What is included
- Open floor plans, removed or relocated walls, new beams
- Kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms and closets
- Flooring, drywall, doors, trim and paint throughout
- Electrical panel upgrades and rewiring
- Plumbing repipes and water heater relocation
- Windows, exterior doors, siding and roofing coordination
How much does a whole home renovation cost in Austin?
A whole home renovation in the Austin area typically costs $60–$120 per sq ft for a cosmetic renovation and $150–$300 per sq ft for a full gut renovation, installed and before sales tax.
| Project | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Cosmetic renovation: finishes, fixtures, paint and flooring throughout | $60–$120 per sq ft |
| Full gut renovation: layout, structure, electrical, plumbing and HVAC | $150–$300 per sq ft |
Ranges for full service work by Tier One Builds in the Austin metro: design help, permits, licensed trades and cleanup, installed, before sales tax. They are not quotes; your quote is free and based on your home.
What raises the price in the Austin area
- Rock excavation on Hill Country limestone for pools, footings and plumbing
- Engineered foundations on expansive clay east of I-35
- Moving plumbing in a slab, or upgrading an undersized electrical panel in an older home
- Impervious cover limits, protected trees and historic review that change the design
- Permit, utility and impact fees, which are largest for new units and new homes
How a whole home renovation is planned
We start with a free walkthrough to understand how you live in the house and what is not working. From there we agree on scope, decide what is structural and needs an engineer, and price the work. Permits are submitted once drawings are ready, and material orders are placed early so work is not waiting on deliveries.
Most whole home projects run in phases: demolition and structural work, rough electrical, plumbing and mechanical with inspections, insulation and drywall, then finishes. You get a schedule and regular updates at each phase.
Older Austin homes: what we often find
Central Austin neighborhoods such as Allandale, Crestview, Brentwood and Rosedale are full of 1950s and 1960s ranch homes. Opening their walls often turns up two prong ungrounded wiring, galvanized supply lines and cast iron drains near the end of their life. Homes on expansive clay may have foundation movement that should be assessed before new finishes go in. Inside the City of Austin, trees with a trunk of 19 inches or more in diameter are protected, which can shape where an addition or new driveway goes.
Historic districts and HOAs
Homes in an Austin local historic district, such as Hyde Park, need historic review for exterior changes. Many suburban neighborhoods have HOA architectural review for exterior work. We build the time for those approvals into the schedule.
How your project runs
- Free consultationWe meet at your property, listen to what you want to change and look at the conditions that affect it: structure, soil, utilities, trees and the rules for your lot.
- Free quoteYou get a quote based on the scope we agreed, with the decisions that drive cost explained so you can adjust before anything is signed.
- Design and permitsDrawings, engineering and selections are finalized, and we submit the permits your city or county requires.
- BuildWe schedule every trade, order materials early, pass inspections and keep you updated at each phase.
- Final walkthroughWe walk the finished work with you, fix anything on the punch list and hand over the paperwork for your project.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a whole home renovation cost in Austin?
A whole home renovation in the Austin area typically costs $60–$120 per sq ft for a cosmetic renovation and $150–$300 per sq ft for a full gut renovation, installed and before sales tax. Your quote is free.
Can we live in the house during a whole home renovation?
Sometimes, if the work can be phased so a bathroom and kitchen stay usable. For gut renovations, most owners move out for the main phase. We will tell you honestly which applies to your project.
Renovate or rebuild?
If the foundation is sound and the layout can work, renovating usually costs less and keeps more of the house. When the scope reaches the structure, foundation and every system, a new build can make more sense. We price both when the answer is not obvious.
Do you work with my architect or designer?
Yes. We can build from your architect's drawings, or help you get the drawings and engineering the project needs.
From our projects
A full gut renovation of a single story ranch home in north central Austin: an opened kitchen, a new primary bathroom built as an addition, a covered patio turned into a bedroom, and a new exterior. The finished home has four bedrooms and two bathrooms. Shown here as a design rendering. See the full project.
Permits
We pull the permits your project needs and schedule the inspections. To see what the city requires, read our whole home renovation permit guide, with Austin review times, fees and the surrounding cities' portals.
Guides
- Renovating an Austin Flip or Rental: A Budget and Permit Checklist
- Where Austin's Oldest and Most Rented Homes Are, by ZIP Code
Related services
Where we build
We offer whole home renovation across the greater Austin metro, including Austin, Round Rock, Cedar Park, Georgetown, Lakeway and Kyle. See all service areas.