Whole Home Remodeling in South Laguna
Whole home remodeling in South Laguna tends to start the same way for most of our clients: they love the location and have no interest in leaving, but the house itself has stopped working for them. A lot of homes here were built in the 1940s and 1950s, and many have been added onto in pieces over the decades since. The result is often a floor plan that feels chopped up, plumbing that was last touched a generation ago, and wiring that was never meant to carry a modern electrical load. Steep hillside and coastal lots in areas like Three Arch Bay, Camel Point, and Coast Royal add their own constraints to any construction work.
A whole home remodel addresses that as a single coordinated project rather than a series of smaller jobs. We rework multiple rooms at once, move walls to open up or restructure the floor plan, and bring plumbing and electrical systems up to current standards, all under one permit through the City of Laguna Beach Building Division. Because South Laguna sits inside the coastal zone under Laguna Beach’s Local Coastal Program, permitting here carries additional review requirements, and we plan for that from the first walk-through.
Services We Offer
Structural & Seismic Work
Roof, Windows & Envelope
Additions & ADUs
Our Whole Home Remodeling Process in South Laguna
A whole home remodel in South Laguna starts well before anyone picks up a hammer. We walk every part of the house, not just the rooms on your wish list. That means the attic, the crawl space or slab, the electrical panel, and the supply lines. In a mid-century cottage that has been added onto more than once, that walk-through often turns up framing that was altered without a permit, textured ceilings that may contain asbestos, or plumbing that was rerouted around an earlier addition. Where something is uncertain, we investigate before we draw: a sewer camera, asbestos testing, a structural assessment of any modified framing. Finding those conditions on paper is far cheaper than finding them after demolition.
Once we understand what the house actually is, we draw the existing layout and the proposed new one together. Structural engineering and Title 24 energy compliance documents go into the same plan set, which we submit as a single permit application to the City of Laguna Beach Building Division. Because South Laguna sits within the coastal zone under the Local Coastal Program, the permit review process typically involves additional coastal requirements alongside standard building code review. On a steep hillside lot, that can include scrutiny of any changes to grading or site drainage, so we account for those considerations during design rather than after submittal. Finishes for every room, cabinets, tile, flooring, and fixtures, are selected at our design center in Fullerton before demolition begins.
Construction follows a fixed sequence: demolition, structural work, rough plumbing, electrical, and HVAC, then inspections before insulation, drywall, and finishes. Because the entire house is planned as one project, the plumber reroutes lines once and the flooring runs continuously through rooms that previous additions had left divided by awkward thresholds. Specialty trade work is performed by appropriately licensed subcontractors we coordinate directly. One project manager carries the job from that first walk-through through final inspection, so nothing falls between the trades and you are never left tracking down answers from multiple contractors.
Read More →
Pulling permits for a whole home remodel in South Laguna means working through the City of Laguna Beach Building Division, which has been the permit authority here since South Laguna was annexed into the City of Laguna Beach in 1987. A project that touches structure, plumbing, electrical and mechanical work at the same time will almost always require a full building permit with plan check rather than a simpler over-the-counter approval. There is an additional layer worth knowing before plans are drawn: South Laguna sits inside the coastal zone governed by Laguna Beach’s Local Coastal Program, certified in 1993, and the South Laguna Community Design and Landscape Guidelines adopted in 2022 are part of that certified program. Those guidelines can affect exterior materials, setbacks and the review path your project must follow, so we check your scope against them at the very start, well before a single wall comes down.
The age of the housing stock is what drives most of what we actually find once work begins. The cottages, bungalows and modest mid-century homes that make up South Laguna Village, Three Arch Bay, Coast Royal and Camel Point were largely built before the late 1970s, many of them added onto more than once over the decades. Homes built before 1978 may contain lead-based paint, and any contractor who disturbs it must follow the EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting rule; Horizon Construction and Remodeling Inc. is an EPA Lead-Safe Certified Firm. Popcorn ceilings, certain resilient flooring and older duct wrap from that era can contain asbestos, so suspect materials are tested before any demolition begins, and removal is handled by a licensed abatement contractor. Galvanized supply lines and undersized electrical panels show up regularly in houses of this age, and a whole home remodel, with walls already open, is the practical time to replace them.
Two California statutes come up on nearly every whole-house job. Civil Code Section 1101.4 requires that high-flow toilets, showerheads and faucets in homes built before 1994 be replaced with water-conserving fixtures as a condition of many permitted remodels, so we put compliant fixtures in the schedule from the beginning rather than discovering the requirement at final inspection. California’s Title 24 energy code applies to remodels as well as new construction; the 2025 standards cover permits filed on or after January 1, 2026. New windows, insulation, lighting and any mechanical changes all have to meet those standards, and we prepare the required compliance documentation as part of the plan set.
Structure is the other variable that shapes both the budget and the permit process. Removing a load-bearing wall to open a kitchen or living area requires an engineered beam, proper posts and sometimes new footings, all of which go on the permitted drawings. Raised-floor houses common on these hillside lots may also benefit from foundation bolting and cripple-wall bracing while the work area is accessible. Unpermitted additions, enclosed patios and garage conversions from prior decades are found on many of these properties, and they typically need to be legalized, brought up to current code or rebuilt before the city will sign off on the broader project. If additional living space is also a goal, state law allows an accessory dwelling unit on most single-family lots, and it can be planned alongside the remodel to share the same plan check and construction schedule.
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 South Laguna
Homeowners in South Laguna bring us their whole-home remodeling projects for a straightforward reason: a job that touches the kitchen, bathrooms, structure, and every finish in between needs a general contractor whose license actually covers all of it. Our Class B general building license is built for exactly that kind of work, where multiple trades, structural decisions, and permit coordination all have to happen under one roof. We have been active since 2009, we are licensed and bonded, and the license has stayed current through every project we have taken on.
The design-build approach we use matters more on a whole-home remodel than on any other project type. The drawings, engineering coordination, permits, and construction all sit under a single contract with one project manager. That means the people who worked through your floor plan are in direct conversation with the crew building it, and you are not stuck relaying decisions between an architect, an engineer, and separate trade contractors. Finishes for every room are selected together, so the kitchen, bathrooms, and flooring stay visually consistent from one end of the house to the other.
We are also direct about the parts of a remodel that homeowners in South Laguna do not always want to hear. Whether staying in the house during construction is realistic, what an older home is likely to need behind the walls once work begins, and which items can reasonably wait without creating bigger costs later are all conversations we have early, before anything is under contract.
Schedule a Consultation
Whole Home Remodeling FAQ
How is a whole home remodel different from a regular home remodel?
A typical remodel updates one room while the rest of the house stays untouched, but a whole home remodel treats the entire structure as a single project. Walls come down, the floor plan changes, and plumbing, electrical, and HVAC are updated throughout rather than piecemeal. Everything is drawn, permitted, and sequenced together, so trades move through once without reopening finished work later. For the mid-century cottages that make up much of South Laguna, that coordinated approach also means one permit process through the City of Laguna Beach Building Division instead of several.
What's the difference between a whole home remodel and a complete home renovation?
The two terms overlap more than most people realize. A remodel typically focuses on changing layouts and finishes, while a renovation focuses on restoring what the house is built from: structure, windows, plumbing, wiring, and heating and cooling. Most whole-home projects in South Laguna turn out to be both at once, because these mid-century cottages often need system updates before the finish work even starts. We scope them together, addressing anything that protects the house first, then the systems hidden inside walls, then the finishes you see every day.
Do we have to move out during a whole home remodel?
It depends on the scope of work. If every bathroom and the kitchen are being gutted at the same time, or if floors and walls are coming out across the whole house, most families move out for at least the heaviest phases of construction. In a mid-century South Laguna cottage that has been added onto over the decades, phasing can sometimes work, keeping one bathroom functional and setting up a temporary kitchen in another room, but phasing adds time to the schedule. We walk through that trade-off with you once the plan is drawn.
How long does a whole home remodel take?
A whole home remodel typically runs several months in construction alone, and design and permitting often take just as long before a single wall is touched. In South Laguna, projects go through the City of Laguna Beach Building Division, and homes inside the coastal zone can face additional review layers that extend plan check beyond what you might expect. Structural work, additions, or surprises behind the walls of an older mid-century cottage stretch the schedule further. We build a project-specific timeline into every proposal, and starting drawings early is the biggest factor in your move-back-in date.
Who handles the permit for a whole home remodel in South Laguna?
We handle the permit. For a whole home remodel in South Laguna, applications go to the City of Laguna Beach Building Division, because South Laguna was annexed into Laguna Beach in 1987 and is no longer a separate jurisdiction. Our team prepares the plan set, including structural engineering and Title 24 energy documents, submits everything, and responds to plan-check comments until the permit is issued. We schedule and attend all required inspections and close out the permit at final. If coastal zone review also applies, we build that into the project schedule.
What drives the cost of a whole home remodel?
Cost is driven by the scope of structural and systems work your home actually needs, not just its square footage. Removing a load-bearing wall, relocating a kitchen or bathroom, repiping, rewiring, panel upgrades, and any hazardous material handling from an older build all carry real cost weight, and many mid-century cottages in South Laguna need more of that foundational work than their modest size suggests. Added square footage and your finish selections layer on top. Our proposals separate the must-do items from the choices, line by line.
Explore More in South Laguna
Horizon is a licensed Class B general building contractor serving South Laguna and the surrounding Orange County communities.