Whole-home renovation in Colorado, planned around what is behind the walls

Stay, phase the work or move out

The first practical decision is where you will live. Staying in the house means dust walls, temporary kitchens, days without water or power while lines are tied in, and noise that starts early. It can work when the scope allows part of the home to stay sealed off and functional.

Phasing splits the house into zones finished one after another, so the family moves from completed rooms to the next work area. It keeps a roof over everyone, but each phase repeats setup, protection and inspections, and it stretches the overall effort. Moving out gives the crew open access to every room at once, which usually simplifies sequencing and shortens the time the house is torn apart.

Health factors weigh in too. Homes built before 1978 may contain lead paint, and older textured ceilings, flooring and pipe insulation can contain asbestos. Testing before demolition tells you whether abatement is needed and whether staying in the house during that stage is wise. Families with infants, older relatives or respiratory conditions often decide to leave for at least the demolition and abatement period.

What older Colorado houses tend to hide

Opening walls is the only way to see what earlier owners and builders left behind. A thorough inspection before design helps, and a contingency in the budget for discovered conditions is standard practice on whole-house work. The question is what to do when something turns up, and who decides how fast.

• Knob-and-tube or ungrounded wiring, overloaded panels and undersized electrical service
• Galvanized steel supply lines narrowed by corrosion, and cast-iron or clay drain lines with cracks or root intrusion
• Little or no wall insulation, and attic insulation disturbed by years of work
• Joists cut or notched by past plumbers, and beams that sag under walls removed decades ago
• Unpermitted additions or basement finishes that do not meet current requirements
• Foundation cracks or movement, especially where expansive clay soils are present

Radon belongs on the list

Radon is common in Colorado and testing is recommended for every home. A whole-house renovation is a convenient time to test, and if levels call for it, to run a mitigation pipe through walls and the attic before they are closed.

Why the order of trades matters

A full renovation can involve demolition, abatement, framing, plumbing, heating and cooling, electrical, low-voltage, insulation, drywall, tile, cabinetry, flooring, painting and finish carpentry. Most of them need the same walls and ceilings, and each one depends on the trade before it.

Plumbing drains usually go in first during rough-in because they must slope continuously and have the least flexibility in routing. Ductwork comes next because it is bulky. Electrical and low-voltage wiring are the most flexible and follow. Then each system is inspected by the local building department before insulation and drywall cover it. When this order slips, crews undo each other's work, and inspections fail on items that were buried too soon.

What to change while the walls are open

Exposed framing is the cheapest moment to fix things you will otherwise live with for decades. A short list of upgrades made now costs far less than opening finished drywall later. If the plan includes a new kitchen or bathrooms, the kitchen remodel and bathroom remodel pages cover the room-specific choices in more depth.

• Replace old supply lines and add shutoff valves where they make service easier
• Rewire to current standards and size the electrical service for future loads
• Add solid blocking for grab bars, wall-hung televisions, shelving and cabinets
• Run network cable, speaker wire or empty conduit to the rooms that need them
• Insulate exterior walls and air seal the top plates and penetrations
• Add sound insulation around bedrooms, bathrooms and laundry
• Correct bathroom and kitchen exhaust so it vents outdoors, not into the attic

Setting priorities when the list is long

Whole-house budgets stretch quickly. A useful rule is to fund the parts that are hard to redo first: structure, the building envelope, plumbing, wiring and mechanical systems. Finishes like light fixtures, hardware and paint can be upgraded later without disturbing anything behind them.

Decide on a selection schedule early. Tile, windows, cabinetry and some fixtures can have long lead times, and a decision that arrives late can stall several trades at once. The contract structure also matters on work with this much uncertainty, so read up on how contracts are priced before signing. If the existing house simply does not have enough room, compare the renovation against building an addition.