Remodeling questions, answered
Every answer we give on this site, in one place. For prices side by side, see the Austin cost guide.
Working with Home Remodel Pro
How much does a kitchen remodel cost in Austin?
Our published Austin kitchen ranges are $45k–$70k for a refresh in the existing footprint — new cabinets, counters, lighting and fixtures — $70k–$110k when the layout opens up and plumbing moves, and $110k+ for a high-end kitchen taken down to the studs with custom cabinetry and high-end appliances. We give you a fixed price in writing before any work starts.
How long does a remodel take?
A bathroom is typically 3 to 5 weeks, a kitchen 6 to 10 weeks, and a whole-home renovation 4 to 8 months. Design and permitting happen before demolition, so the construction calendar we hand you is the one we build to.
Do you handle City of Austin permits and inspections?
Yes. We pull every permit and manage all inspections with the City of Austin or your county jurisdiction. Structural, electrical, plumbing and mechanical work is permitted and inspected — that is included in your contract, not billed as an extra.
Does the fixed price actually stay fixed?
Yes. Once selections are final and the contract is signed, the price only changes if you request a change or we uncover something genuinely hidden, like rot or failed wiring behind a wall. Any change is priced and approved in writing by you before we proceed.
Do you offer financing?
Yes. We work with established home-improvement lending partners so you can spread the cost of a remodel into predictable monthly payments instead of paying everything up front. Your project consultant will walk you through current terms during your free estimate — asking costs nothing and does not affect your credit.
Can we start with a virtual consultation?
Absolutely. If you would rather not book an in-home visit yet, we can review your photos and ideas over a video call first, give you a realistic budget range, and only schedule the in-home measure once you are ready to move forward.
Can I live in my home during the remodel?
For a single kitchen or bathroom, most homeowners stay. We build dust barriers, protect floors and pathways, and set up a temporary kitchen when needed. For down-to-studs whole-home renovations we recommend moving out, and we will tell you honestly which category your project falls into.
Are you licensed and insured?
Yes. We carry general liability and workers compensation coverage, and all trade work is performed by licensed electricians, plumbers and HVAC technicians. We will send current certificates of insurance on request.
Do you use subcontractors or your own crews?
Our carpenters are in-house employees, not day labor, and they are on your site every day. We use the same long-term licensed trade partners for electrical, plumbing and HVAC, and your project manager coordinates all of them.
What areas around Austin do you serve?
We remodel homes across Travis, Williamson and Hays counties, including Austin, Westlake, Round Rock, Cedar Park, Georgetown, Lakeway, Pflugerville, Leander, Buda, Kyle, Dripping Springs, Bee Cave, Manor, Hutto and Spicewood.
Kitchen Remodeling
How long does a kitchen remodel take?
Construction runs 6–10 weeks for most kitchens. Design, selections and permitting happen before demolition, so the calendar we hand you is the one we build to — and the old kitchen is not torn out until the new cabinets have a delivery date.
Can I stay in the house during a kitchen remodel?
Almost everyone does. We build a dust wall, protect the floors and set up a temporary kitchen with your fridge, microwave and a sink where we can. Plan on takeout for the week the counters are templated and installed.
Do I need a permit for a kitchen remodel in Austin?
If the work moves plumbing, adds circuits or removes a wall, yes — and we pull it from the City of Austin and manage the inspections as part of the contract. A cosmetic refresh that keeps everything in place usually does not need one, and we tell you which yours is before you sign.
Should I remodel the kitchen before I sell?
A dated kitchen is the first thing a buyer prices against you, but a full high-end remodel rarely returns its cost at sale. If selling is the goal we scope for it — a practical refresh, with a layout fix where one is cheap — and we will say so if a remodel is not the right money to spend.
Bathroom Remodeling
How much does a bathroom remodel cost in Austin?
Our published Austin ranges are $25k–$40k for a practical remodel that keeps the layout, $40k–$65k for a mid-to-high remodel that moves the plumbing wall, and $65k+ for a high-end primary bath. Your number is fixed in writing before demolition, and it only moves if you ask for a change or we find something genuinely hidden behind a wall.
How long does a bathroom remodel take?
Construction runs 3–5 weeks. Tile, glass and the vanity are ordered before demolition starts, and if it is the only bathroom in the house it goes first in the schedule and the crew stays on it until it works again.
What if there is water damage or mould behind the wall?
It happens, and we find it on demolition day rather than at the end. You hear about it the same day with photographs, a fix and a price, approved in writing by you before we proceed — that is what the hidden-condition clause in the contract is for, and it is the only reason a fixed price ever moves.
Do I need a permit for a bathroom remodel in Austin?
Moving plumbing, adding circuits or changing a wall needs one from the City of Austin; a like-for-like fixture swap usually does not. We pull the permit and manage the inspections as part of the contract, not as an extra.
Curbless shower or a tub?
If it is the only bath and you might sell, keep a tub somewhere in the house. In a primary bath most homeowners never miss the tub and love the curbless shower — it is also the single best thing you can do for aging in place.
Home Additions
How much does a home addition cost in Austin?
Our published Austin ranges are $120k–$200k for a single-room bump-out, $200k–$320k for a primary suite or family room, and $320k+ for a second story or a multi-room addition. Your number is fixed in writing before demolition, and it only moves if you ask for a change or we find something genuinely hidden behind a wall.
How long does a home addition take?
Plans, engineering and permitting run first — often two to three months on their own — and construction runs about 4–6 months. We give you both calendars up front, and the second one is the one we build to.
Can I add on to my house?
Usually, but the lot decides: setbacks, lot coverage, impervious cover and any deed restrictions set the envelope. We check all of it with the City of Austin during design, before you have spent money on plans that cannot be built.
Will the addition match the rest of the house?
That is the whole craft. We match the roof pitch, the siding, the trim, the window proportions and the floor heights, and run the flooring through so there is no step down into the new part. Our own carpenters frame it, which is where matching either happens or does not.
Should I build an addition or an ADU?
If the space is for your own household, add on and keep it under one roof. If it might house a parent, a tenant or a home business, a detached unit with its own entrance is worth more and more flexible. We build both, and we will tell you which one your lot and your plans want.
Whole-Home Renovation
How much does a whole-home renovation cost in Austin?
Our published Austin ranges are $150k–$250k for a finish-level renovation that keeps the layout, $250k–$400k for a renovation that changes the layout and the systems, and $400k+ for a down-to-the-studs rebuild inside the existing shell. Your number is fixed in writing before demolition, and it only moves if you ask for a change or we find something genuinely hidden behind a wall.
How long does a whole-home renovation take?
Construction runs 4–8 months, after a design and permitting phase that usually takes two to three months. It is scheduled in phases, so the calendar says which rooms are out of use in which weeks rather than just when it all ends.
Do we have to move out?
For a down-to-the-studs renovation, yes — there is no kitchen and often no working bath, and living in it costs weeks on the schedule. For a finish-level renovation we can often phase the work so you keep a bedroom and a bathroom throughout. We tell you honestly which yours is before you sign.
Is it cheaper to renovate or to tear down and rebuild?
If the foundation, the framing and the roof structure are sound, renovating almost always wins. If the house has settled, the framing is undersized or you want a fundamentally different footprint, a rebuild can be the better money. We look at the structure and tell you which at the walkthrough, not after the contract.
Can you renovate an older home?
Yes, and we like to. Older houses hide knob-and-tube wiring, cast-iron drains, undersized headers and out-of-square walls; we budget for what we can see and put a hidden-condition clause in the contract for what nobody can, so a surprise behind a wall is priced and approved in writing rather than argued about.
Garage Conversion & ADU
How much does a garage conversion or ADU cost in Austin?
Our published Austin ranges are $80k–$130k for a garage converted to living space, $130k–$200k for a garage converted to a suite with a bath and a kitchenette, and $200k+ for a new detached ADU. Your number is fixed in writing before demolition, and it only moves if you ask for a change or we find something genuinely hidden behind a wall.
How long does a garage conversion or ADU take?
Construction runs 2–4 months — a conversion at the short end, a detached unit at the long end — after plans and permitting, which for an ADU can take a couple of months on their own.
Is an ADU allowed on my lot in Austin?
Most lots can take one, but the rules on size, height, setbacks, parking and whether it can be rented are the City of Austin's and change by zoning district. We check yours during the free consult and tell you what the lot allows before you spend anything on plans.
Can I rent out a garage conversion or an ADU?
Often, and a permitted unit with its own entrance, kitchen and bath is what makes it rentable and insurable. Short-term rental rules are separate and local; we will point you at the current ones for your address rather than guess.
Will I lose my parking?
You lose the garage, and some jurisdictions require replacement parking on the lot — usually a driveway pad. It is one of the first things we check, because it decides whether a conversion is worth doing at all.
Outdoor Living
How much does a outdoor living build cost in Austin?
Our published Austin ranges are $35k–$60k for a covered patio, $60k–$110k for a patio with an outdoor kitchen, and $110k+ for a whole outdoor room. Your number is fixed in writing before demolition, and it only moves if you ask for a change or we find something genuinely hidden behind a wall.
How long does an outdoor living build take?
Construction runs 4–8 weeks, and most of it is weather-proof once the roof is on. Gas and electrical rough-ins are inspected before anything is closed up.
Do I need a permit for a covered patio or a deck?
A roofed structure attached to the house, a deck above a certain height and any gas or electrical work need a permit from the City of Austin; a ground-level paver patio usually does not. We pull what is needed and manage the inspections.
What materials hold up in the heat?
Composite decking over hardwood if bare feet matter, natural stone or light pavers over dark concrete, stainless and stone in the kitchen, and a real roof over a fabric cover. The sun is harder on a backyard than the rain is, and we specify for it.
Can you match the patio roof to the house?
That is the difference between an addition and an awning. We match the pitch, the fascia, the shingles or the metal and the ceiling finish, and tie the framing into the structure properly so it reads as part of the house.
Kitchen islands in Austin: seating, storage and room to cook
Is my kitchen big enough for an island?
If you cannot keep about 42 inches of walkway all around it, a peninsula or a rolling cart usually works better, and we will tell you so at the design visit.
Can the island have a cooktop?
Yes, with proper ventilation. Downdraft and ceiling hoods each have trade-offs, and we walk through them before you choose.
Do I need a permit for a kitchen island?
Adding circuits, moving plumbing or removing a wall needs permits. We pull them and handle the inspections as part of the contract.
Can you keep my existing floor?
Often not seamlessly where old cabinets sat. We plan the floor before demolition so there are no surprises.
Small and galley kitchen remodels in Austin
Can a galley kitchen have an island?
Usually not. A peninsula or a narrow table often works better. We check the 42-inch walkway rule before suggesting either.
Do condo kitchen remodels need HOA approval?
Often, yes. We work within your HOA rules and pull any building permits the work needs.
How long does a small kitchen remodel take?
Usually toward the shorter end of our 6–10 weeks kitchen build window, once materials are on hand.
Kitchen countertops in Austin, chosen with you and installed on schedule
Which countertop is best for an Austin family kitchen?
Quartz is the most forgiving day to day. Quartzite and granite suit people who want natural stone and do not mind sealing it.
Will new counters fit my old cabinets?
Only if the cabinets are level and sound. Stone is heavy, and we check at the design visit.
Do I need a permit for new countertops?
Swapping counters alone usually does not. Moving plumbing or adding circuits does, and we pull those permits.
Who picks the slab?
You do, from real slabs, with us. The exact slab goes on your signed selections sheet.
Ask us yours.
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