Whole Home Remodeling in Whittier
Most homeowners who contact us about whole home remodeling in Whittier are happy with their neighborhood but frustrated with how their house actually functions. Whittier’s housing stock reflects the city’s layered history, from the Quaker-founded Uptown core that incorporated in 1898 through the postwar tracts that spread across what were once orange groves, and the typical home is either an older Uptown-era house with a cramped, separate kitchen or a wider-lot tract house built in the mid-twentieth century. A whole home remodel addresses that mismatch as a single coordinated project: multiple rooms reworked at once, walls relocated to open the floor plan, plumbing and electrical systems brought current, and one permit set covering the full scope. That is a fundamentally different undertaking from a single-room job, 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 Whittier
Whole home remodeling in Whittier starts before any drawings are made, with a full walk-through of the house from attic to crawl space or slab. We look at the electrical panel, supply lines, and anything that raises a question, because older Uptown-era houses and postwar tract homes on wider lots both carry decades of previous work that can hide rerouted framing or original plumbing that was never updated. Where something is uncertain, we investigate first, whether that means a sewer camera or asbestos testing on textured ceilings, so the plan reflects what is actually there.
From that walk-through we draw the existing layout and the proposed changes together in one plan set, adding structural engineering and Title 24 energy documents before submission to the City of Whittier Building and Safety Division. If your home falls within one of the city’s four locally designated historic districts, exterior changes also require a Certificate of Appropriateness, and we account for that review in the schedule. Construction follows a fixed sequence, demolition through rough trades, inspections, then finishes, with one project manager carrying the work through final sign-off.
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Pulling permits for a whole home remodel in Whittier typically means a full building permit with plan check, because the work touches structure, mechanical systems, plumbing and electrical at the same time. Those permits run through the City of Whittier Community Development Department, Building and Safety Division. One thing we flag early for homeowners in College Hills, Central Park, Hadley-Greenleaf and Earlham: all four are locally designated historic districts where exterior work requires a Certificate of Appropriateness before a permit is issued. We review your scope against that requirement at the start of every project, since it can affect exterior materials, setbacks and the review path before any demolition begins.
The age of the house shapes nearly everything else we find once work starts. Homes 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, certain flooring materials and older duct wrap can also contain asbestos, so suspect materials are tested before any removal takes place, with abatement handled by a licensed specialty contractor. Galvanized supply lines and undersized electrical panels show up regularly in both the Uptown-era houses with their compartmentalized floor plans and the postwar tract homes on wider lots throughout the city. A full remodel is the right time to address all of that, while walls are already open and tradespeople are already on site.
Two state requirements come up on nearly every permitted job. California Civil Code 1101.4 requires older high-flow toilets, showerheads and faucets to be replaced with water-conserving fixtures on many permitted remodels of pre-1994 homes, so we build that into the fixture schedule from the beginning rather than discovering it at final inspection. California Title 24 energy standards apply to remodels as well as new construction, and the 2025 standards govern permits filed on or after January 1, 2026. New windows, insulation, lighting and any HVAC changes all have to meet compliance thresholds, and we prepare those documents with the plans so there are no surprises during plan check.
Structural changes are often the biggest variable in scope. Opening the kitchen to the living area in one of Whittier’s older compartmentalized homes typically means an engineered beam, posts and sometimes new footings. Raised-floor houses may benefit from foundation bolting and cripple-wall bracing while the work area is already accessible. Unpermitted additions, enclosed patios and garage conversions are common across the city’s housing stock, and they need to be legalized, upgraded or rebuilt before the building department will sign off on the broader project. For homeowners who want additional living space, state law allows an ADU on most single-family lots, and we can plan that 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 Whittier
Horizon Construction and Remodeling is a licensed Class B general building contractor, bonded, and has been active since 2009. A whole-home remodel is exactly the kind of project a Class B license covers: structural work, multiple trades, and the coordination that holds everything together under a single permit pulled through the City of Whittier’s Building and Safety Division.
We handle drawings, engineering coordination, permitting, and construction under one contract with one project manager. That means you are not passing messages between separate parties. The people who worked out the floor plan are the same ones talking to the crew in your house. Finishes across every room, kitchen, baths, and flooring, are selected together so the choices stay consistent from one end of the house to the other. For homes in the historic districts, such as College Hills or Hadley-Greenleaf, exterior work typically requires a Certificate of Appropriateness before permits move forward, and we account for that in the schedule from the start.
We are also direct about the parts of a remodel that are harder to hear. Older Uptown-era houses in particular often need work behind the walls that does not show up on a materials list. We will tell you what is realistic about living in the home during construction, what an older house is likely to need once walls open, and which items can 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 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. Everything is drawn, permitted, and sequenced together, so each trade comes through once instead of reopening finished work later. In Whittier, where housing ranges from compact Uptown-era homes with small separate kitchens to wider-lot postwar tracts in areas like College Hills and Friendly Hills, that coordinated approach matters.
What's the difference between a whole home remodel and a complete home renovation?
A remodel and a renovation are related but not the same thing. Remodeling changes layouts and finishes; renovation addresses the house itself, meaning structure, windows, plumbing, wiring, and heating and cooling. Most whole home remodeling projects in Whittier involve both, especially in the older Uptown-era houses where small compartmentalized floor plans and aging systems often need attention at the same time. We scope everything together, putting protection of the house first, then 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 Whittier depends entirely on the scope of the work. If the kitchen and every bathroom are coming out at the same time, or drywall and floors are being removed throughout, most families leave for at least the most disruptive phases. When the project can be staged, keeping one bathroom functional and setting up a temporary kitchen in another room, some homeowners choose to stay put. 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 Whittier takes depends on scope, plan check, and how quickly you finalize selections. Design and permitting often consume as much time as construction itself, and plan check with the City of Whittier Building and Safety Division alone can run several weeks or more. If your home sits in one of the city’s four locally designated historic districts, exterior work also requires a Certificate of Appropriateness, which adds its own review timeline. Construction on a whole house typically runs several months, longer when there is structural work, an addition, or unexpected conditions behind the walls. We provide a schedule specific to your home with the proposal, and starting the drawings early is the single biggest lever on your move-back-in date.
Who handles the permit for a whole home remodel in Whittier?
Yes, we handle the full permit process for whole home remodeling in Whittier. Our team prepares the plan set, including structural engineering and Title 24 energy documents, then submits everything to the City of Whittier Community Development Department’s Building and Safety Division and works through any plan-check comments until the permit is issued. We schedule and attend all required inspections, from framing through insulation, and close out the permit at final. If your home falls within one of Whittier’s four locally designated historic districts, where exterior changes typically require a Certificate of Appropriateness, we build that review into the project schedule alongside any other applicable approvals.
What drives the cost of a whole home remodel?
Whole home remodeling costs in Whittier vary too widely for published price ranges to mean much, because two houses of the same square footage can land far apart depending on their condition and scope. Structural changes such as removing a load-bearing wall, relocating a kitchen or bathroom on a slab foundation, necessary repiping or rewiring, hazardous material handling, added square footage, and finish selections all push costs in different directions. Your written proposal separates every must-do item from the choices you control, line by line.
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Horizon is a licensed Class B general building contractor serving Whittier and the surrounding Los Angeles County communities.