How Much Does a Whole-Home Remodel Cost in Los Angeles in 2026?
Per-square-foot planning ranges for an interior remodel without structural changes and a full remodel with structural work, what a typical 1,500–2,000 sq ft house runs by neighborhood, what is inside the number and how long it takes.
Whole-home remodel cost in Los Angeles (2026): Interior remodel, no structural changes $150–$250 per sq ft; Full remodel with structural work $250–$400 per sq ft. Plan on 4–8 weeks of plan check, then 4–6 months of construction without structural changes or 6–10 months with structural work or an addition; the kitchen and the bathrooms carry most of the budget whatever the square footage around them.
Planning ranges compiled from Right Image Builders' published Los Angeles pages; the fixed price follows a free on-site estimate. Licensed general contractor, CSLB #1021284, based in Valley Glen.
A whole-home remodel is priced per square foot of house, and the number splits into two tiers: an interior remodel that keeps the walls where they are, and a full remodel that moves or removes structure. The kitchen and the bathrooms are the expensive rooms in both; the rest of the house is finishes and systems.
| Scope | Per sq ft | Typical 1,500–2,000 sq ft house |
|---|---|---|
| Interior remodel, no structural changes | $150–$250 | Kitchen, every bathroom, flooring, paint, lighting, doors and trim throughout; 4–6 months of construction after 4–8 weeks of plan check. |
| Full remodel with structural work | $250–$400 | Wall removals on beams, new layouts, seismic bolting, a 200-amp panel, HVAC and windows; 6–10 months of construction. |
| Full remodel plus an addition or second story | Tier above + addition | Add $120K–$300K for a primary suite or $250K–$550K+ for a second story, engineered and permitted with the remodel as one project. |
Whole-home remodel cost by neighborhood
The neighborhood tables below come from the houses we see: 1950s ranches on the flats with galvanized plumbing and 100-amp panels, hillside post-and-beam houses south of Ventura with structural and access work, estate-scale houses in Encino with more square footage and higher finish expectations.
| Neighborhood | Interior remodel, no structural | Full remodel with structural work |
|---|---|---|
| Studio City | $150–$250 | $250–$400 |
| Encino | $150–$250 | $250–$400 |
| Van Nuys | $150–$250 | $250–$400 |
| Sherman Oaks | $150–$250 | $250–$400 |
What is inside the number
1. Kitchen and bathrooms
The kitchen and the primary bath set the tier more than any other rooms: cabinetry, counters, tile, fixtures and the plumbing and electrical behind them. Our kitchen and bathroom cost guides break those rooms out.
2. Systems
A 1950s house usually needs a 200-amp panel, new wiring in the rooms being opened, copper or PEX in place of galvanized supply lines, and HVAC sized for the new plan. Title 24 energy requirements apply to the rooms you touch.
3. Structure
Removing a bearing wall, opening a ceiling, adding a floor or an addition moves the project to the structural tier: an engineer's drawings, LADBS or city plan check, foundation and framing work and the inspections that go with them.
4. Finishes
Flooring, windows and doors, millwork, paint and lighting throughout; the same house can land at either end of its tier on finishes alone.
How long it takes
Plan on 4–8 weeks of plan check, then 4–6 months of construction for an interior remodel without structural changes and 6–10 months when structure or an addition is involved. Most families move out for a full remodel; a phased interior remodel can keep part of the house livable.
How to get a real number
Request the free on-site estimate. We walk the house, open the questions that matter (panel, plumbing, foundation, roof) and put one fixed, itemized price in writing that covers design coordination, permits, construction and the walkthrough. Then hire us where you live: Studio City, Encino, Van Nuys, Sherman Oaks.
Frequently Asked
Questions
In 2026 planning ranges, Interior remodel, no structural changes $150–$250 per sq ft; Full remodel with structural work $250–$400 per sq ft; a mid-range full remodel of a 2,000 sq ft house lands in the middle of those bands, and high-end projects with major structural work and custom millwork go beyond them. The free on-site estimate turns the range into one fixed price.
Usually to remodel, once transaction costs and the property-tax reset on a new purchase are counted; the exception is a house whose lot or structure cannot carry the plan you want. Remodel or move goes through the arithmetic.
A rule of thumb that a remodel budget should stay under about 30% of the home's value so the money is recovered at resale. It is a planning heuristic, not a limit: on a Los Angeles lot the land is most of the value, and a whole-home remodel is often the only way to get the house you want on it.
Plan on 4–8 weeks of plan check, then 4–6 months of construction without structural changes or 6–10 months with structural work or an addition. Material lead times for cabinetry and windows are the usual long poles, so they are ordered before demolition.
For a remodel that keeps the structure, a design-build contractor can draw and permit it; structural changes need an engineer's stamped drawings, and complex or custom designs are where an architect earns the fee. Design-build vs. architect and contractor compares the two routes.
Whole-home remodels in Studio City, Sherman Oaks, Encino, Van Nuys and the rest of the Valley are the core work of Right Image Builders (CSLB #1021284, based in Valley Glen): one fixed-price contract, an in-house crew, the final payment due after your walkthrough, and a record of 5.0★ on Google (45 reviews) and 4.9★ on Angi (103 reviews).
Whole-Home Remodeling — All of LA
One crew, one contract →
By NeighborhoodWhole-Home Remodeling in Studio City
Flats and hillside houses →
By NeighborhoodWhole-Home Remodeling in Sherman Oaks
Ranches and post-and-beam →
GuideKitchen Remodel Cost in Los Angeles
2026 planning ranges →
GuideBathroom Remodel Cost in Los Angeles
2026 planning ranges →
GuideRemodel or Move?
The arithmetic for Los Angeles →
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