the 1980s and 1990s, and we are straightforward about what older construction typically reveals once walls open up, so the scope conversation happens before work starts, not during it.
- Because Colton’s building code and the age of the individual house are the primary factors governing what a remodel requires, we review both carefully at the outset and flag anything that will need to be addressed to pass inspection.
- Finishes for every room are selected together, keeping kitchens, bathrooms, and flooring consistent from one end of the house to the other.
- We are also direct about practical realities: whether living in the home during construction is workable, which improvements cannot wait, and which ones can be deferred without adding cost later.
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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 one room and leaving the rest alone, several areas are addressed at once, walls are moved or removed to open the floor plan, and plumbing, electrical, and HVAC are brought up to date throughout. In Colton, where much of the housing stock runs from postwar bungalows to 1980s and 1990s tract homes, that kind of comprehensive approach often makes more sense than tackling rooms one at a time. Everything is drawn, permitted through the City of Colton Building and Safety Division, and sequenced so trades move through the house once instead of reopening finished work later.
What's the difference between a whole home remodel and a complete home renovation?
A remodel and a renovation are not the same thing, though most whole-home projects in Colton involve both. A remodel changes the layout and finishes, while a renovation addresses the house itself: structure, windows, plumbing, wiring, and heating and cooling. In a city where much of the housing stock dates to the 1970s through 1990s, those underlying systems often need attention before any finish work begins. We scope both together, prioritizing what protects the house, then the systems buried behind walls, then the finishes you see every day.
Do we have to move out during a whole home remodel?
Whether you stay in your home during a whole home remodeling project in Colton depends on the scope of work. Tearing out the kitchen and every bathroom at once, or pulling floors and drywall throughout the house, typically pushes families out for the heaviest phases. Many of Colton’s postwar bungalows and 1980s tract homes have compact, closed-off layouts that make phasing harder to pull off. If we can keep one bathroom running and set up a temporary kitchen, some homeowners do stay. Phasing adds time, so we work through that trade-off once the plan is set.
How long does a whole home remodel take?
How long a whole home remodeling project in Colton takes depends on scope, how quickly selections are finalized, and how plan check moves through the City of Colton Building and Safety Division. Design and permitting often take as long as construction itself, and plan check alone can run several weeks. Construction on a whole house typically spans several months, and in Colton’s older bungalows or 1980s tract homes, hidden conditions behind stucco walls or aging systems can extend that. Starting drawings early is the biggest lever on your move-back-in date.
Who handles the permit for a whole home remodel in Colton?
Yes, we handle the full permit process for whole home remodeling in Colton. Our team prepares the plan set, which includes structural engineering and Title 24 energy documents, submits the package to the City of Colton Building and Safety Division, and works through any plan-check comments until the permit is in hand. During construction we coordinate and attend all required inspections, including framing, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, and insulation, then close out the permit at final.
What drives the cost of a whole home remodel?
Whole home remodeling costs in Colton vary too much between individual houses for us to publish a useful price range. Two homes the same size can land far apart depending on what the structure actually needs. In many of Colton’s postwar bungalows and 1980s to 1990s tract houses, the biggest cost drivers are structural changes such as opening a load-bearing wall, relocating a kitchen or bathroom on a slab foundation, repiping, rewiring or panel upgrades, lead or asbestos handling, added square footage, and the finish level you choose. Your written proposal separates every one of those items line by line so you can see the must-do work apart from the choices.
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Horizon is a licensed Class B general building contractor serving Colton and the surrounding San Bernardino County communities.