When every room needs attention, coordination is everything. Neil Kelly manages design, permitting, and construction in-house—one fixed-price contract, one team, and a 5-year warranty on every project.
Portland homes come in every era and every condition—from intact Craftsman bungalows that just need freshening up to mid-century ranches that haven't worked in decades. These three scope levels help you understand what you're actually taking on before the details are worked out.
New Finishes, Same Bones.
Most surfaces get replaced, but the layout stays and some elements remain. No structural work, no floor plan changes. The right choice when the home's bones are solid and the existing layout still serves your household well.
Same Footprint, Brand New Interior.
Everything gets replaced—cabinets, flooring, fixtures, appliances—and rebuilt within the existing layout. Includes plumbing and electrical updates where needed. The right choice when the layout works but the interior has run its course and needs a full reset.
Floor Plan Changes, Everything Follows.
Walls move, plumbing relocates, and spaces get rebuilt from the ground up. This is a comprehensive redesign of how your home is organized and how it functions. The right choice when the existing layout no longer fits your family—and moving isn't the answer.
Neil Kelly's Portland designers have worked across Multnomah, Washington, Clackamas, and Clark counties on projects that touch every room in the house. They know what a 1920s Craftsman looks like from the inside out, how a 70s split-level is laid out behind the drywall, and what it takes to modernize a 90s custom build without losing what made it worth keeping. That depth of local knowledge shapes every decision from the first floor plan to the final finish.
Whole home remodeling demands a particular kind of expertise: the ability to hold the full picture while managing dozens of moving parts across multiple rooms and trades. Our Portland designers bring distinct strengths in design style, universal and accessible design, historic preservation, and multigenerational living. No other firm in Portland assembles this range of experience under one roof.
Here's what Portland-area homeowners say about working with Neil Kelly.
4.6 out of 5 · 2,200+ verified reviews on GuildQuality
We could not recommend Neil Kelly more. They helped us restore my childhood home, which needed quite a bit of love. Cal, Wes, and Leda were responsive, kind, efficient, and extremely professional. They listened to all our requests and helped us bring life back into our 1920's Tudor home, all while preserving the character and charm. Their trade partners were phenomenal and the work was finished on schedule! 10/10 experience!
Moved to Portland in 1973; still in the same 1940s vintage home, but it lives like a much younger home because we had the foresight and good luck to work with Neil Kelly Co. in 1973. After two bath updates, three kitchen remodels, plumbing and heating upgrades, a completely livable finished basement, two decks, new windows, and energy upgrades throughout, we are grateful we partnered with NKC. It's all happened over 50 years. So, thanks to NKC for their help. When moving day comes, we'll be sharing a very livable home, well enjoyed and well cared for, thanks to them.
My wife and I recently downsized from an older home with lots of charm in NE Portland to a newer home with more creature comforts but less charm. We knew we would eventually want to make the place our own by remodeling the first floor and installing a new kitchen. This was a pretty big job involving all the trades: plumbing, mechanical, electrical, tile, paint and carpentry. Every day we had someone show up at the house ready to go to work. I was amazed at how well they were able to stick to the schedule, even after my wife decided three weeks into the project that she wanted the powder room remodeled as well. The tradesmen and women were always polite and fun to talk to. They did a great job cleaning up after themselves. Ten weeks to the day, the job was finished. Living through a remodel wasn't particularly pleasant, but in the end it was more than worth it.
When a project touches every room in the house, there's no margin for miscommunication. Neil Kelly manages design, permitting, and construction in-house so every phase connects cleanly to the next.
A Neil Kelly designer comes to your home for a free 60-to-90-minute walkthrough. We'll look at every room on your list, talk through what's working and what isn't, and give you an honest picture of what's possible at your budget. No commitment required.
Scope confirmation, floor plan options, room sequencing, materials direction. For a whole home project, this phase is especially important—the decisions made here set the foundation for everything that follows. You'll see alternatives and shape the direction before any detailed drawings are produced.
Full plans, full specifications, every material and fixture across every room selected and priced. This is where your whole home concept becomes a buildable project with a finalized contract number.
The number we agree to is the number you pay. Permits filed, materials ordered, schedule confirmed across every phase of construction. No headaches when work begins.
Built by Neil Kelly's in-house craftspeople, with a dedicated project manager coordinating every trade, every room, and every daily detail. You'll hear from us every week throughout the project.
Final walkthrough room by room with your project manager. Anything that isn't right gets resolved before you sign off. Your five-year warranty begins the day the project is complete.
A whole home remodel surfaces every condition a house has been hiding. In Portland's older housing stock, that list can be long. Here's what we find most often—and how we handle it before it becomes a problem.
Portland has a high concentration of homes built before 1950, and whole home remodels in these properties routinely turn up balloon framing, lath-and-plaster walls, and non-standard framing throughout. These aren't surprises; they're expected conditions in Portland's older neighborhoods. We assess them during the home visit and build them into the scope before work begins.
A whole home remodel almost always involves electrical work across multiple rooms, which means legacy wiring gets addressed whether it's planned for or not. We coordinate this through trusted, licensed electricians as part of the project scope — no separate contractor to manage.
Whole home remodels that involve opening floor plans, removing walls, or adding structural elements require engineering that accounts for Portland's seismic zone. Our designers and structural engineers collaborate early in the design process so seismic requirements are resolved on paper, not on the job site.
Whole home remodels are among the most permit-intensive projects Portland Permitting & Development processes. Timelines vary by project complexity. Straightforward permits can clear in four weeks, while projects involving structural changes may take eight weeks or longer. We file early, stay on top of the review process, and build accurate timelines into every contract.
Portland's historic districts, including Irvington, Ladd's Addition, and the Alphabet District, regulate exterior changes visible from the street. Whole home remodels that include exterior work in these neighborhoods may require additional review. Interior work generally proceeds without restriction. We identify any applicable requirements during the consultation.
The cost of a whole home remodel varies widely depending on the size of your home, the primary areas being remodeled, your home location and current condition, and the materials used. The best way to learn specifics is to contact one of Neil Kelly designers.
Smaller homes or partial remodels may take 7-10 months, while larger or full-scale remodels can take a year or longer, especially if there are structural changes.
Yes, a whole-home remodel almost always requires obtaining the correct permits. Any work involving structural changes, electrical, plumbing, or major mechanical systems needs approval by your local building department. When you work with Neil Kelly, permits are taken care of by your dedicated project manager.
Moving out is often recommended because the work can be extensive, noisy, and disruptive to daily life. Living in your home during a full remodel is possible if we can approach the project in phases, but temporary relocation is usually safer and more practical.
Neil Kelly provides a Five-Year/Two-Year Limited Warranty on all remodeling projects because we stand behind our work long after construction is complete.
Here's how it breaks down:
For the first two years after completion, our warranty covers both the work performed by Neil Kelly carpenters and the work completed by our subcontractors and trade partners.
For the remaining three years, we continue to cover work completed directly by Neil Kelly carpenters, such as cabinetry installation and finish carpentry.
The Portland office serves the greater Portland metro area including Portland, Beaverton, Lake Oswego, Tigard, Tualatin, West Linn, Wilsonville, Hillsboro, Gresham, and surrounding communities.
Neil Kelly works throughout Portland and the metro area. Common neighborhoods include the West Hills, Lake Oswego, West Linn, Dunthorpe, Laurelhurst, Irvington, Ladds Addition, the Pearl District, Downtown Portland, and the inner East and Westside neighborhoods and surrounding metropolitan area including Happy Valley. Our Portland office also serves SW Washington including Vancouver, Camas, and Washougal.
Visit us at our Alberta Street design center or reach out online. Free consultation, fixed-price contract, and a five-year warranty. No pressure, just an honest look at your current home and its full potential.
