Whole Home Remodeling in Palm Springs
A whole home remodel in Palm Springs addresses the entire house as one coordinated project rather than a series of separate jobs. Most homeowners we talk to appreciate the city itself but want the house to work differently than it does today. That makes sense given the local housing stock. The Alexander Construction Company alone added roughly 2,200 homes between the late 1940s and the mid 1960s, many of them post and beam mid century modern houses with low slope roofs, deep overhangs, floor to ceiling glass, and a compact kitchen pushed behind the main living area. Bringing one of those homes up to current needs means moving walls to open the floor plan, updating plumbing and electrical through licensed subcontractors, and pulling a single permit that covers the full scope, which we plan from the first walk-through forward.
Services We Offer
Structural & Seismic Work
Roof, Windows & Envelope
Additions & ADUs
Our Whole Home Remodeling Process in Palm Springs
Whole home remodeling in Palm Springs starts with a thorough walk-through of the entire house, not just the rooms on your wish list. We look at the attic, the slab, the electrical panel, and the supply lines, and where something is uncertain we investigate before we draw anything: a sewer camera, asbestos testing on textured ceilings common in homes built during the mid-century construction boom, a structural review of framing that may have been altered over the decades. Many of the post-and-beam houses in neighborhoods like Racquet Club Estates and Twin Palms also carry historic resource classifications, which means exterior changes may require a Certificate of Appropriateness from the City of Palm Springs Historic Site Preservation Board before any permit application moves forward.
Once the site conditions are clear, we draft the existing layout and the proposed changes together in a single plan set that includes structural engineering and Title 24 energy documents, submitted to the City of Palm Springs Building Safety Department as one permit. Cabinets, tile, flooring, and fixtures for every room are selected before demolition begins. Construction 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 Palm Springs almost always involves a full building permit with plan check, because the work touches structure, mechanical systems, plumbing and electrical at the same time. All of that goes through the City of Palm Springs Building Safety Department. One thing worth knowing before any exterior work starts: properties listed as Class 1 or Class 2 historic resources require a Certificate of Appropriateness before exterior alteration or demolition. That decision goes to the Historic Site Preservation Board or the Historic Preservation Officer, and it can affect your material choices, setbacks or the review path before a single wall comes down. Interior-only scopes are exempt, but we confirm your property’s status at the start of every project so there are no surprises later.
The age of the housing stock here shapes nearly every job we take on. A large share of Palm Springs homes were built between the late 1940s and the mid 1960s, and houses from that era often contain lead-based paint and suspect materials in ceilings, older flooring and duct wrap that may include asbestos. Any lead-disturbing work must follow the EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting rule, and Horizon is an EPA Lead-Safe Certified Firm. Suspect materials are tested before work begins, and any confirmed asbestos removal goes to a licensed abatement contractor. Galvanized supply lines and undersized electrical panels are also common in houses of this era, and a whole home remodel is the right time to replace them while the walls are already open.
Two California requirements come up on nearly every project. Civil Code 1101.4 requires high-flow toilets, showerheads and faucets to be swapped for water-conserving models on many permitted remodels of pre-1994 homes, so we build that into the fixture schedule from the beginning. 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, HVAC changes, insulation and lighting all have to comply, and we prepare the required compliance documents as part of the plan set.
Structure is the other major variable. Opening up a load-bearing wall, which is a common goal in the compact original floor plans found throughout neighborhoods like Racquet Club Estates and Twin Palmas, means an engineered beam, posts and sometimes new footings. Raised-floor homes may also benefit from foundation bolting and cripple-wall bracing while the work area is already open. Unpermitted additions, enclosed patios and garage conversions are common on lots of this age, and they have to be legalized, upgraded or rebuilt before the city will sign off on the rest of the house. If additional square footage is part of the goal, state law allows an ADU on most single-family lots, and it can be planned alongside the broader 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 Palm Springs
Why Palm Springs Homeowners Work With Horizon
Horizon Construction and Remodeling has been licensed by the California Contractors State License Board and bonded since 2009, and a whole-home remodel is exactly the kind of project a Class B General Building license is built for. Structural changes, multiple trades, and a single coordinated permit pull all fall squarely within that scope. We handle the drawings, engineering coordination, permit submissions to the City of Palm Springs Building Safety Department, and construction under one contract with one project manager overseeing the job from start to finish.
That matters in Palm Springs because the permitting process here can carry an extra layer. If your home is classified as a Class 1 or Class 2 historic resource, exterior alterations typically require a Certificate of Appropriateness before work can begin, reviewed by the Historic Site Preservation Board or the Historic Preservation Officer. We walk you through that process upfront so there are no surprises after the contract is signed.
We are also direct about the things homeowners would rather not hear: what an older home likely needs behind the walls, whether living on site during construction is realistic given your scope, and which decisions can be deferred without driving up costs later. Finishes for every room are selected together, keeping the kitchen, baths, and flooring consistent across the whole house.
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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 your house as one connected system rather than a collection of separate jobs. Instead of updating a single room and working around everything else, we address multiple areas at once, relocating walls, reworking the floor plan, and coordinating plumbing, electrical, and HVAC updates across the entire house. In Palm Springs, where a large share of the housing stock dates to the Alexander Construction era of the late 1940s through mid 1960s, that original layout often means a compact kitchen isolated from the main living space and mechanical systems well past their useful life. Drawing everything together into one permitted, sequenced plan means trades move through your home once, without reopening finished work for the next phase.
What's the difference between a whole home remodel and a complete home renovation?
A remodel changes layouts and finishes, while a renovation restores what holds the house together: structure, roof, windows, plumbing, wiring, and heating and cooling. In practice, most whole home remodeling projects in Palm Springs combine both, especially in the post-and-beam houses built across neighborhoods like Twin Palms and Racquet Club Estates during the 1950s and early 1960s, where aging systems often need attention before new finishes go in. We scope everything together, addressing what protects the house first, then the systems buried behind walls, then the surfaces you live with every day.
Do we have to move out during a whole home remodel?
Whether you can stay in the house during a whole home remodel in Palm Springs depends entirely on scope. Gut-level projects where the kitchen and every bathroom come out together, or where floors and drywall are being removed throughout, typically push families out during the heaviest phases. When the work can be phased instead, keeping one bathroom functional and setting up a temporary kitchen elsewhere, some homeowners do stay. Phasing adds time to the schedule, so 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 Palm Springs takes depends on scope, how fast selections get made, and how smoothly plan check moves at the City of Palm Springs Building Safety Department, which can take several weeks or more on its own. Design and permitting together often consume as much calendar time as construction itself. Building out a whole house typically runs several months, and that window stretches further when the work involves structural changes, an addition, or conditions hidden behind the walls of the post-and-beam homes that Alexander Construction and others built across neighborhoods like Racquet Club Estates and Twin Palms during the late 1940s through the mid 1960s. We put a schedule specific to your house in the proposal, and getting the drawings started early is the single biggest lever on when you move back in.
Who handles the permit for a whole home remodel in Palm Springs?
Yes, we handle permitting for whole home remodeling in Palm Springs 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 Palm Springs Building Safety Department, and works through any plan-check comments until the permit is issued. We schedule and attend every required inspection during construction and close out the permit at final. Many of the post-and-beam homes built across neighborhoods like Racquet Club Estates and Twin Palms during the Alexander Construction era carry historic resource designations, so when a Certificate of Appropriateness is required before exterior work can begin, we build that review process into the project schedule alongside any HOA approvals that may apply.
What drives the cost of a whole home remodel?
Whole home remodeling costs vary too widely for a published range to be useful, because two houses of the same square footage can end up far apart in price. In Palm Springs, where a large share of the housing stock dates to the Alexander Construction era of the late 1940s through the mid-1960s, aging infrastructure often adds scope that is not visible until work begins. Rewiring, repiping, panel upgrades, and lead or asbestos remediation are common cost drivers, as are structural changes like opening a load-bearing wall or moving a kitchen or bathroom on a slab foundation. Finish level and any added square footage push numbers further. Your written proposal separates the must-do items from the elective choices, line by line.
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Horizon is a licensed Class B general building contractor serving Palm Springs and the surrounding Riverside County communities.