Design-Build Remodeling
Whole-House Remodeling in Santa Cruz & the Monterey Peninsula
A whole-house remodel changes how the entire home works: the layout, the kitchen and bathrooms, the structure, and the wiring and plumbing behind the walls. Shaw Built handles the design, the permits and the construction, so you have one contract and one person to call from the first walk-through to the final inspection.
Older homes here often hide undersized electrical service, tired plumbing and framing that doesn’t meet today’s code. On the first visit we do our best to identify those, so they show up in the plan and the price instead of halfway through construction.
Fully Licensed and Insured · CSLB #1065886 · Design-build since 2020
We remodel homes across Santa Cruz County, from Santa Cruz and Capitola to Aptos, Scotts Valley and the San Lorenzo Valley, and take on selected projects in Carmel, Pebble Beach, Pacific Grove and Monterey.
What a Whole-House Remodel Can Include
Most whole-house projects combine several of these. We plan them together, so the house works as one design instead of a series of rooms done at different times.
A new floor plan. Removing or moving walls to open the kitchen to the living areas, with the beams and engineering that takes.
Kitchen and bathrooms. Designed together, so cabinetry, tile and fixtures carry through the house.
Foundation and seismic upgrades. Where the house needs them.
Electrical service. Many older homes need a larger panel before they can run a modern kitchen, heat pumps or an EV charger.
Plumbing, heating and insulation, replaced or brought up to current code.
Windows, doors, siding and roofing, detailed for salt air, fog and winter rain.
More room, when you need it. If the house needs space as well as change, an addition can be part of the same project. See home additions.
![Remodeled kitchen with sage-green cabinets, white counters, floating wood shelves and a woven pendant light, [near Felton, CA]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/691ba6befdb4275ba42731f3/52014fff-8b1d-4fff-a9f1-e123f1374bdd/Manzanita+Kitchen)
![Remodeled two-story home with white vertical siding, black-framed windows and a wide deck with black metal railings, [near Felton, CA]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/691ba6befdb4275ba42731f3/f760ad7e-7f18-4997-afee-63bfe7b4626c/Manzanita+Front+Exterior)
How a Project Runs With Us
Walk-through and scope. We walk the house with you, talk through what you want to change and what you plan to spend, and note what the house itself needs.
Design. Our design team draws the plans, and we bring in licensed architects and structural engineers when the project calls for them. Design starts with a retainer, then a fixed design fee agreed before drawing begins. The plans you pay for are yours.
Permits. We prepare the submittal and handle the revisions. The County of Santa Cruz, the City of Santa Cruz, Capitola, Scotts Valley and Watsonville each run their own permit process. On the Monterey Peninsula, adding or moving a water fixture also needs a permit from the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District, issued after planning approval (as of October 2026).
Construction. A dedicated project manager runs your job, with our own builders and licensed trade partners we've worked with before. You get weekly updates through our project-management platform and regular meetings on site. Any change to the scope is written up with its price and schedule effect, and signed before the work is done.
Final walk-through. We walk the finished house with you, close out the punch list and hand it over.
Can We Live in the House During the Remodel?
Sometimes. It depends on whether a kitchen and a bathroom can stay usable, how much of the structure is opened up, and how much dust and noise you can live with. We plan the order of work with you before construction starts. If moving out for part of the job will save time and money, we'll say so.
What a Whole-House Remodel Costs
Every whole-house project is priced after a site visit, because the house sets the price as much as the plans do. The biggest drivers are how much of the structure changes, how many kitchens and bathrooms are involved, the age of the electrical and plumbing, site access and slope, and the level of finish. You'll have a written scope and price before construction begins.
How Long It Takes
Design & Permits
Typical Timeline: 6-9 Months
Construction
Typical Timeline: 4-12 Months
Most whole-house remodels take 6 to 9 months for design and permits, then 4 to 12 months of construction, depending on scope. We give you the schedule with the permit time shown separately from the build, because permits are the part nobody controls.
What Clients Say
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How long does a whole-house remodel take? Usually 6 to 9 months for design and permits, then 4 to 12 months of construction. The permit time depends most on the jurisdiction and on whether the structure changes.
Do we need an architect? Not separately. Our design team draws the plans, and we bring in licensed architects and engineers when the project needs them, all managed by Shaw Built. If you already have an architect or a set of plans, we can build from those.
Do we own the plans? Yes. The plans you pay for are yours. Most clients carry on into construction with us, which keeps the designer, the permit set and the builder working together, but you aren't locked in.
Will an older home need a new electrical panel? Often, yes. Many older homes have electrical service too small for a modern kitchen, heat pumps or EV charging. We check the panel early, so an upgrade is in the plan and the price from the start.
Do you do foundation and seismic work? Yes. Foundation repairs and seismic upgrades are often part of remodeling an older home, and we plan them into the design and the permit set.
How do changes work once construction starts? Every change is written up with its price and any effect on the schedule, and you sign it before the work is done. California requires changes to a home improvement contract to be in writing.
Do you work on the Monterey Peninsula? Yes. We take on selected whole-house remodels in Carmel, Pebble Beach, Pacific Grove and Monterey. Peninsula projects add steps Santa Cruz projects don't have, such as design review in Carmel and a water permit for any new or moved fixture, and we plan for them from the first meeting.
Remodel or rebuild? Sometimes starting over makes more sense than saving the house. See custom homes and new construction.
Tell Us About Your House
Send us a few details and we will get back to you within one business day. Or give us a call at your convenience!
Related services:
Kitchen Remodeling | Bathroom Remodeling | Home Additions | Custom homes | Design