Free written scope consultation - allowances, timeline, and change-order rules on paper before a single trade is scheduled
Trusted Home Renovation Nationwide
A home renovation should leave you with a house that works better for the way your family lives now, and a stretch of months that did not turn your life upside down. Elmstead Remodeling, a Cedarwell company founded in 2005, handles both. Under the leadership of Graham Stein, our crews have built a reputation for showing up when we say we will, writing the price down before we start, and leaving the house cleaner than we found it. We serve homeowners across the United States through local crews who hold to the same Cedarwell Care Promise: shoe covers at the door, drop cloths on the floors, quiet tools during nap and school hours, and a photo of the clean-up before we leave. Call (949) 850-9896 any hour, and a live person answers. Not a voicemail box. Not a bot. A person who can schedule your free estimate.
Key takeaways: one written price for the whole project, named-brand materials like Kohler, Cambria and KraftMaid, and a 365-Day Done Right Promise stamped on every renovation.
Home Renovation Contractors
Home Renovation Contractors are the general contractors who plan, schedule and carry out work on a house that already exists, from a single updated room to changes across every floor. You hire one when the project involves more than one trade, because someone has to decide whether the electrician goes in before the drywall, and who is on site when the inspector arrives. Elmstead Remodeling acts as that single point of contact. A typical home renovation runs $25,000 to $150,000 depending on how many rooms are involved and what is behind the walls, and you will know your number before we start because a written price is always included, never optional.
What We Coordinate
Demolition, framing, plumbing, electrical, HVAC changes, insulation, drywall, flooring, cabinetry, tile, trim and paint all fall under our scope. We use named brands you can research yourself: Kohler and Moen fixtures, Cambria and Silestone countertops, KraftMaid and Wellborn cabinets. Each manufacturer warranty travels with the finished work.
Why One Contractor Beats Five
When every trade is hired separately, the homeowner becomes the project manager, and gaps between trades are where delays and finger-pointing live. One contractor owns the schedule and the result. If the tile is late, we move the painter, not you.
Styles & brands we work with
Home Renovators
Home Renovators are the people who actually do the work: lead carpenters, tile setters, licensed plumbers and electricians, and the project lead who keeps them in order. The difference between good and poor renovators usually shows in the details nobody photographs, such as flashing around a new window, a properly sloped shower pan, or a subfloor that was checked before the new floor went down. Elmstead Remodeling sends background-checked, uniformed renovators to every job, and you will know who is walking into your home before they ring the bell. No rotating cast of strangers, and no work handed off to someone you never met.
Who Shows Up at Your Door
Your project has a named lead who walks the job every day. If you have a question at 4 p.m. on a Tuesday, you ask the person who is standing in your kitchen, not a call center.
Lived-In Renovations
Most families stay in the house during a renovation. We plan the sequence so there is always a working bathroom and a place to make coffee, and we tell you in advance which days will be loud or dusty.
Home Improvement Contractors
Home Improvement Contractors cover a wide field, from fixing a failing deck to rebuilding a kitchen, and the label alone does not tell you whether a company can run a multi-trade project. Ask three things: do they put the price in writing, do they pull permits where the code requires them, and who stands behind the work after the last day on site. Elmstead Remodeling answers yes to all three. We offer our Bathroom Remodeling and Basement Remodeling services as part of the same Cedarwell standard, so a renovation that touches several parts of the house is run by one team with one set of rules.
Permits and Inspections
Where the code calls for a permit, we pull it, schedule the inspections, and keep the paperwork in your project file. Unpermitted work can cost you at resale and with your insurer, so we do not cut that corner.
Honest Scope
If a project is really a repair and not a renovation, we say so. Not every problem needs a bigger job than the one you called about.
Home Renovation Companies
Home Renovation Companies range from one-person operations to large franchises, and the difference often shows up in how the house is treated while the work is happening. You need a company, not just a crew, when you want a written price, named-brand materials and someone accountable after the work is done. Elmstead Remodeling is a Cedarwell company, which means every location is independently owned and operated but holds to the same Cedarwell Care Promise. A whole-home renovation through us is quoted in writing before work starts, and the 365-Day Done Right Promise stands behind every finished project.
What the Promise Means
If something is not done right after we leave, we make it right. That is not a slogan. It is stamped on every project we complete, in writing, for a full year.
Local Crews, One Standard
Your crew lives and works near you, so they can come back quickly. The standard they follow is the same in every state.
Renovation Contractors
Renovation Contractors work inside the limits of an existing structure, and that is what makes renovation harder than new construction. Old houses hide things: knob-and-tube wiring, galvanized supply lines, undersized beams, and plaster over lath. A good renovation contractor plans for surprises instead of pretending they will not happen. Elmstead Remodeling opens a small inspection point before we quote, checks the panel, the plumbing material and the framing where we can see it, and builds a clear allowance into the written price for what we cannot see yet. If something unexpected turns up, you see it, we explain it, and you approve any change in writing before it costs you a dollar.
Older Homes
Houses built before 1978 may contain lead paint, and some older homes have asbestos in flooring or insulation. We test before we disturb, and we follow the proper containment steps when we find it.
Change Orders in Writing
Any change to scope or price is written down and signed by you before the work happens. No surprise invoices at the end.
Whole House Renovation
A Whole House Renovation updates most or all of a home in one coordinated project, and it makes sense when the layout, systems and finishes are all tired at the same time. You consider it when you plan to stay for years, when you bought a house that needs everything, or when doing room after room would mean living through construction again and again. Elmstead Remodeling plans whole-house work in phases so the family can stay in the home where possible, and a project of this size typically runs $75,000 to $250,000 or more. The spread depends on square footage, structural changes, and how much of the plumbing, wiring and HVAC is being replaced. Your written price breaks it down room by room before the first wall comes down.
Phasing the Work
We usually start with anything behind the walls, such as electrical, plumbing and insulation, while the rooms are open, then move to drywall, flooring and finishes. Doing it in that order avoids tearing out new work to reach old pipes.
Living in the House or Moving Out
Some phases are manageable with the family at home. Others, like floor refinishing or a full kitchen gut, go more smoothly with a few days away. We tell you which is which, and we never pressure you either way.
Related services: Room Addition Contractor, Basement Remodeling and Bathroom Remodeling.
Kitchen and Bath Updates
Kitchens and bathrooms carry most of the cost in a renovation because they hold the plumbing, the cabinets and the most expensive surfaces. A mid-range kitchen update commonly runs $18,000 to $60,000, and a full bathroom runs $9,000 to $28,000. We install KraftMaid and Wellborn cabinetry to the manufacturer’s spec, set Cambria and Silestone counters on properly supported bases, and use Schluter waterproofing under shower tile so water goes to the drain and not into the wall.
Layout Before Finishes
We settle the layout first, including where the sink, range and refrigerator sit, because moving plumbing after cabinets are ordered is expensive. Finishes come second and are easy to adjust.
Flooring, Drywall and Paint
These are the surfaces you see every day, and they are where a rushed job shows. Drywall seams that telegraph through paint, floors that squeak because the subfloor was never screwed down, and trim that does not meet at the corners all come from skipped prep. Our crews screw down loose subfloor, level before they lay, and prime new drywall before the finish coat. Flooring replacement commonly runs $4 to $15 per square foot installed, depending on material, and painting a full interior is usually priced by the room so you can see where the money goes.
See the difference
Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterBrands We Install
We work with KraftMaid and Wellborn cabinetry regularly, and our crews are trained on their installation specifications. KraftMaid offers a wide range of door styles and finishes, and we make sure the cabinet lines, drawer alignment and hardware are set to spec. Wellborn cabinets are built to order, so we schedule measurements carefully and the order is correct the first time.
Kohler and Moen fixtures, Cambria and Silestone surfaces, and James Hardie siding and backer products show up in our renovation work, particularly in moisture-prone rooms and on exteriors. We follow the manufacturer’s installation guidelines so the warranty stays intact, and we can walk you through what is covered if you want to read it yourself. Whether you have these brands or any other make, we can help.
Signs You Need a Pro Right Now
- Cracks that return after you patch them. A drywall crack that reopens within a season usually points to movement in the framing or a moisture problem, not a bad patch. Painting over it hides the symptom. A pro should find out why the wall is moving.
- Floors that slope or feel springy. A floor that bounces when you walk across the room can mean undersized joists, rot, or a past leak. New flooring over a weak floor will fail. The structure has to be checked first.
- Outlets that spark, buzz or feel warm. Old wiring and overloaded circuits are a fire risk. This is not a weekend fix. A licensed electrician needs to look at the panel and the runs before anyone closes up a wall.
- Stains on ceilings or around windows. Brown rings mean water is getting in, and the source may be a roof, a pipe, or a failed window seal. The leak must be stopped before cosmetic work starts, or the new finish will stain too.
- A layout that fights you every day. If the kitchen traffic path runs through the dining room, or the only full bath is two floors from the bedrooms, no amount of new paint fixes it. That is a renovation question, and it is worth a conversation.
Our Process, Step by Step
- 1
Call and talk to a real person. You call (949) 850-9896 and a live person answers, any hour. You describe the house, what is not working, and what you want it to do. We schedule a free estimate at a time that works for your family.
- 2
On-site walkthrough and written price. A uniformed technician comes to the house, walks the rooms with you, and checks the plumbing, framing and electric where it can be seen before quoting anything. You get a written price, item by item, before any work starts. No estimate that grows after the crew arrives.
- 3
Design, materials and schedule. You choose fixtures and finishes from named brands: Kohler, Moen, Cambria, Silestone, KraftMaid, Wellborn. We confirm lead times, pull permits where required, and lock the schedule. You will know the week we start before we order anything.
- 4
The work, done carefully. The crew arrives with drop cloths and shoe covers. The house is protected from the entry door to the work area. We ask before moving anything, use quiet tools during rest hours where possible, and choose pet-safe products where there is a choice. The clean-up happens every day.
- 5
Final walkthrough with photo proof. Before we leave, you walk the finished project with the lead technician. Any question is answered on the spot. Then you get a photo of the clean-up, and the 365-Day Done Right Promise is attached to the project in writing.
How Much Does Home Renovation Cost?
A single-room renovation typically runs $15,000 to $60,000. A multi-room renovation runs $40,000 to $150,000, and a whole house renovation runs $75,000 to $250,000 or more. These are national ranges for work done by a licensed contractor using named-brand materials, with permits pulled where required.
What moves the price most: whether walls, plumbing or the electrical panel move, the finishes you choose, the condition of the framing and subfloor underneath, and whether an older home needs wiring or venting brought up to code. Paint and flooring alone sit at the bottom of the range. Structural changes, new layouts and custom cabinetry sit at the top.
To avoid overpaying, get a written line-item price that separates materials, labor and any allowances. If a contractor cannot or will not write the price down before starting, walk away. A free estimate from Elmstead Remodeling includes that written price, the scope broken out, and a set start date. You will never be asked to sign a blank number. Call (949) 850-9896 for yours.
Where We Work
Elmstead Remodeling serves homeowners across the United States through local crews. Each location is independently owned and operated and holds to the same Cedarwell Care Promise standards. That means wherever your home is, the crew at your door follows the same rules: shoe covers on, drop cloths down, written price first, clean-up photographed before we leave. One standard of care, nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions About Home Renovation
A home renovation is work that updates, repairs or reconfigures a house that already exists, without building it from scratch. It can be one room with new surfaces and fixtures, or a whole-house project that changes layouts and replaces plumbing, wiring and finishes. Elmstead Remodeling handles both with one written price before any work starts. Call (949) 850-9896 to talk through your house.
A single-room renovation often takes three to eight weeks, and a whole house renovation can take three to six months, depending on size, permits and material lead times. We give you a schedule in writing before the project starts and tell you which phases will be loud or dusty. Call (949) 850-9896 for a timeline specific to your home.
A single room typically costs $15,000 to $60,000, and a whole house renovation costs $75,000 to $250,000 or more. The exact price depends on scope, materials and what is hidden behind the existing walls, which is why we give a written line-item price after an on-site walkthrough. Call (949) 850-9896 to schedule your free estimate.
Often you do not. We plan the sequence so there is a working bathroom and a place to prepare food for most of the project. Some phases, such as floor refinishing or a full kitchen gut, go more smoothly with a few days away, and we will tell you honestly which are which. Call (949) 850-9896 and we will talk through your situation.
Yes. Where the local code requires a permit, we pull it, schedule the inspections and keep the paperwork in your project file. Unpermitted work can cause problems at resale and with insurance, so we do not skip it. Call (949) 850-9896 with any questions about your area.
Every Elmstead Remodeling project is covered by the 365-Day Done Right Promise: if it is not done right, we make it right. That promise is stamped on every completed project in writing. Manufacturer warranties from Kohler, Moen, Cambria, Silestone, KraftMaid, Wellborn and others also travel with the finished work. Call (949) 850-9896 with any warranty question.
Schedule Your Home Renovation Service Today
Call (949) 850-9896 for a free, no-obligation estimate on your home renovation. A live person answers 24/7, and you will get a written price before any work starts. Drop cloths, shoe covers, quiet tools and a photo of the clean-up are included on every job, and the 365-Day Done Right Promise stands behind the finished project. Whether you are planning one room, a basement, or the whole house, we are ready to talk. Call now.
Written by Graham Stein, Owner at Elmstead Remodeling, serving homeowners nationwide since 2005.
Explore our home page to learn more about the Cedarwell Care Promise.
