Whole Home Remodeling in Covina
A whole home remodel in Covina lets you keep the house you like while fixing the way it actually works. Most of the housing stock here traces back to the postwar years, when citrus groves gave way to tract development and builders put up single-story ranches with closed-off kitchens, small rooms, and long shallow floor plans that feel cramped by today’s standards. Reworking a house like that as one project means moving walls to open the floor plan, updating plumbing and electrical through licensed subcontractors we coordinate, and pulling a single permit that covers everything together. That is a fundamentally different undertaking than a single-room remodel, 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 Covina
Whole home remodeling in Covina starts well before any drawings go on paper. We walk every part of the house, including the attic, the slab or crawl space, the electrical panel, and the supply lines. Postwar ranch homes built on former grove land often carry decades of incremental repairs, and we investigate anything uncertain before we commit it to a plan. That means a sewer camera where drainage history is unclear, asbestos testing on textured ceilings common to that era, and a structural look at any framing that has been altered over the years. Once we understand what is there, we draw the existing layout alongside the proposed one so changes happen on paper, where they cost nothing.
From that point, structural engineering and Title 24 energy compliance documents go into a single plan set submitted to the City of Covina Building and Safety Division. If a property carries historic landmark or structure-of-merit status, we account for the additional review requirements that designation brings before anything is filed. Construction follows a fixed sequence: demolition, structural work, rough plumbing, electrical, and HVAC, then inspections, insulation, drywall, and finishes. Because every trade works from one coordinated plan, supply lines are rerouted once and finished floors run continuously through the house. One project manager carries the job from permit approval to final inspection.
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Permits, Planning, and What the Age of Your Home Actually Means
A whole home remodel in Covina almost always requires a full building permit with plan check. That is not a surprise given the scope of this work. Touching structure, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical systems at the same time puts a project squarely in the category the City of Covina Building and Safety Division reviews most carefully. One detail worth knowing before any plans are drawn: the city’s Planning Division administers a historic preservation ordinance, and properties designated as a landmark or structure of merit go through a separate review path that can shape exterior materials, setbacks, and approval timelines. We check your property’s status at the start of every project, because finding out after the design is finished costs more than finding out before.
Most of the postwar ranch homes that replaced Covina’s orange and lemon groves were built between the late 1940s and the early 1970s. That era of construction brings predictable conditions. Homes built before 1978 may contain lead-based paint, and any contractor who disturbs it must follow EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting guidelines; Horizon Construction and Remodeling Inc. is an EPA Lead-Safe Certified Firm. Popcorn ceilings, certain older resilient flooring, and duct wrap can also contain asbestos, so suspect materials are tested before demo begins and any confirmed removal is handed to a licensed abatement contractor. Galvanized supply lines and undersized electrical panels are common in houses of this era, and a whole home remodel, with walls already open, is the right time to replace them.
Two California requirements show up on nearly every whole house project. Civil Code 1101.4 requires that older high-flow toilets, showerheads, and faucets be replaced with water-conserving fixtures on many permitted remodels of homes built before 1994, so we include that in the fixture schedule from the beginning rather than at final inspection. Title 24 energy code applies to remodels as well as new construction, covering insulation, windows, lighting, and HVAC changes, and we prepare the compliance documentation alongside the construction plans.
Structure is the other major variable in a Covina whole home remodel. The long, shallow floor plan common to local ranch homes often means a load-bearing wall sits exactly where homeowners want an open kitchen and living area. Removing that wall means an engineered beam, posts, and sometimes new footings. Raised-floor houses may benefit from foundation bolting while the work area is already accessible. Unpermitted additions and enclosed patios from past decades are also common in the local housing stock and must be legalized or rebuilt before the city will sign off on the rest of the project. If more square footage is part of the goal, state law allows an accessory dwelling unit on most single-family lots, and it can be coordinated alongside the primary remodel scope.
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 Covina
Why Covina Homeowners Choose Horizon for a Whole Home Remodel
Horizon Construction and Remodeling has been doing this work since 2009, and 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 inspections all fall under one license, one contract, and one project manager. You are not passing information between separate companies and hoping the details survive the handoff. The same team that works through the drawings talks directly to the crew in the field.
Covina’s postwar ranch homes present a specific set of conditions. Those single-story floor plans were laid out for mid-century living, with closed-off kitchens, modest bathrooms, and mechanical systems that have decades of use behind them. A full remodel on that housing stock almost always turns up work behind the walls that needs to be addressed. We are direct about what we find and honest about what a house that age typically needs, so you can plan around it rather than be caught off guard mid-project. Permits for this work go through the City of Covina Building and Safety Division, and if your property carries any historic designation under the city’s preservation ordinance, we factor those review requirements into the schedule from the start.
Finishes across every room are selected together, so the kitchen, bathrooms, and flooring hold together as a cohesive whole rather than looking like separate decisions made at separate times. Licensed by the California Contractors State License Board (CSLB), and bonded, Horizon brings the coordination and accountability a project this size requires.
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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 collection of separate rooms. Several spaces are updated at once, walls are moved or removed to reshape the floor plan, and plumbing, electrical, and HVAC are addressed throughout the project. For the postwar ranch homes that replaced Covina’s orange and lemon groves, that often means opening a closed-off kitchen into the living area and reworking a long, shallow layout. Everything is drawn, permitted through the City of Covina Building and Safety Division, and sequenced together so trades move through once instead of reopening finished work later.
What's the difference between a whole home remodel and a complete home renovation?
Remodeling and renovation are related but not the same thing. A remodel focuses on changing layout and finishes, while a renovation addresses the house itself, covering structure, roofing, windows, plumbing, wiring, and heating and cooling. Most whole home remodeling projects in Covina involve both, especially in the postwar ranch homes where closed-off kitchens and shallow floor plans are common. We scope everything together, addressing what protects the house first, then systems hidden behind walls, then the finishes you live with every day.
Do we have to move out during a whole home remodel?
Whether you stay in the house during a whole home remodeling project in Covina depends entirely on how much work is happening at once. Tearing out the kitchen and every bathroom at the same time, or pulling floors and drywall throughout, usually means moving out for at least the most disruptive phases. If the scope allows phasing, keeping one bathroom functional and setting up a temporary kitchen elsewhere, some families do stay. Phasing adds time to the schedule, and we walk through that trade-off once the plan is drawn.
How long does a whole home remodel take?
How long a whole home remodeling project in Covina takes depends on scope, how fast plan check moves through the City of Covina Building and Safety Division, and how quickly material selections get made. Design and permitting frequently consume as much calendar time as construction itself, and plan check alone can stretch several weeks or more. Building out a full house typically runs several months, and structural work, additions, or surprises hidden inside the long shallow walls common to postwar ranch homes here can push that further. We provide a schedule tied to your specific house with every proposal, and getting the drawings started early is the single biggest factor in shortening your move-back-in date.
Who handles the permit for a whole home remodel in Covina?
Yes, we handle permits for whole home remodeling in Covina from start to finish. Our team prepares the full plan set, including structural engineering and Title 24 energy documents, submits everything to the City of Covina Building and Safety Division, and works through any plan-check comments until the permit is issued. We schedule and attend framing, plumbing, electrical, mechanical, and insulation inspections, then close the permit at final. If your property falls under Covina’s historic preservation ordinance, we account for that review in the schedule.
What drives the cost of a whole home remodel?
Whole home remodeling costs in Covina vary too much between projects for us to publish a meaningful price range, even for two houses of similar square footage. The biggest cost drivers are structural changes such as removing a load-bearing wall, relocating a kitchen or bathroom on a slab foundation, the extent of repiping, rewiring, and panel upgrades the house requires, any lead or asbestos remediation, added square footage, and the finish level you select. Your written proposal separates required work from optional choices, line by line.
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Horizon is a licensed Class B general building contractor serving Covina and the surrounding Los Angeles County communities.