Principal-led, gut-to-finish remodels for owners who want one contractor accountable, not three vendors pointing at each other.
A whole-home remodel is the most consequential renovation a family undertakes. We run it the way the owner needs it run: principal-led, single point of accountability, no subcontractor finger-pointing.
Walk the home with the principal. Identify what stays, what goes, what gets reinforced. Honest demo-vs-remodel feasibility review before contract.
Structural drawings for steel reinforcement, beam upgrades, foundation modifications, and any code-required seismic work. Stamped, submitted, defended at plan check.
One contractor through demo, structural, MEP, drywall, finishes, certificate of occupancy. The principal answers the phone for the duration of the project.
Owner-accountable, every project. Principal-led, every meeting.
A whole-home remodel from ESRL is a single contract that covers the building from the foundation up. Every trade is coordinated through one office. Scope is tailored to the home and the owner, but a representative full remodel typically includes:
A whole-home remodel is the one and only opportunity in a home's life cycle to upgrade the structure without tearing the building down. The walls are open, the drywall is gone, the framing is exposed. The cost of touching the structure is at its lowest. After the remodel, the next chance to do structural work won't come for thirty years.
Most California GCs treat the remodel as a finish job and leave the original wood frame untouched, even when it's undersized for the openings the owner wants, even when seismic provisions of the current code would require it on a ground-up project. ESRL handles the remodel differently. Where the existing wood frame is competent, we keep it. Where it isn't, we reinforce it with light gauge cold-formed steel.
A hybrid wood-steel remodel is not the same as a steel-frame new build. It's a more nuanced piece of engineering. ESRL is one of the few California GCs with in-house structural engineering for steel reinforcement of existing wood frames, with 22 years of California residential experience to know which moves are worth making and which aren't. More on our steel work →
Every remodel is scoped specifically. Schedule depends on home size, structural scope, MEP extent, finish level, AHJ permit pace, and owner change-order pattern. Representative ranges from signed contract to final certificate of occupancy:
| Remodel Type | Home Size | Timeline (contract → CO) |
|---|---|---|
| Cosmetic remodel (finishes only, no structural) | 2,500–5,000 SF | 5–9 months |
| Mid-scope remodel (MEP + kitchens + baths + select structural) | 3,000–6,000 SF | 10–15 months |
| Full gut remodel (demo to stud + structural + MEP + finishes) | 4,000–7,000 SF | 14–24 months |
| Gut + second-story addition | 5,000–9,000 SF | 20–30 months |
If a remodel's true scope creeps past the threshold where a ground-up rebuild becomes more economical and more durable, we say so. That conversation is what the pre-construction feasibility review is for.
ESRL has delivered whole-home remodels and major renovations across LA and Orange County over the past 22 years. Recent projects include hillside Bel Air gut remodels, Beverly Hills second-story additions, Newport Beach coastal renovations, and Pacific Palisades post-fire rebuilds. Each project is documented with photography, scope summary, and owner reference where available.
For project photography, owner testimonials, and additional case study material, visit our portfolio page or read owner statements on the testimonials page.
For owners considering ESRL for a whole-home remodel, we provide a pre-construction feasibility consultation that includes a candid review of demo-vs-remodel economics, an outline of the structural opportunities available, and a project-specific schedule. No obligation, no commitment. Begin a project →
From signed contract to final inspection, a typical 4,000 to 7,000 SF whole-home remodel in Beverly Hills, Bel Air, or Pacific Palisades takes 14 to 24 months. Roughly 3 to 6 months for design refinement, permits, and AHJ approvals, followed by 11 to 18 months of active construction. Variables that drive schedule include structural scope, MEP replacement extent, finish level, owner change orders, and jurisdiction permit pace. A like-for-like cosmetic remodel runs much shorter; a true gut remodel with structural upgrades runs closer to the upper bound.
Yes. One of the most valuable structural moves we make during a whole-home remodel is adding light gauge cold-formed steel reinforcement to existing wood-frame structures. This typically means steel moment frames at large openings, steel beams replacing undersized wood headers, supplemental steel studs at high-load shear walls, and steel joist sistering where wood joists have failed. The result is a hybrid wood-steel structure with materially improved seismic performance, larger clear spans for open-plan living, and a longer structural life than a pure wood frame would have delivered.
A full whole-home remodel scope from ESRL typically includes: selective or full demolition, structural upgrades (including optional steel reinforcement), foundation repair or augmentation, complete MEP rework (electrical service upgrade, repipe, HVAC system replacement, low-voltage rough-in), insulation and Title 24 envelope upgrade, drywall, exterior cladding and roofing, windows and doors, interior millwork, cabinetry, tile and stone, hardwood or stone flooring, paint, landscape integration, and pool or hardscape coordination where applicable. Every project is scoped to the specific home and owner brief.
Sometimes, yes. If the existing foundation is failing, the framing is significantly out of square, the floor plan is structurally locked into a layout that doesn't serve the family, and the building envelope requires comprehensive upgrade anyway, the math often favors demolition and a ground-up steel-frame rebuild. We perform a free pre-construction feasibility review for every prospective remodel that includes a candid demo-and-rebuild comparison so the decision is data-driven, not emotional.
For a true whole-home remodel involving structural work, MEP replacement, and full finishes, yes. The home is uninhabitable for safety, dust, noise, and code-compliance reasons. Most owners relocate for the entirety of the active construction phase. For partial remodels confined to one wing, basement, or floor, phased occupancy can sometimes be arranged, though it adds schedule and protection cost. We discuss occupancy strategy at the pre-construction meeting.
Free 30-minute pre-construction consultation. Honest demo-vs-remodel feasibility review, structural opportunity outline, project-specific schedule. No obligation.
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