Whole House Remodel Central Iowa
- Central Iowa General Contractor
What Is a Whole House Remodel?
A whole house remodel means the entire home gets addressed under one scope instead of one room at a time. That can mean a cosmetic refresh with new flooring, paint, and fixtures. It can also mean taking the house down to the studs and rebuilding everything behind the walls.
The scope you pick drives everything else, so we define it before we price it. See our full remodeling service, or read our city by city cost guide for Iowa for detailed numbers.
About Us
Busy Builders is a registered Iowa general contractor serving Central Iowa since 2020. We have completed 1,285+ construction and remodeling projects in that time.
We plan and manage home building, remodeling, kitchens, bathrooms, basements, additions and decks, and we bring in licensed electricians, plumbers and HVAC technicians when a project needs them.
Our Mission
Honest pricing, a clear written plan, and no surprise charges on every project we take on.
We tell you what the project actually requires before a permit is filed, and we do not upsell scope you do not need.
Our Vision
We want to be the registered general contractor Central Iowa homeowners call first, from Des Moines, West Des Moines, Ankeny, Waukee, Johnston and Grimes to the towns around them.
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- Frequently Asked Questions
Why Remodel the Whole House at Once?
One Permit Round, One Schedule
Doing it all at once means building and trade permits get filed in one round. You pay for one mobilization instead of setup every time we come back.
Nothing Gets Installed Twice
Sequencing the whole house means new flooring does not get torn up later for a plumbing line nobody planned for.
Better Material Pricing
Buying flooring, trim, and fixtures for a whole house at once beats retail pricing on four separate small orders.
The Systems Get Addressed
Panel capacity, supply lines, insulation, and air sealing get handled while the walls are open, which is the only cheap time to touch them.
Surprises Found Early
We open the walls once and find what is there once. Photos go to you the same day, not in an invoice at the end.
1,285+ Projects Since 2020
We have opened a lot of Central Iowa walls. Very little in an Iowa house surprises us anymore.
- Whole House Remodel Step By Step
How We Remodel Your Whole House
WALK THE HOUSE AND SET SCOPE
We walk every room with you and separate the wants from the needs. Cosmetic, moderate, and full gut are three different projects with three different budgets, and picking one honestly is the whole game.
- Every room assessed with you
- Scope tier chosen before pricing
- Must-fix items separated from wish list
INVESTIGATE BEHIND THE WALLS
Older homes hide things. We check the panel, the supply lines, the framing, and the moisture history before we quote. The estimate then reflects the house you own, not the house it looks like.
- Electrical panel and wiring checked
- Plumbing supply and drain lines assessed
- Moisture and framing history reviewed
PERMIT AND SEQUENCE
We file permits early because review times vary by city, and we confirm yours with the building department. Then we sequence the trades so nothing gets installed twice, which is the main reason whole house work beats piecemeal work on cost.
- Permit filed at the front of the schedule
- Trade sequence locked
- Lead safe practices where pre-1978
Read enough? Let's get your free quote.
Tell us about the project and someone from our team reaches out within 24 hours. Prefer to talk it through? Call 844-435-9800.
DEMO AND STRUCTURAL WORK
Demolition, then any wall removal, beam work, or framing repairs. Load bearing changes get engineered, not guessed. This is also when we find the surprises, and we show them to you with photos the same day.
- Controlled demolition and debris removal
- Engineered beams for load bearing changes
- Findings photographed and shared same day
MECHANICALS, INSULATION, DRYWALL
Plumbing, electrical, and HVAC get rough-in inspected before anything gets covered. Then insulation, air sealing, and drywall. This stage is invisible in the finished house and it is where quality actually lives.
- Rough-ins inspected before cover
- Insulation and air sealing upgraded
- Drywall hung, taped, and finished
FINISHES AND FINAL WALKTHROUGH
Cabinets, counters, flooring, tile, trim, and paint. We walk the finished house with you, build the punch list together, and complete it before we call the job done.
- Finishes installed as specified
- Punch list built with you
- Final inspection and closeout
Permits, Hazards, and Iowa Code
Disclaimer: This page is for general information and is not project-specific advice. Cost figures are planning estimates that vary by scope, materials, home age, existing conditions, and current pricing. Permit and inspection requirements vary by city and county; verify current requirements with your local building authority before starting any project. Homes built before 1978 may contain lead based paint; federal RRP rules apply and testing or abatement may be required. Structural changes require evaluation by a qualified professional. Radon levels vary by home; test before and after work. No specific outcomes or resale values are guaranteed. Consult a registered contractor for guidance specific to your project.
What Does a Whole House Remodel Cost in Central Iowa?
| Scope tier, 1,500 sq ft home | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Cosmetic refresh | $65,000 to $95,000 |
| Moderate remodel | $120,000 to $170,000 |
| Full gut renovation | $180,000 to $270,000 |
| Per square foot across these tiers | About $43 to $180 |
| Radon mitigation, if needed | $1,100 to $1,600 |
| Typical timeline by tier | Cosmetic: a few weeks. Moderate to full gut: 3 to 8 months |
Ranges shift by city. Ames tends to sit lowest and West Des Moines highest. Your written estimate sets the real numbers.
Ready to Remodel the Whole House?
Weighing options? Compare older home remodeling and phased remodeling.
- Achievement
Trusted Whole House Remodelers in Central Iowa
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- Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs About Whole House Remodeling
How much does a whole house remodel cost in Central Iowa?
Take a 1,500 square foot metro home, where our tiers work out to about $43 to $180 per square foot. A cosmetic refresh runs about $65,000 to $95,000. A moderate remodel runs $120,000 to $170,000. A full gut runs $180,000 to $270,000. Ames tends to sit lowest and West Des Moines highest.
How long does a whole house remodel take?
It depends on the tier. A cosmetic refresh can wrap in a few weeks. A moderate remodel or full gut runs about 3 to 8 months of construction, and a full gut often runs six months or more. Permit review time varies by city, so we confirm it with your building department and file early.
Can I live in the house during the remodel?
Sometimes, and it depends on scope. A cosmetic refresh is usually livable in phases. A full gut with the kitchen, baths, and mechanicals out of service is not. If staying put matters more than finishing fast, phasing the work is the honest alternative.
Is a whole house remodel cheaper than doing rooms one at a time?
Usually yes. We estimate phasing the same scope costs about 10 to 20 percent more than doing it all at once. You pay one mobilization instead of $1,000 to $3,000 in setup per phase. Permits get filed in one round instead of again for each phase, and you avoid duplicating system work. Phasing buys time, not savings.
What do you find most often in older Central Iowa homes?
Undersized electrical panels, galvanized or polybutylene supply lines, missing or compressed insulation, and past moisture in basements and around windows. None of it is unusual. All of it is cheaper to fix while the walls are already open.
Do I need a permit for a whole house remodel?
Almost always. Structural, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical changes trigger permits and inspections. The building permit and the trade permits are often separate filings. We pull the permits and manage inspections. Skipping it creates problems at resale and can void parts of your homeowner’s coverage.
- Building and Remodeling Guides
