Whole-Home Remodeling
Older Home Renovation (Pre-1980)
Craftsman bungalows, Spanish Revival houses and post-war ranch homes have good bones and old systems. We renovate them with the surprises priced in, not discovered halfway through.
Older Home Renovation (Pre-1980)
Ventura County has a lot of older housing: early 1900s houses around the downtowns of Santa Paula, Ventura, Ojai and Fillmore, and a huge stock of ranch homes from the 1950s through the 1970s. These houses were often well built, with real lumber and solid layouts. They were also built before modern wiring, plumbing, insulation and seismic standards, and decades of owners have added their own repairs.
The fireplace remodel in our gallery shows the arc of a typical older-home project: what the room looked like, what it looked like opened up, and what it looks like finished. Most of the work between the first and last photo is invisible, and that is where an older-home renovation earns its cost.
What we expect to find
We go into every older house assuming certain conditions until we see otherwise, and we look for them at the first visit so they are in the estimate.
Old wiring and small panels
Two-prong outlets, ungrounded circuits, 60 or 100 amp panels, and in the oldest homes, sections of knob-and-tube wiring.
Galvanized and cast iron pipe
Steel water lines that rust shut from the inside and cast iron drains that crack and root over time.
Unbolted foundations
Raised-floor houses on short cripple walls with few or no anchor bolts, the house type a seismic retrofit is designed for.
Lead paint and asbestos
Lead paint in homes built before 1978, and asbestos in some old flooring, ceiling texture, pipe insulation and joint compound.
Uneven floors and walls
Decades of settling mean floors out of level and walls out of plumb, which matters for cabinets, tile and doors.
Past unpermitted work
Rooms added, garages converted or rewiring done without permits, which may need to be corrected.
Lead paint and asbestos, handled properly
Federal rules require contractors who disturb paint in homes built before 1978 to follow lead-safe work practices: containment, dust control and cleanup that prevents lead dust from spreading through the house. That matters most in homes with young children.
Asbestos is a separate issue. Materials suspected of containing asbestos, like popcorn ceilings, old vinyl tile and some joint compounds, should be tested by a certified lab before they are disturbed. If testing finds asbestos, a licensed abatement contractor removes it before remodeling continues. We plan testing early so it does not stop the job later.
Keeping the character
Owners of older homes usually want to keep what makes them special: original windows, built-ins, trim profiles, hardwood floors, plaster walls with soft corners. We repair and match where we can, replace where we must, and choose new finishes that suit the age of the house instead of fighting it.
From our clients
Real Google reviews from LE Construction clients, quoted word for word.
EXCELLENT
5.0 out of 5, based on 17 Google reviews
Know what is in the walls before you start
We will inspect the systems and the structure and give you an estimate that already includes what an older house needs.
Older Home Renovation (Pre-1980): FAQs
Should I rewire my whole older house during a remodel?
Not always, but it is the best time to evaluate it. If the house still has knob-and-tube wiring, ungrounded circuits throughout or a panel near capacity, rewiring the remodeled rooms and upgrading the panel makes sense while walls are open. We inspect the system and recommend a scope that fits your budget.
How do you handle lead paint in a pre-1978 house?
We follow lead-safe work practices required by federal rules: containing the work area, minimizing dust, and cleaning carefully before the area is reopened. Families with young children or pregnant members should take this especially seriously. We explain the precautions before work starts.
Why do older-home remodels have more change orders?
Because more is hidden. We reduce surprises by inspecting the crawlspace, attic, panel and plumbing before pricing, and by pricing known conditions into the estimate. Some things only show up when walls open, like rot behind a shower. When that happens, we show you and price it in writing before continuing.
Is it worth adding a seismic retrofit to an older-home remodel?
If the house sits on a raised foundation with cripple walls and has never been bolted, it is usually a good time. The work happens in the crawlspace and does not slow the rest of the remodel. As a registered Earthquake Brace + Bolt contractor, we can tell you whether your house and ZIP code fit the grant program.
Related services
Whole-Home Remodels near you
- Santa Paula, CA5–12 min from Santa Paula
- Oxnard, CA20–40 min from Santa Paula
- Carpinteria, CA38–60 min from Santa Paula
- Saticoy, CA12–20 min from Santa Paula
- Ventura, CA15–35 min from Santa Paula
- El Rio, CA15–25 min from Santa Paula
Related pages
- Whole-Home Remodeling (overview)
- Interior Remodeling
- Load-Bearing Wall Removal
- Whole-House Remodel Cost in Ventura County
Cost guide
- Best Time of Year to Remodel in Ventura County (and When to Book)
Seasonal
- California Home Improvement Contracts: Down Payments, Change Orders & Your Rights
Permits
- How to Check a Contractor's License in California (CSLB Lookup, Step by Step)
Permits