Whole Home Remodeling in San Marino
Most homeowners who call us about whole home remodeling in San Marino have no desire to leave the city. What they want to change is the way the house functions. The typical home here is a large prewar house on a generous lot, many exceeding 30,000 square feet, with a formal, compartmented floor plan where the kitchen sits apart from the main living areas exactly as builders arranged things between 1920 and 1950. A whole home remodel addresses that layout as a single coordinated project: walls repositioned to open the floor plan, plumbing and wiring brought current, and multiple rooms rebuilt under one permit pulled through the City of San Marino Building and Safety Division. That scope is meaningfully different from a single-room update, 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 San Marino
Whole home remodeling in San Marino starts long before a single wall comes down. Because most homes here were built between 1920 and 1950, the first step is a thorough walk-through that covers the attic, the crawl space or slab, the electrical panel, and the supply lines. Where something looks uncertain, we investigate before drawing anything: a sewer camera, asbestos testing on original textured ceilings, a close look at framing that may have been altered over the past several decades. From there we draw the existing house and the proposed layout together, so changes happen on paper while they are still inexpensive to make. Structural engineering and Title 24 energy documents go into a single plan set submitted to the City of San Marino Building and Safety Division.
San Marino applies strict design review to exterior changes, so we account for that scrutiny early in the drawing phase rather than after permit submission. Selections for cabinets, tile, flooring, and fixtures for every room are confirmed before demolition begins. Construction follows a fixed order: demolition, structural work, rough plumbing, electrical and HVAC by appropriately licensed subcontractors, inspections, insulation, then drywall and finishes. One project manager coordinates the work through final inspection.
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What a Whole Home Remodel in San Marino Actually Involves
Most of the housing stock in San Marino dates to the decades between 1920 and 1950, when the old Shorb ranch was subdivided into the large, formally planned lots that define the city today. Those houses were well built for their era, but a century of living has a way of exposing what needs attention. A whole home remodel here typically touches structure, plumbing, electrical, and mechanical systems at the same time, which means the City of San Marino Building and Safety Division will require a full building permit with plan check before work begins. San Marino also applies strict design review and zoning rules that most neighboring cities do not, so any exterior changes, new windows, updated siding, or altered rooflines receive closer scrutiny from the city. We review the exterior scope against those requirements early, because the review path can shape material choices and setbacks before a single wall opens.
The age of these homes drives much of what we find once planning begins. Houses built before 1978 may contain lead-based paint, and any contractor who disturbs it must follow the EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting rule. Popcorn ceilings, older resilient flooring, and duct wrap from that era can also contain asbestos, so suspect materials are tested first and any removal is handled by a licensed abatement contractor. Galvanized supply lines and undersized electrical panels show up regularly in houses of this vintage, and a whole home remodel is the practical moment to address them, since the walls are already open for other work. Specialty trade portions, including electrical, plumbing, and mechanical, are performed by appropriately licensed subcontractors that we coordinate throughout the project.
Two state requirements come up on nearly every job of this size. California Civil Code 1101.4 requires water-conserving toilets, showerheads, and faucets to replace older high-flow fixtures on many permitted remodels of homes built before 1994, so we build that into the fixture schedule from the start rather than discovering it at final inspection. California’s Title 24 energy code applies to remodels as well as new construction, covering insulation, windows, lighting, and HVAC changes, and compliance documents are prepared alongside the construction plans.
Structure is the other major variable in these older compartmented floor plans. The kitchens in San Marino’s prewar homes were deliberately separated from living spaces, and opening that layout today often means removing a load-bearing wall, engineering a replacement beam, and sometimes adding new posts or footings. Raised-floor construction common to this era may also benefit from foundation bolting and cripple-wall bracing while the work area is accessible. Unpermitted additions and enclosed patios from past decades are common on these generous lots and must be legalized or rebuilt before the city will sign off on the broader project. If additional square footage is part of the goal, state law allows an accessory dwelling unit on most single-family lots, and it can be planned alongside the main 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 San Marino
Horizon Construction and Remodeling has held a Class B general building contractor license since 2009, and that classification exists precisely for projects like a whole home remodel, where structural work, multiple trades, and a single coordinating permit all belong under one contract. We are licensed and bonded, and a dedicated project manager carries the job from the first site visit through the final walkthrough.
San Marino’s housing stock adds layers that matter during planning. Most homes here went up between 1920 and 1950, which means older framing, older mechanical systems, and compartmented floor plans where the kitchen sat well apart from the formal rooms. Opening those walls or reconfiguring the layout often reveals work that needs to happen behind the finishes before anything cosmetic begins, and we are straightforward about that early so the budget reflects reality. Permits route through the City of San Marino Building and Safety Division, and because the city applies close design review to exterior changes, we coordinate drawings and submittals carefully to keep approvals moving.
On the finish side, selections for every room, kitchen, baths, flooring, and trim, come together at our design center in Fullerton. The same people who set the floor plan talk directly to the crew building it, so nothing gets lost between design and construction. Specialty trade portions are performed by appropriately licensed subcontractors we coordinate. Contact us today to request a free estimate for your San Marino 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. Several rooms are addressed at once, walls are moved or removed to reshape the floor plan, and plumbing, electrical, and HVAC are updated throughout the house in a single coordinated effort. In San Marino, where most homes were built between 1920 and 1950 with formal, compartmented layouts that keep the kitchen well away from the living areas, that kind of structural reorganization is exactly what many owners need. Everything is drawn, permitted through the City of San Marino Building and Safety Division, and sequenced together so trades come through once instead of 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 the house itself, covering structure, windows, plumbing, wiring, and heating and cooling. In practice, most whole home remodeling projects in San Marino are some of both, especially given that the majority of homes here were built between 1920 and 1950 and often need structural and systems work alongside cosmetic updates. We scope everything together, addressing what protects the house first, then the systems that become impossible to reach once walls close, then the finishes you see every day.
Do we have to move out during a whole home remodel?
Whether your family stays home during a whole home remodel in San Marino depends entirely 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 removed throughout the house, most households move out for at least the heaviest phases of work. Some families stay when we can phase the project, keeping one bathroom functional and setting up a temporary kitchen, though phasing adds time overall. We walk through that trade-off with you once the plan is drawn.
How long does a whole home remodel take?
How long a whole home remodel in San Marino takes depends on scope, how quickly selections are made, and how smoothly plan check moves. Design and permitting often consume as much time as construction itself, and the City of San Marino Building and Safety Division can take several weeks or more on plan check alone, particularly for exterior work subject to the city’s design review process. Construction on a full house typically runs several months, and structural work, additions, or hidden conditions behind the walls of the older prewar homes common here can extend that further. We build a schedule specific to your house into the proposal, and getting drawings started early is the single biggest factor in your move-back-in date.
Who handles the permit for a whole home remodel in San Marino?
Yes, we handle permitting for whole home remodeling in San Marino 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 San Marino Building and Safety Division, and works through plan-check comments until the permit is in hand. San Marino applies strict design review to protect its residential character, so we build that review timeline into the schedule from the beginning. We coordinate all required inspections, framing through insulation and mechanical, and close out the permit at final.
What drives the cost of a whole home remodel?
Whole home remodeling costs in San Marino vary widely, and two houses of the same size can land far apart in price, so we do not publish ranges. The biggest cost drivers are structural changes such as removing a load-bearing wall, relocating a kitchen or bathroom, how much repiping, rewiring, and panel work the house needs, and any lead or asbestos handling that older prewar homes in San Marino commonly require. Added square footage and finish level matter too. Your proposal breaks every item out line by line, separating must-do work from choices.
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Horizon is a licensed Class B general building contractor serving San Marino and the surrounding Los Angeles County communities.