Whole Home Remodeling in Upland
Homeowners who ask us about whole home remodeling in Upland almost always say the same thing: they like the neighborhood but not how the house functions. Upland grew in two distinct periods, a citrus-era core of Craftsman bungalows and period revival cottages built between the 1890s and the 1930s, and a postwar ranch expansion that followed the San Bernardino Freeway in 1954. Both eras left behind the same problem, kitchens that were either tucked at the back of the house or walled off from the living areas. A whole home remodel addresses that by treating the house as a single project, moving walls, updating plumbing and electrical through licensed subcontractors, and pulling one permit through the City of Upland Building and Safety Division to cover all of it. That scope is fundamentally different from a single-room job, and we plan for 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 Upland
Whole home remodeling in Upland demands a thorough look at the entire house before a single wall comes down. We walk the attic, the crawl space or slab, and every utility line, ordering a sewer camera or asbestos test on textured ceilings where older construction raises questions. Upland’s housing spans two distinct eras, from the Craftsman bungalows and period cottages of the pre-1940s citrus town core to the closed-off ranch layouts that followed freeway growth in the 1950s, and each type carries its own hidden conditions. If your property appears on the city’s local historic register or sits within one of Upland’s nine designated historic districts, exterior changes require a Certificate of Appropriateness before permits move forward through the City of Upland Building and Safety Division.
Once investigation is complete, we draw the existing house and the proposed layout together in one plan set that includes structural engineering and Title 24 energy documents. Submitting everything as a single package means one permit, one inspection sequence, and no gaps where a past project left off. Specialty trade work, including rough plumbing, electrical, and HVAC, is performed by appropriately licensed subcontractors we coordinate directly. Cabinets, tile, flooring, and fixtures are selected before demolition begins, so construction follows a clean order from structural work through finishes. One project manager carries the job through final inspection.
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Pulling permits for a whole home remodel in Upland typically means a full building permit with plan check, because the work touches structure, plumbing, electrical and mechanical systems at the same time. All of that goes through the City of Upland Building and Safety Division. Before plans are drawn, we check whether your property sits within one of the city’s nine locally designated historic districts or appears on the local register, which lists more than 580 properties. If it does, exterior changes require a Certificate of Appropriateness, and that review can affect material choices, setbacks and the overall approval path. Knowing that early keeps the project moving instead of stalling after demolition begins.
The age of the house shapes almost everything else we find once walls open up. Upland’s older stock, the Craftsman bungalows and period revival cottages in areas like Old Town and the Arrow and Laurel Bungalow District, was largely built before 1978, which means lead-based paint is a real possibility. Contractors who disturb it must follow the EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting rule, and Horizon is an EPA Lead-Safe Certified Firm. Popcorn ceilings and certain older flooring or duct wrap may also contain asbestos, so suspect materials are tested before any work begins and abatement goes to a licensed contractor. Galvanized supply lines and undersized electrical panels show up regularly in homes of that era, and a whole home remodel is the right time to address them while the walls are already open. Those trades are handled by appropriately licensed subcontractors we coordinate.
Two state requirements come up on nearly every project. 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. California’s Title 24 energy code applies to remodels as well as new construction, covering windows, insulation, lighting and HVAC changes, and we prepare the compliance documents as part of the plan set.
Structural changes add another layer of planning. Opening the closed-off kitchen common in Upland’s postwar ranch homes typically means an engineered beam, new posts and sometimes additional footing work. Raised-floor houses may also benefit from foundation bolting and cripple-wall bracing while the area is accessible. Unpermitted additions and enclosed patios are common throughout the city’s postwar neighborhoods, and they generally need to 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 ADU on most single-family lots, and it can be designed alongside the remodel from the beginning.
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 Upland
Why Upland Homeowners Work With Horizon
Horizon Construction and Remodeling has held an active Class B general building contractor license since 2009, and we are licensed and bonded. A whole home remodel is exactly the kind of project a Class B license is built for: multiple trades, structural decisions, and coordinated permitting handled under a single contract with one project manager overseeing every phase. You are not passing messages between separate architects, engineers, and trade contractors. The people who worked out the floor plan are talking directly to the crew building it, which matters on a job this size.
That structure also helps when a project involves Upland’s permit process. Submittals go through the City of Upland Building and Safety Division, and if your home sits on the local historic register or within one of the city’s nine designated historic districts, exterior changes typically require a Certificate of Appropriateness before a building permit moves forward. We factor that review into the schedule from the start rather than treating it as a surprise.
We are also straight with homeowners about the parts of a remodel nobody likes hearing: what an older house is likely to need once walls open up, whether living on site during construction is realistic, and which items can reasonably wait without costing more down the road.
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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 a single system rather than a collection of separate projects. Instead of updating one room at a time and reopening finished work later, multiple rooms are redesigned together, walls are moved or removed to change the floor plan, and plumbing, electrical, and HVAC are brought up to date throughout the house in one coordinated sequence. For older properties in Upland’s historic districts, including Craftsman bungalows and period revival cottages where exterior changes may require a Certificate of Appropriateness from the city, planning everything together from the start matters even more. Permits run through the City of Upland Building and Safety Division, and having a single set of drawings that covers the full scope keeps inspections on track and trades moving through once instead of cycling back repeatedly.
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 bones of the house, covering structure, windows, plumbing, wiring, and heating and cooling systems. Most whole home remodeling projects in Upland end up being some of both, particularly in the older Craftsman bungalows and ranch homes where aging systems sit behind walls that have not been opened in decades. We scope everything together, prioritizing what protects the house first, then the systems that become hard to reach once walls close, then the finishes you live with every day.
Do we have to move out during a whole home remodel?
Whether you stay in your home during a whole home remodeling project in Upland depends entirely on the scope of work. Tearing out every bathroom and the kitchen at the same time, or pulling floors and drywall throughout the house, typically pushes families out during the heaviest phases. Keeping one bathroom functional and setting up a temporary kitchen in another room lets some homeowners stay put, though phasing the work 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?
How long a whole home remodeling project takes in Upland depends on scope, how fast selections get made, and how smoothly plan check moves through the City of Upland Building and Safety Division. Design and permitting can take as long as construction itself, and plan check alone sometimes runs several weeks. Construction on a full house typically spans several months, and that window stretches further when structural work, an addition, or unexpected conditions inside the walls come into play. We include a schedule specific to your home with the proposal, and getting the drawings started early is the single biggest factor in when you move back in.
Who handles the permit for a whole home remodel in Upland?
Yes, we handle the full permit process for whole home remodeling in Upland. Our team prepares the plan set, including structural engineering and Title 24 energy documents, then submits everything to the City of Upland Building and Safety Division and works through any plan-check comments until the permit is in hand. We schedule and attend every required inspection, from framing through insulation, and close out the permit at final. For properties on Upland’s local historic register, we also account for Certificate of Appropriateness requirements when exterior changes are involved.
What drives the cost of a whole home remodel?
Whole home remodel costs vary too widely for us to post a general range, since two houses the same size can price out very differently depending on what the project actually requires. In Upland, where much of the housing stock runs from pre-Depression Craftsman bungalows to postwar ranch layouts, the biggest cost drivers tend to be 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 needs, any lead or asbestos remediation, added square footage, and the finish level you select. Your written proposal breaks every one of those items out line by line, separating work that must be done from choices that are yours to make.
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Horizon is a licensed Class B general building contractor serving Upland and the surrounding San Bernardino County communities.