Whole House Remodel: Where to Start and How to Plan

A whole house remodel is fundamentally different from remodeling one room. The sequencing, permit strategy, contractor selection, and budget structure all change when work spans the entire home. Most homeowners who've done a whole house remodel will tell you the same thing: the planning phase determines whether the project runs smoothly or turns into a multi-year ordeal. This guide covers what to do before a single wall comes down.

Define "Whole House" for Your Project

The term "whole house remodel" covers a wide range — from cosmetic updates to every room to a structural gut renovation that touches plumbing, electrical, and framing throughout. Before doing anything else, define what scope you're actually undertaking:

• Cosmetic whole house: New flooring, paint, fixtures, and surfaces throughout — no structural or plumbing changes. Typically $40,000–$100,000 for a 2,000 sq ft home in Prescott.
• Mid-range whole house: Kitchen and bathrooms rebuilt, new flooring throughout, HVAC updates. Typically $120,000–$250,000.
• Full gut renovation: Everything to the studs — new plumbing, electrical, HVAC, insulation, and all finishes. Typically $200–$350+ per square foot in Yavapai County.

These definitions matter because they determine permit requirements, contractor type, and project timeline before you've had a single conversation with anyone.

Step 1: Assess Before You Plan

The first thing a good contractor does before quoting a whole house remodel is assess the existing conditions. In Prescott, this typically means evaluating:

• Plumbing: Many Prescott homes from the 1970s–1990s have galvanized steel supply lines that are corroded and undersized. If pipes are being opened anyway, replacing them costs far less than doing it separately later.
• Electrical: Homes of that era often have 100-amp service (modern standard is 200-amp), aluminum wiring in some cases, and no arc-fault protection. A whole house remodel is the right time to address this.
• Insulation: Prescott's elevation and temperature range mean insulation matters. R-values in older homes are typically far below current code minimums. Opening walls for a remodel creates an opportunity to upgrade.
• Subfloor and framing: Any moisture history, settling, or pest damage shows up when flooring is removed. Knowing this before budgeting prevents surprises mid-project.

We always recommend a pre-construction walkthrough before producing a detailed scope. Hidden conditions in a whole house remodel aren't rare — they're expected. A walkthrough converts unknowns into line items before you're committed.

Step 2: Establish the Right Sequence

The order of work in a whole house remodel isn't arbitrary — it's driven by what has to be done before what can be started. The correct general sequence:

Step 3: Plan Around Occupancy

Can you live in the home during a whole house remodel? The honest answer depends on scope. During demo and rough-in phases — when plumbing is disconnected, dust is everywhere, and there may be no functional kitchen — most homeowners need to be elsewhere. Budget for temporary housing in your project cost if the scope is a mid-range or full gut renovation. For a cosmetic whole house remodel done room by room, living in the home is often manageable with some coordination.

In Prescott, short-term rental costs for a family during a 3–6 month whole house renovation run $3,000–$7,000/month depending on size. Budget $9,000–$20,000 for temporary housing if your project timeline is 3–5 months and you plan to vacate.

Step 4: Permit Strategy

A whole house remodel almost always requires permits in Prescott — for structural work, plumbing, electrical, and HVAC changes. The permit process for a whole house remodel differs from individual room permits:

• A single permit package covering all trades is usually more efficient than multiple individual permits. This requires a contractor who coordinates across trades.
• Inspection phasing must be coordinated: rough-in inspections (plumbing, electrical, structural) happen before insulation and drywall close those systems. Timing these correctly prevents having to open walls that were just closed.
• City of Prescott permit review times typically run 10–20 business days for a full whole house package. Factor this into your start-date planning.

Step 5: Single Contractor vs. Self-Managing Subs

For a whole house remodel, hiring a general contractor who manages all trades is almost always the right choice. Self-managing subcontractors — hiring a plumber, electrician, tile setter, and framer directly — saves 10–15% in GC markup but requires you to be the project manager: scheduling, coordinating inspections, resolving conflicts between trades, and problem-solving daily.

That coordination role is a full-time job during active construction. For most homeowners, the GC markup is worth every dollar. For homeowners who have construction experience and genuinely want that role, direct sub management is viable — but it should be a deliberate choice, not a default assumption.

Budget Framework for Prescott Whole House Remodels

A few specific numbers for Yavapai County in 2025–2026:

• Flooring (LVP throughout a 2,000 sq ft home): $18,000–$32,000 installed
• Kitchen remodel (mid-range, included in whole house): $35,000–$65,000
• Each full bathroom (included in whole house): $18,000–$35,000
• Plumbing repiping (galvanized to PEX throughout): $8,000–$18,000
• Electrical panel upgrade + whole house circuits: $6,000–$14,000
• GC management fee: Typically 15–20% of total project cost
• Contingency: 15–20% of total — non-negotiable on a whole house

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does a whole house remodel take in Prescott?

A cosmetic whole house remodel (no structural/plumbing/electrical changes) typically takes 3–5 months. A mid-range whole house remodel with kitchen and baths rebuilt runs 5–9 months. A full gut renovation runs 8–14 months. These timelines assume no major material delays, which has been the norm in 2025–2026 after supply chain disruptions largely resolved.

Should I remodel all at once or room by room?

All at once, if budget allows. Room-by-room whole house remodeling is significantly more expensive (multiple mobilizations, multiple permit pulls, coordination complexity), harder to keep a consistent design through, and takes much longer total. The only case for phasing is when budget requires it — and even then, do the kitchen and bathrooms in phase one since they have the most structural interdependencies.

Do I need an architect or designer for a whole house remodel?

If you're making structural changes — moving walls, adding dormers, changing rooflines — an architect is required by code. For a cosmetic or mid-range whole house remodel without structural changes, an interior designer is optional but often valuable at this scale. A design-build contractor like Infinity can handle design at the whole house scale without a separate architectural firm when no structural engineering is required.

What's the ROI on a whole house remodel in Prescott?

A whole house remodel in Prescott typically returns 60–80% of its cost in increased market value immediately. The remaining return comes through years of use, reduced maintenance, and the retirement-demographic premium buyers place on fully updated homes. In Prescott's retirement market, a fully updated, move-in-ready home commands a meaningful premium over an equivalently sized home that needs updating.