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A whole home remodel is one of the largest investments most homeowners ever make, and the price spread between contractors can feel impossible to make sense of. Costs vary widely based on the size of your home, the scope of the work, the quality of finishes, and the remodeler you choose to hold the whole project together. This page walks through what actually drives the cost, what a Bunn & Sons project always includes, why “average” cost figures are misleading, and what red flags to watch for as you compare bids. If you’d rather skip ahead and get a real number for your home, reach out and we’ll come walk through it with you.
Whole home remodel costs vary based on the level of transformation you are planning. Projects on the lower end typically focus on cosmetic updates like paint, trim, doors, flooring, and surface-level improvements. Higher-end remodels often include new kitchens and bathrooms, layout changes, structural work, additions, and full-home finish upgrades. The more areas of the home you reconfigure and rebuild, the more the investment increases.
The more square footage you’re touching, the more materials, labor, finishes, and systems work the project requires. A 2,500 sq ft remodel and a 5,000 sq ft remodel are not the same project at different prices, they’re different projects entirely.
Removing load-bearing walls, opening up compartmentalized 1990s-era floor plans, and reconfiguring main-floor layouts requires structural engineering, beams, headers, and often re-routing of HVAC, plumbing, and electrical. Structural reconfiguration is one of the single biggest cost drivers we see.
Whole home remodels almost always include a full kitchen rebuild. Custom or semi-custom cabinetry, stone countertops, paneled appliances, and high-end plumbing fixtures can swing the kitchen alone by $50k to $150k+ depending on selections.
A whole home remodel typically touches some bathrooms in the house. Primary suites with double vanities, walk-in showers, freestanding tubs, and heated floors run significantly more than secondary baths. Tile work and shower configuration are often where bath budgets quietly grow.
In Boulder County, energy code requirements and homeowners’ preference for high-performance windows mean window replacement is often a six-figure line item on its own. Door replacement, including front entry and interior solid-core doors, adds further.
HVAC, plumbing, and electrical systems in homes hitting the 20 to 25-year mark frequently need significant updating to support a modernized layout. Adding zoning, replacing panels, or running new lines through finished spaces drives both labor and material costs.
The same room can cost more depending on finish level. Tile, flooring, lighting, hardware, plumbing fixtures, and millwork are where homeowner taste shows up most directly in the budget.
Boulder, Broomfield, Louisville, Lafayette, and Golden each have their own permit timelines, energy code requirements, and zoning rules. Stricter local codes around energy efficiency and sustainability mean some upgrades that would be optional in other markets are required here.
Older homes hide things. Knob-and-tube wiring, undersized framing, water damage, asbestos, and out-of-code electrical or plumbing all surface during demo. Our pre-construction process is designed to surface as much of this as possible before pricing, so it doesn’t show up as a change order later.
We generally encourage clients to move out during major remodels. Living in the home during construction can be disruptive and may require phased schedules, temporary living arrangements, and a longer overall timeline, all of which can add complexity and cost.
We understand that moving out isn’t always possible. We simply want clients to understand the potential impacts upfront so they can make the best decision for their family and situation.
Getting multiple quotes for a whole home remodel and finding a wide spread between them is completely normal, and it rarely means one contractor is simply more expensive. Here’s what actually drives the difference:
In-house oversight vs. loosely managed subcontractors
We work with vetted long-term trade partners rather than rotating the lowest bidder, which costs more upfront but produces a tighter, more predictable project. Contractors who pull together a different crew on every job often deliver lower bids and lower results.
Whether the contractor pulls permits
Permit management is built into our process, including securing building permits during the PDA phase. We're particularly experienced with Broomfield, Boulder, Louisville, Lafayette, and Golden code requirements. A bid that doesn't include permits, or assumes the homeowner pulls them, is not the same scope of work.
Fixed-cost vs. open-ended pricing
We commit to fixed-price contracts and explicitly reject time-and-materials. Our two-contract model uses a Project Development Agreement (PDA) to plan and price the project before we sign the build contract, so the number you sign is the number you pay outside of homeowner-driven changes. Open-ended bids always come in higher than they read on day one.
Whether design is fully resolved before pricing
In our PDA phase, design, engineering, selections, and trade partner input are all locked in before the build contract is written. Contractors who quote off rough sketches usually find "surprises" once construction starts. Those surprises become change orders.
Quality of materials specified
Two quotes can look very different because they're pricing different cabinets, different windows, different tile, and different fixtures. The cheaper bid may be specifying entry-level materials that won't hold up in a home you plan to stay in for 15+ years. We specify materials that match the investment and the longevity of the home.
Boutique capacity vs. high-volume contracting
We deliberately manage 1 to 3 major projects at a time. That means owner-level attention on every project, rather than being one of dozens on a big firm's schedule.
Every Bunn & Sons whole home remodel includes the following. There are no hidden line items and no surprises at contract signing.
Before we ever quote a fixed price, we run you through our PDA — a pre-construction phase that locks in design, engineering, selections, scope, schedule, and budget. This is what allows us to deliver a real fixed-price contract instead of a hopeful estimate.
Once the PDA is complete, we issue a fixed-price contract for the construction phase. The number you sign is the number you pay, outside of changes you choose to make during the build.
Design, engineering input, and selections are resolved during the PDA, not during construction.
You’ll know what work is happening when, who’s on site, and where we are against the timeline at any given point in the project.
We manage permit applications, timelines, and inspection coordination. We’re particularly experienced with Broomfield, Boulder, Louisville, Lafayette, and Golden codes.
We don’t rotate subs job to job. The plumbers, electricians, framers, and finish trades on your project have worked with us before and will work with us again, which is one of the reasons our outcomes are predictable.
We stand behind the work, and we’re still in business after the project ends to make good on it.
Tom, Brook, and our superintendent, Jay run day-to-day execution, and ownership stays close to every project given that we only run up to three at a time.
What is not typically included: furniture, art, landscaping, and any homeowner-supplied materials, unless they’re spelled out in the contract. We’ll tell you exactly what’s in scope and what’s not before you sign.
A lower bid from another contractor often looks attractive until you compare line items. If their number doesn’t include permits, full design, structural engineering, realistic project management budgets, finished selections, or a real schedule, you’re not comparing the same project. The “cheap” bid usually catches up by the end of construction.
A “whole home remodel” can mean anything from a cosmetic refresh with new paint, flooring, and fixtures to a structural reconfiguration that moves walls, replaces windows, and overhauls every system in the house. When national data sets average those together, you end up with figures like “$15 to $60 per square foot” that bear almost no resemblance to what a real Boulder County remodel costs. The number isn’t wrong, it’s just answering a different question than the one you’re asking.
Boulder County remodels run 15 to 25 percent higher than Denver Metro averages, and significantly higher than national figures. Stringent local energy codes, demand for sustainable and high-end finishes, longer permit timelines in Broomfield and Boulder, and a competitive trade labor market all push pricing up. National calculators almost always understate what a real project here will cost. In our market, whole home remodel investments typically land between $400,000 and $1,000,000+ depending on scope.
A bid that comes in well below the rest is usually missing something. The most common omissions on a low whole home remodel bid are: permits and inspection coordination, realistic project management budgets, structural engineering, full kitchen and bath finish selections, window replacement, mechanical systems work, and any meaningful design phase. The result is a “starting price” that grows steadily through change orders. By the end of construction, the cheapest bid is rarely the best value. And if it is, the tradeoff is often lower quality, less planning, weaker communication, or a less enjoyable construction experience. Comparing a complete fixed-price scope to a partial open-ended estimate isn’t a fair comparison, even if both numbers technically describe a “whole home remodel.”
Investment: $265k
Liz and Casey traded acreage and a riding mower for a charming street tucked into an older neighborhood in Boulder. Built in the 1920s and given a second-story addition in the 90s, their little house had character in spades, but raising a growing family inside its walls was getting harder by the day. With kids growing fast and a home showing its age, Liz and Casey came to us ready to refresh its look, rework its function, and make their small footprint live a whole lot bigger.
Timeline: 4 Months
Investment: $530k
A Broomfield family of five came to us with a house full of memories and a long list of things that no longer worked. With both parents working full-time jobs and a need to make the home work for every family member long term, they wanted a contractor they could trust to manage every detail of a large project.
Timeline: 4 Months
A whole home remodel is a significant investment of money, time, and life disruption. It’s the right move for some homeowners and the wrong one for others. Here’s how we think about it.
Your home is hitting the 20 to 25 year mark.
Many homes in Broomfield, Boulder, Louisville, and Lafayette were built with compartmentalized layouts and builder-grade finishes that no longer match how families actually live. A full remodel resets the home for the next 20 years.
You love the location and lot but not the house.
If your neighborhood, schools, and lot are right but the floor plan and finishes are wrong, remodeling almost always makes more financial sense than buying a comparably finished home in the same area.
You're planning to stay in the home long-term
Whole home remodels pay back over time. The longer you stay, the better the math gets, both financially and in terms of how much you actually enjoy the work you paid for.
You want a single coordinated project, not five separate ones.
Doing the kitchen, baths, main floor, and systems as one project is dramatically more efficient than spreading them out as individual jobs over a decade. Less disruption, better design coherence, lower total cost.
You value certainty of outcome.
If you want a contractor who quotes a real fixed price, manages permits, runs the project, and stands behind the warranty, a design-build firm is built for that. If price is the only variable that matters, a high-volume general contractor will likely come in lower.
You can move out during construction.
A whole home remodel goes faster, smoother, and is often less expensive when the home is empty. If you can stay with family or rent for the build window, you'll have a better experience.
You're planning to sell within 2 to 3 years.
You won't recover the full investment in resale value over a short hold. A targeted refresh or a strategic project is usually the better play.
You're looking for the lowest possible price.
The lowest proposal isn't always the best value. A lower price definitely means something's been left out, less planning, fewer services, lower quality materials, or scope items that surface later as change orders. We believe in transparent pricing and helping homeowners make informed decisions based on value, not just cost.
You can't move out and the home can't reasonably accommodate phased work.
Some homes and some families simply can't tolerate a major construction project while living in the space. If moving out isn't workable and the home can't reasonably accommodate phased work, the math may push you toward selling and buying instead.
— Bunn & Sons Whole-Home Client
Not every low estimate is a good deal. Here’s what to look for before you sign anything.
No permit pulled
Whole home remodels almost always trigger structural, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, and energy-code permits in Boulder County. A contractor who tells you permits aren't necessary, or quietly leaves them out of the bid to come in lower, exposes you to forced rework, fines, and serious problems at resale when the unpermitted work surfaces in inspection. If permits aren't itemized in writing, they aren't being pulled.
No detailed walk-through before pricing
Whole-home remodels involve countless of decisions and existing conditions that can't be fully understood during a single visit. A thoughtful planning process helps uncover challenges, define scope, and align expectations before construction begins. Skipping this step often increases the likelihood of budget surprises and project changes down the road.
Vague scope of work
A real whole home remodel proposal runs many pages and itemizes finishes, fixtures, allowances, structural changes, and inclusions room by room. A two-page proposal with a single lump-sum number and a generic scope description is not a contract, it's a marketing document. Vague scopes are where contractors hide change orders and where homeowner-contractor disputes are born.
No design or pre-construction process
On a whole home remodel, skipping design and pre-construction is the single largest predictor of cost overruns. Without a structured planning phase like our PDA, decisions about layouts, materials, and finishes get made under pressure mid-construction, often at premium prices. If a contractor goes straight from "ballpark estimate" to "let's start demo," you should expect the final number to look very different from the starting one.
Every home and family has different goals, so the investment for a whole home remodel can vary significantly. Most whole home remodels in the Boulder area begin around $200,000, with many of our projects falling in the $200,000–$600,000 range. Factors like home size, structural changes, additions, and finish selections influence the final investment. That's why we start with our Project Development Agreement (PDA) phase—to define scope, align expectations, and establish a realistic budget before construction begins.
Yes, permit management is part of how we run our projects. We're particularly familiar with Broomfield, Boulder, Louisville, Lafayette, and Golden permit timelines and code requirements, and we coordinate inspections as part of the build.
Whole home remodels are multi-month projects. The exact length depends on size, scope, and how much structural work is involved. We build a detailed schedule during the PDA phase and communicate it through Gantt charts during construction so you always know where the project stands.
We strongly prefer clients move out during whole home remodels. The work goes faster, the dust and noise are easier to manage, and the schedule is significantly cleaner. If staying on-site is non-negotiable, we'll plan for it, but expect a longer timeline and additional cost for phased work and dust containment.
We use a two-contract model. First, a Project Development Agreement (PDA) covers the planning phase, where we resolve design, engineering, selections, scope, schedule, and budget. Once the PDA is complete, we issue a fixed-price build contract. There are no time-and-materials surprises and no open-ended numbers.
We surface as much as possible during the PDA, including structural assumptions and likely systems issues for homes of a given age. If something genuinely unforeseen comes up during demo, we communicate it immediately, present options, and document any change order in writing before work proceeds. This is where the PDA pays for itself.
Furniture, art, landscaping, and homeowner-supplied materials are typically excluded unless we've specifically scoped them in. We're explicit about every inclusion and exclusion in writing before you sign the build contract.
Bunn & Sons
If your home isn’t working the way you live and you’re ready to talk through what a real project would look like, we’d like to hear from you.