Whole-Home Remodeling in Western North Carolina
Taking a dated house down to the good bones and putting it back the way you actually live. One contract, one crew, one schedule.
Whole-home projects generally start around $150,000. Free in-home consultation.
When the house is right and the layout is not
Plenty of homes around Asheville sit on land you could never buy again – a ridge view, mature trees, a quiet street ten minutes from downtown. The house on it was built in 1968 for a different way of living: closed-off kitchen, small bedrooms, one bathroom for four people, single-pane windows. A whole-home remodel keeps the location and the structure and replaces everything that no longer works.
This is the kind of project a remodeler with a truck and two helpers should not take on. It touches structure, mechanicals, envelope and finishes at the same time, under permit, on a schedule. We build new homes in Western North Carolina, so the same in-house team handles a gut renovation without subcontracting the coordination out to nobody in particular.
What is usually in scope
- Layout. Removing walls, relocating the kitchen, adding a primary suite, reworking the entry and circulation.
- Structure. New headers and beams, floor system repair, roof framing changes where a ceiling opens up.
- Systems. New electrical service and panel, new plumbing supply and drainage, HVAC sized for the changed floor plan.
- Envelope. Windows, doors, insulation, air sealing and siding – the items that decide what the house costs to heat and cool.
- Finishes. Kitchen, baths, flooring, trim, paint and lighting throughout.
- Outside. Decks, porches, grading and drainage, which on mountain lots is rarely optional.
How we keep it from turning into a two-year project
Whole-home jobs go sideways in two places: the design keeps changing after work starts, and long-lead items get ordered late. We close design and selections before demolition and order windows, cabinets and appliances up front. From there the schedule is sequenced like a new build – demolition, structure, rough-ins, inspections, insulation, drywall, finishes – and you get a weekly update instead of guesswork.
Timeline and budget
Most whole-home remodels run four to eight months on site depending on square footage and how much structure moves. Budgets generally start around $150,000 and rise with size, kitchen and bath count, and how much of the mechanical system has to be replaced. Almost every client is out of the house for the duration.
Where we work
Asheville, Hendersonville, Arden, Candler, Fletcher, Weaverville, Black Mountain, Mills River, Brevard and Waynesville.
How the project runs
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01
Consultation
We walk the house, listen to what is not working, and give an honest read on what the structure allows.
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02
Design and scope
Plans, selections and a line-item scope, so the contract price is built on real numbers.
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03
Permits and ordering
County permits pulled, long-lead materials ordered before anyone starts demolition.
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04
Build
Demolition, structure, rough-ins and inspections, then insulation, drywall and finishes on a published schedule.
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05
Handover
Final walk, punch list closed, systems documentation, two-year workmanship warranty.
Why homeowners choose Big Hills
- Licensed NC general contractorBuilding in Western North Carolina since 2018, 130+ homes delivered.
- One crew, start to finishIn-house carpenters and site supervisor instead of a chain of subs you never meet.
- Fixed written scopeYou approve selections and the number before demo day, so the budget holds.
- 2-year workmanship warrantyThe same warranty we put behind the homes we build from the ground up.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a whole-home remodel take?
Four to eight months on site for most projects, plus design and permitting before that. Square footage, structural changes and permit turnaround set the range.
What does it cost?
Whole-home projects generally start around $150,000 and go up from there. The honest driver is how much you keep - if the kitchen, baths, systems and windows all get replaced, you are close to new construction cost per square foot without the cost of land.
Is remodeling cheaper than building new?
Not always. If the foundation and framing are sound and the location is one you cannot replace, remodeling wins. If the structure is compromised, we will tell you that a tear-down and rebuild is the better use of your money, even though it is a different conversation.
Can we live in the house during construction?
Rarely, and we do not recommend it. Water and power get shut down, the whole floor plan is a work zone, and living in it slows the schedule enough to cost more than the rental.
Do you handle design, or do we need an architect?
We do design-build for most projects. When the project needs stamped structural drawings or the county requires an architect, we bring one in and coordinate them.
Who manages the subs?
We do. You get one contract, one site supervisor and one schedule instead of managing a dozen trades yourself.
Get a free in-home estimate
Tell us about the project. We walk the space, talk through scope and materials, and send a written estimate — no charge, no pressure.