- Typical cost
- Pasadena, 2026
- Building department
- City of Pasadena
- Permit needed
- Usually yes
- Licensed
- CSLB 1083262Class B general building
A whole-house renovation on a Pasadena Craftsman is as much a systems project as a finish project. Knob-and-tube wiring, galvanised supply pipe, clay sewer laterals and unbolted foundations are all common in this housing stock, and none of them are visible on a walkthrough. We get a sewer camera and a crawlspace inspection done before setting the budget, and we tell owners of pre-1940 houses to hold 15 percent back.
What it costs in Pasadena
| What | Typical Los Angeles range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cosmetic, whole house | $60 to $120 per sq ft | A 1,600 sq ft house: $100k to $190k |
| Full replacement | $150 to $300 per sq ft | A 1,600 sq ft house: $240k to $480k |
| Gut renovation with structural work | $300 to $600 per sq ft | A 1,600 sq ft house: $480k to $960k |
| Full rewire | $15,000 to $40,000 | Depends on size and access |
| Repipe | $8,000 to $20,000 | Copper or PEX |
| Contingency we recommend | 10 to 15% | Held back, on any house built before 1970 |
Los Angeles County figures, reviewed 2026-10-29 by America General Contractors, California contractor licence CSLB 1083262. Planning ranges, not a quote, and not legal advice. We confirm the current rules for your parcel before anything is drawn.
How we approach it here
A whole-house renovation does everything in one go: kitchen, bathrooms, floors, wiring, plumbing, heating and air, windows, roof, exterior, and often the floor plan. It is the right call when the house has had nothing done to it in decades, when you just bought and want it finished before moving in, or when you are getting it ready to sell or rent.
Doing it all at once costs less than doing it in pieces, because the trades show up once instead of five times and the house is torn open for one stretch instead of several. One contract, one price, one schedule, and a weekly update so you always know where it stands.
Building rules in Pasadena
Pasadena has an active historic preservation program with landmark districts where exterior changes need review, its own ADU and seismic programs, and a plan check process that rewards complete submittals. Many homes have original foundations that need bolting or repair.
Building department
City of Pasadena Planning & Community Development, Building Division
ZIP codes we cover
91101 through 91107
Neighborhoods
Bungalow Heaven, Madison Heights, Old Pasadena, Linda Vista, Hastings Ranch, Playhouse District
What a whole-house remodel job includes
- A walk through what exists now and a priority list
- Floor plan changes, removing walls, structural beams
- Full rewire and a bigger electrical panel
- Repipe and a new sewer line where it is needed
- New heating and air, ducts and insulation
- Kitchen and bathroom remodels
- Windows, doors, floors, drywall, trim and paint
- Roof, stucco, exterior and the edges of the landscaping
What moves the price
- How old the house is, and the state of the wiring, pipes and foundation
- How much of the floor plan changes, and which walls are holding the roof up
- Finish level, and how many kitchens and bathrooms there are
- Whether anyone is living there during the work
- What the permit triggers: detectors, water-saving fixtures, gas shutoff valves
Permits and inspections
A whole-house renovation is a stack of permits: building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical. Structural changes need engineered drawings. Rewires, repipes and new heating systems each get their own permit and inspection. A big enough renovation in the City of Los Angeles also triggers upgrades like smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, low-flow fixtures and an earthquake gas shutoff valve. We bundle the filings and sequence the inspections so they do not hold up the trades.
How we run the job
1. Walk the property
We meet you on site, listen, and look at what the building and the city will need. You get a written scope and a budget range.
2. Drawings
When drawings are needed we bring in the architect and engineer, and price the design while it is being drawn.
3. Permit
We file with the city, handle the corrections they send back, and tell you where it stands.
4. Price and contract
An itemized price, a schedule and payment terms. Anything new after signing gets priced in writing first.
5. Build
One supervisor on your job, licensed trades, inspections in order, and a weekly update with photos.
6. Walkthrough
A final fix list, the city's sign-off, and a written warranty on our work.
Pasadena questions about whole-house renovation
Do I need a permit for whole-house renovation in Pasadena?
City of Pasadena Planning & Community Development, Building Division Structural changes need engineered drawings. Rewires, repipes and new heating systems each get their own permit and inspection. A big enough renovation in the City of Los Angeles also triggers upgrades like smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, low-flow fixtures and an earthquake gas shutoff valve. We bundle the filings and sequence the inspections so they do not hold up the trades.
How much does whole-house renovation cost in Pasadena?
is the usual range across Los Angeles County, and Pasadena sits inside it. The table on this page breaks it down by scope. What moves the number locally is the condition of the existing house and whether the layout changes, not the ZIP code. We price from a walkthrough, not a square-foot rule.
How long does whole-house renovation take in Pasadena?
Cosmetic runs 4 to 8 weeks. Full replacement is 3 to 5 months. Custom with structural work is 6 to 12 months including drawings and permits. Cabinet, window and stone lead times are built into the schedule from day one instead of discovered halfway through.
All at once or one room at a time?
All at once is usually 15 to 25 percent cheaper and far less disruptive, because the house gets opened once and the trades do not keep coming back. Phasing only makes sense when cash flow forces it.
Do you work with investors and flippers?
Yes, a lot of our renovation work is for investors. We scope to the resale or rent number you are targeting, not to the biggest possible spend.
Other work we do in Pasadena
kitchen and bathroom remodeling, ADU and garage conversion work, room additions, seismic retrofit and foundation work. Or see everything on the Pasadena page.
Whole-House Remodel in nearby cities
Beverly Hills, Culver City, Long Beach, Santa Monica, Burbank, Sherman Oaks.