Whole Home Remodeling in Santa Monica
Whole home remodeling in Santa Monica typically comes down to one thing: homeowners like where they live but not how their home functions. The city has deep roots, founded as a seaside resort in 1875 and incorporated in 1886, and most of its housing stock filled in during the early and middle twentieth century. With roughly 73 percent of units renter-occupied, a large share of our work touches apartments, condominiums, and older small houses in neighborhoods like Ocean Park and Montana Avenue, many with cramped original kitchen layouts. A whole home remodel addresses that in a single project, moving walls, updating plumbing and wiring, and pulling one permit through the City of Santa Monica Building and Safety Division to cover all of it. If your property carries landmark status, a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Landmarks Commission is required before any permit can move forward. That scope is a different undertaking from a single-room job, and we treat it that way from the first walk-through.
Services We Offer
Structural & Seismic Work
Roof, Windows & Envelope
Additions & ADUs
Our Whole Home Remodeling Process in Santa Monica
Whole home remodeling in Santa Monica begins with a thorough walk-through of the entire property, not only the rooms flagged for change. Many homes here date to the early and middle twentieth century, and that age shows up quickly once we start looking: attic framing altered without documentation, slab conditions worth confirming, supply lines that need a closer look. Where something is uncertain we investigate before we draw, running a sewer camera, testing textured ceilings for asbestos, or getting a structural read on old framing. If the property carries a landmark designation, we account for the Certificate of Appropriateness required by the City of Santa Monica Landmarks Commission before the Building and Safety Division can issue any permit. Structural engineering and Title 24 energy documents go into one plan set, submitted together so the review process moves as a unit.
Once permits are in hand, construction follows a fixed sequence: demolition, structural work, rough plumbing, electrical and HVAC by licensed subcontractors, inspections, insulation, drywall, and finishes. The tight original kitchen footprints common in Santa Monica’s older houses and apartment buildings get resolved in the drawing phase, on paper where revisions cost nothing. Cabinets, tile, flooring, and fixtures for every room are selected at the Horizon Design Center in Fullerton before demolition starts, so materials arrive on schedule rather than stalling the build. One project manager carries the job from first walk-through to final inspection.
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Santa Monica’s housing stock is older than most of Los Angeles, and that age is the first thing we account for when we look at a whole home remodel here. A large share of the city’s homes and small apartment buildings went up in the early and middle twentieth century, and the work inside those walls reflects it. Galvanized supply lines, undersized electrical panels, popcorn ceilings and suspect duct wrap are common findings. Materials that predate modern safety standards get tested before any demolition starts, and anything requiring abatement goes to a licensed specialist. For homes built before 1978, contractors disturbing painted surfaces must follow the EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting rule, and Horizon Construction and Remodeling Inc. is an EPA Lead-Safe Certified Firm.
The permit path in Santa Monica runs through the City of Santa Monica Building and Safety Division, and a whole home remodel almost always means a full building permit with plan check, because the scope touches structure, plumbing, electrical and mechanical systems at the same time. One detail that changes the review path entirely is landmark status. Under Chapter 9.56 of the municipal code, any alteration to a designated landmark requires a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Landmarks Commission before the Building and Safety Division can issue a permit. We verify that at the very beginning of the scope review, because it can affect exterior materials, setbacks and the sequence of approvals before a single wall comes down.
Two state-level requirements come up on nearly every job regardless of which neighborhood the house sits in. California Civil Code 1101.4 requires high-flow toilets, showerheads and faucets to be replaced with water-conserving fixtures on many permitted remodels of homes built before 1994, so we build that into the fixture schedule from the start rather than catching it at final inspection. California’s Title 24 energy code applies to remodels as well as new construction, covering windows, insulation, lighting and mechanical changes, and we prepare the compliance documentation with the permit drawings.
Structural work adds another layer of planning. Opening a load-bearing wall between a kitchen and living area typically requires an engineered beam, new posts and sometimes updated footings. Raised-floor houses are good candidates for foundation bolting and cripple-wall bracing while the work area is already exposed. Unpermitted additions and enclosed spaces built in past decades are common in older Santa Monica properties and have to be legalized or rebuilt before the city will sign off on the rest of the project. Where more space is the goal, state law allows an ADU on most single-family lots, and that work 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 Santa Monica
Horizon Construction and Remodeling has held an active Class B general building contractor license since 2009, and whole-home remodeling is exactly the kind of work that license covers: multiple trades, structural decisions, and coordinated permitting under a single contract. We are licensed and bonded, and one project manager carries the job from the first site visit through the final walkthrough. You are not passing messages between separate parties because the people who developed the drawings are in direct contact with the crew doing the build.
Santa Monica’s housing stock adds a layer of complexity that matters from day one. Many of the homes and apartment buildings here date to the early and middle twentieth century, which means tight original floor plans, aging systems behind the walls, and the real possibility that a property carries landmark designation. When that is the case, a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Santa Monica Landmarks Commission must be secured before the City of Santa Monica Building and Safety Division can issue any permit, and we account for that sequence in the project schedule from the start.
We are direct about the things homeowners sometimes prefer not to hear: what an older structure is likely to need once walls are open, and which scope items can reasonably be deferred without driving up cost later. Finishes for every room are selected together, keeping kitchens, baths, and flooring consistent across the whole project.
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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 tackled one at a time. Multiple rooms are redesigned together, walls come down or move to open the floor plan, and plumbing, electrical, and HVAC are updated throughout in a single coordinated sequence. Drawing, permitting, and scheduling everything at once means trades pass through once without reopening finished work later. In Santa Monica, where much of the housing stock dates to the early and mid-twentieth century, that kind of full-building approach often uncovers outdated systems that a single-room project would leave behind. Permits go through the City of Santa Monica Building and Safety Division, and owners of designated landmarks must obtain a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Landmarks Commission before any permit can be issued.
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 blend both. Remodeling changes layouts and finishes, while renovation addresses the building itself: structure, windows, plumbing, wiring, and mechanical systems. In Santa Monica, where a large share of the housing stock dates to the early and middle twentieth century, those two scopes almost always arrive together. We sequence the work so anything protecting the house comes first, then systems buried inside walls, then the finishes you live with every day.
Do we have to move out during a whole home remodel?
Whether a whole home remodeling project in Santa Monica requires you to vacate depends entirely on the scope of work. If the kitchen and every bathroom are coming out simultaneously, or floors and drywall are being removed throughout the house, most households move out for at least the heaviest phases. Older homes in neighborhoods like Ocean Park or along the Montana Avenue corridor often have tight original floor plans that make phasing harder to manage. If the work can be staged, keeping one bathroom operational and setting up a temporary kitchen elsewhere, some families stay put, 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 remodeling project takes in Santa Monica depends on scope, how quickly you make selections, and how plan check moves through the City of Santa Monica Building and Safety Division. Design and permitting often consume as much calendar time as construction itself, and plan check alone can stretch several weeks or more. Full construction on an older home typically runs several months, and that window grows when structural work or hidden wall conditions enter the picture. We provide a schedule tied to your specific house with every 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 Santa Monica?
Yes, we handle permitting for whole home remodeling in Santa Monica 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 Santa Monica Building and Safety Division, and works through any plan-check comments until the permit is in hand. We schedule and attend all required inspections during construction and close out the permit at final. If coastal approval or an HOA review applies, we build that into the project schedule.
What drives the cost of a whole home remodel?
Whole home remodeling costs in Santa Monica vary too widely for a published price range to be useful, because two homes of the same square footage can land far apart depending on what the work actually involves. The main 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, any lead or asbestos remediation, added square footage, and the finish level you choose. Your written proposal separates every required item from every elective one, line by line.
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Horizon is a licensed Class B general building contractor serving Santa Monica and the surrounding Los Angeles County communities.