How Much Does a Full Home Remodel Cost in LA County?

A full home remodel in Los Angeles County is one of the most significant financial decisions a homeowner can make. It's also one of the most difficult to get reliable cost information about — because the range is enormous and depends heavily on variables that online calculators can't capture.

This guide provides current, realistic cost data for LA County whole-home renovations, organized by scope and home size, with a breakdown of the major cost drivers.

What "Full Home Remodel" Actually Means

For this guide, a full home remodel means renovating the majority of the home under a single contract — at minimum: kitchen, bathrooms, flooring, interior paint, and significant portions of the home's systems or structure. This is distinct from:

A kitchen + bath combo: Two rooms, not a full remodel
A cosmetic refresh: New paint and flooring only
An addition-only project: Adding square footage without renovating existing space

The defining characteristics of a true full home remodel: the home is essentially unlivable during construction, most major systems are touched, and the result is a largely new interior.

Cost by Home Size and Scope (LA County, 2026)

1,000–1,400 sq ft Home

Common in North Hollywood, Van Nuys, and Sun Valley. Often 1940s–1960s bungalows and ranches.

| Scope | Cost Range | |-------|-----------| | Mid-range (kitchen, 1 bath, flooring, paint) | $120,000–$200,000 | | Comprehensive (kitchen, 2 baths, flooring, paint, windows, systems) | $200,000–$350,000 | | Full gut (down to studs, new systems, structural changes) | $350,000–$500,000 |

1,400–2,000 sq ft Home

Common in Burbank, Glendale, Sherman Oaks. Often mid-century ranch or split-level.

| Scope | Cost Range | |-------|-----------| | Mid-range | $175,000–$320,000 | | Comprehensive | $320,000–$550,000 | | Full gut | $500,000–$750,000 |

2,000–2,800 sq ft Home

Common in Pasadena, Encino, Studio City. Often 1960s–1980s construction or larger ranches.

| Scope | Cost Range | |-------|-----------| | Mid-range | $280,000–$500,000 | | Comprehensive | $500,000–$800,000 | | Full gut | $750,000–$1,200,000+ |

Cost Per Square Foot

A useful rule of thumb for LA County whole-home renovation costs:

Mid-range renovation: $120–$200/sq ft
High-end renovation: $200–$350/sq ft
Full gut/luxury: $350–$500+/sq ft

These are finished, livable condition numbers — they include design, permits, all trades, materials, and contractor overhead/profit. They exclude land, any additions, and design fees.

The Major Cost Drivers

Kitchen

The kitchen is almost always the single most expensive room in a whole-home remodel, often representing 20–35% of the total project budget. For a comprehensive LA renovation, budget:

Mid-range kitchen within a whole-home remodel: $45,000–$80,000
High-end kitchen: $80,000–$140,000+

Bathrooms

A whole-home renovation typically includes 2–3 bathrooms. Budget:

Hall bathroom: $18,000–$35,000 each
Master bathroom: $35,000–$75,000+

Mechanical Systems

Older LA homes frequently need:

Electrical panel upgrade (60A or 100A to 200A): $3,500–$7,000
Whole-house re-pipe (replacing galvanized or early copper with PEX): $8,000–$18,000
HVAC replacement (central air + heat): $12,000–$25,000

If all three are needed — common in pre-1980 homes — that's $25,000–$50,000 in systems work on top of the cosmetic renovation.

Windows and Doors

Replacing all windows in a 1,500 sq ft home: $15,000–$35,000 for vinyl; $25,000–$60,000 for fiberglass or aluminum. Replacing exterior doors: $2,000–$8,000 per door installed. These are significant line items often underestimated in initial budgets.

Structural Changes

Opening up a kitchen wall: $8,000–$25,000 depending on beam size and structural implications. A true reconfiguration — moving walls, adding or removing a doorway, changing a window to a sliding door — adds meaningful cost for each change.

Soft Costs: The Budget Orphans

"Soft costs" — expenses that aren't physical construction — consistently catch homeowners off guard:

Architectural/design fees: 8–15% of construction cost for a full-home remodel with a licensed architect
Engineering: $3,000–$15,000 for structural engineering on typical projects
Permits and fees: $8,000–$30,000+ for a comprehensive LA renovation
Temporary housing: $3,000–$6,000/month if you need to vacate
Storage: $200–$600/month for household contents
Testing (lead paint, asbestos): $500–$2,000 for pre-demo testing
Remediation (if hazmat found): $2,000–$15,000+

Total soft costs typically add 15–25% on top of construction cost. Budget for them explicitly.

Where to Save (and Where Not To)

Worth spending more:

Cabinet quality — you'll interact with your cabinets 50+ times daily; the feel of soft-close hinges, the fit of the doors, the durability of the finish matters
Tile installation labor — cheap tile installation fails; good tile work lasts 20+ years
Waterproofing — cutting corners here causes mold and structural damage that costs 10x as much to fix
Mechanical systems — if your electrical, plumbing, and HVAC need updating, do it now while the walls are open

Where you can save without sacrificing quality:

Appliances at mid-tier from major brands — functional excellence doesn't require Sub-Zero
Tile material (installation quality matters more than tile price)
Light fixtures — quality installs of moderately priced fixtures look great
Hardware — mid-range cabinet hardware at $8–$20/piece is entirely respectable

What Determines the Final Number

The two biggest variables: layout changes (do walls move? Does plumbing move?) and finish quality (cabinet tier, countertop material, flooring choice). Answer those two questions and a good contractor can give you a realistic range before you commit to anything.