When a project touches every room, coordination is everything. Neil Kelly manages design, permitting, and construction in-house with one fixed-price contract, one team, and a 5-year warranty on every project.
Seattle homes range from intact Craftsman bungalows that just need freshening up to mid-century ranches that haven't worked in decades, and the right remodeling approach is just as varied. These three scope levels will help you decide what to take on before you get into the details.
New Finishes, Same Bones.
Not everything has to go. A Refresh updates surfaces throughout: flooring, fixtures, hardware, and paint, while keeping what's still in good condition. No layout changes, no structural work. The right choice when the home functions well but no longer reflects how you live or what you want it to look like.
Same Footprint, Completely New Interior.
A full interior reset within the existing layout. Everything worn out or outdated gets replaced: cabinetry, flooring, fixtures, appliances, with plumbing and electrical updates as needed. The right choice when the floor plan still works but the interior needs to start over from scratch.
The Floorplan Changes. Everything Follows
A ground-up redesign that questions every assumption about how the home is organized. Walls move, plumbing relocates, rooms get repurposed. The right choice when the home's layout has stopped working for your household and moving isn't on the table.
Neil Kelly's Seattle designers have worked across Seattle, Bellevue, Redmond, and the greater Puget Sound area on projects that touch every room in the house. They know the Capitol Hill Craftsman bungalows, the Eastside mid-century ranches, and the Northwest Contemporary homes. They know the permit process. And they know what it takes to hold a whole home project together from the first drawing to the final walkthrough.
Whole home remodeling asks more of a designer than any other project type. Our Seattle team brings distinct strengths in design style, universal and accessible design, multigenerational living, and historic properties. That range of expertise is what makes a complex, multi-room project feel coordinated, not chaotic.
Here's what Seattle-area homeowners say about working with Neil Kelly.
4.6 out of 5 · 2,200+ verified reviews on GuildQuality
Neil Kelly is great with old homes! Just finished my 2nd project with them in my 1901 house. Their Design Team (Anne Bauer in particular) is creative, knowledgeable and fun, and their carpenters took great care with the details. Only regret is that I have run out of projects.
The crew from Neil Kelly stands out above others for their professionalism, quality of work, and dedication to customer satisfaction. Having worked with various contractors over the years, I’ve found that the real difference is not when everything goes smoothly but when unexpected problems occur. Remodels are tricky. Mistakes can happen. However, throughout our remodel I found Neil Kelly to be great at communication, flexible when changes had to be made, and determined to get the job done right and to our satisfaction.
NK has done a wonderful job with my 1901 house! I would (and have) recommended them to anyone who wants something a bit more creative, thoughtful & fun! My only negative is I have run out of projects for them…
When a project spans many rooms in the house, nothing can fall through the cracks. 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 move through every room you're considering, talk through your goals and constraints, and give you an honest read on what's possible at your budget. No commitment required.
Scope confirmation comes first, then floor plan options, room sequencing, and materials direction. For a multi-room project, the decisions made here set the foundation for everything that follows. You'll review 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. We'll send you an update every week on what's done and what's coming next.
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 your project is complete.
A whole home remodel exposes every condition a Seattle house has been carrying. In an area with significantly older housing stock and one of the most complex permitting environments in the Pacific Northwest, knowing what's ahead makes the difference between a smooth project and a costly one.
Whole home remodels are among the most permit-intensive projects in Seattle's jurisdiction. The Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections is known for rigorous review cycles that can extend timelines significantly for projects involving structural, electrical, and plumbing work across multiple rooms. Eastside jurisdictions like Bellevue, Redmond, and Kirkland have their own requirements. We work across all of them regularly, file early, and build realistic timelines into every contract from the start.
Roughly one third of Seattle-area homes were built before 1950. A whole-home remodel in these properties means working through conditions room by room: balloon framing, lath-and-plaster walls, non-standard stud spacing, and plumbing that hasn't been touched in decades. We assess these conditions during the home visit and build them into the scope before work begins.
Whole home remodels that include exterior work in Seattle's eight designated landmark districts, including Pioneer Square, Harvard-Belmont, and Ballard Avenue, may require a Certificate of Approval from the Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board. Interior work generally proceeds without restriction. We identify any applicable requirements during the consultation and build them into the project timeline.
A whole home remodel almost always involves electrical work across multiple rooms, which means we address legacy wiring without question. We coordinate the work through trusted, licensed electricians as part of the project scope so there's no separate contractor for you to manage.
Whole home remodels that open floor plans, remove walls, or add structural elements across multiple rooms require comprehensive seismic engineering. Many older Seattle homes were built over soft or sloping ground on foundations that have shifted over time. Our designers and structural engineers address these conditions early in the design process to prevent any surprises mid-construction. No CTAs in this section — informational content per brief.
The Seattle office serves the greater Seattle metro area including Seattle, Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, Mercer Island, Shoreline, Edmonds, and surrounding Puget Sound communities.
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.
Generally yes — labor costs and permit fees tend to run higher in the Seattle market than in Oregon markets. Material costs are comparable. Your designer will provide a market-specific estimate.
Neil Kelly serves clients across the Seattle metro. Common areas include Capitol Hill, Queen Anne, Bellevue, Kirkland, Madison Park, Mercer Island, and the Eastside.
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.
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.
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.
Each phase should be planned and priced separately, while keeping the overall vision in mind so decisions in Phase 1 do not create problems or extra cost in later phases. Neil Kelly helps clients plan phased projects holistically. [DRAFT — needs final copy]
Call our Georgetown design center at (206) 343-2822 or reach out online to schedule a free consultation. No pressure, just an honest conversation about what your home could become.
