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Here's the honest 2026 answer to what a home remodel costs in Des Moines, straight from our completed projects. A kitchen-only remodel runs $69,000 to $130,000. A kitchen plus a powder room and layout changes runs $113,000 to $147,000, and a full open-concept main floor renovation runs $147,000 to $253,000. Beyond the main floor, a primary bathroom runs $59,000 to $140,000, a basement finish runs $70,000 to $250,000 and up, and home additions run $185,000 to $700,000 and up depending on scope, from a one-room addition to a full second story. I break each of these down below, along with what our home remodeling services include here in the Des Moines metro.
Are you tired of feeling like you’re living in someone else’s home? Do you find yourself daydreaming about a space that truly reflects your personality and more modern touches? If you’re getting the icks from every angle, a few strategic upgrades simply won’t do. Remodeling your entire home is the perfect opportunity to start fresh and create a space that is uniquely yours.
Complete home remodeling is a solution that gets all your repairs, updates, and changes wrapped up with an all-in-one renovation. However, not every homeowner who wants home improvements ends up taking the most aggressive and comprehensive approach. Some homeowners are more interested in a laser-focused kitchen or bathroom refresh, which is a smaller remodel that targets just the elements that you want to be changed and preserves the features that are working. This might mean you paint your cabinets and keep your floors, for example.
If you’d rather handle it all at once instead of chipping away at the features, you’re in the market for one of our favorite remodeling endeavors, what we call the “main floor scramble”. Often, main floor scrambles are full gut jobs, meaning we remove every finish down to drywall and create something brand new inside. “Whole home” or “entire floor” remodeling allows us a blank slate to create something completely brand new. We can move walls, remove floors, add rooms, and change just about everything, leaving you with a home designed to work for you and delight your senses.
At first, the idea of a full home remodel might seem overwhelming, but trust us, it’s worth it! Not only will it improve your daily life, but it can also increase the value of your home. Plus, think of all the fun you’ll have picking out new materials, colors, and furniture. A well-planned home renovation ensures that every detail is managed, making the process smoother and more enjoyable.
Benefits of Whole-Home or Entire Floor Remodeling
A whole-house remodel or the remodeling of an entire floor offer numerous benefits for homeowners. By renovating the entire house or a single floor, you can significantly enhance your living experience and increase the value of your property. Imagine transforming your home into a space that perfectly suits your lifestyle and preferences. Here are some compelling reasons to consider a comprehensive whole home renovation or remodel.
Don’t pass up the opportunity a house remodel presents to better your lifestyle and home value for less cost, time, and work than moving into a new home. Check out these whole-home remodeling benefits for the inspiration you need to commit to your home improvement journey!
Benefit #1: Stay in Your Home
In many ways, remodeling your current residence with an all-in-one home improvement overhaul can be as — if not more — rewarding as purchasing a new home.
If you’ve lived in your home for a couple of decades, a main floor scramble gives you the opportunity to refresh the existing space, layout and style to match your current lifestyle needs without having to uproot your routine or deal with the hassle of moving. Home remodel projects provide significant returns on investment when planned and executed efficiently. Even after living in your home for just a few years, it’s common to have a list of things you wish were different (like adding a home office or homeschool) or ideas of how you could improve your home structurally and cosmetically.
Additionally, remodeling your current home enables you to remain in the community, neighborhood, or school district you prefer without continuing to compromise.
Benefit #2: Remodeling Allows Customization
If you’re considering whole-home remodeling, you’re likely also considering moving to a new home altogether. But house remodeling gives you something a new home doesn’t necessarily: customization. With whole-home remodeling, you personalize your entire home to your specific desires. You may get some customization if you buy a new home. However, there’s no guarantee that you’ll get your first choice for every feature unless you purchase a custom-built home.
If you decide to buy a new home and personalize it, you’re essentially paying for a remodel in addition to everything else you had to pay for your new place. Those expenses add up quickly. Opting for a remodel gives you an out. Avoid the extra costs of buying a new home, get the same amount of customization (if not more), and ultimately save money with better results — right where you’re already living!
Benefit #3: It's Faster & Less Work in the Long Run
Some homeowners choose to remodel their homes bit by bit. They move from one room to another, saving up money in between. However, this approach extends the amount of time, energy, and money you have to expend in the long run and leaves exciting options off the table. Doing a whole house remodel all at once means you get the results you’re looking for faster and allows you to completely re-imagine your space as a cohesive unit. Ready to get rid of some walls for open-concept main-floor living? Need to add another bedroom or bathroom for main-floor living accessibility? Committing to remodeling an entire home gives you many more options that don’t confine you to a single room. Plus, all-in-one home improvement projects empower your construction team to work on renovations in whatever order is most efficient, saving you money.
Benefit #4: Get More for Your Money
As you consider a whole home remodel, one of the main concerns is renovation costs, and how to make the most of the money you’re investing into your project. Whole-home remodels are generally more affordable than the average cost of a home in the Des Moines Metro area. Home values here have only climbed since we first wrote this post. Add on the costs of hiring movers, real estate professionals, closing costs, home upgrades, travel, etc., and buying a new home can end up costing significantly more than remodeling.
Home remodeling adds to both your quality of home and home value. This means two things when you decide to sell:
- First, you’ll be able to get more money for your home than you would have before remodeling.
- Second, homebuyers love a recently remodeled home. It’s a great selling point to help find a buyer fast! You also get to enjoy the benefits of your remodel for a few years before selling your home.
Of course, the amount of home value you get back depends on the type of home remodeling projects you include. Exterior improvements and kitchen remodeling projects, in particular, tend to give your home a lot of value for your investment.
In our market, the projects that hold their value best are the ones buyers notice first: kitchens, main floors, and updated bathrooms. The honest answer, though, is that the strongest returns we see come from remodels designed around how you actually live, not around a resale spreadsheet.
Each year the cost of construction rises by approximately 4%. So, each year your value increases based on how long you live in the home. We recommend staying in the home for a minimum of 7 years after you complete your home renovation project.
Benefit #5: Increase Resale Value
A whole-home or entire floor remodel can significantly boost the resale value of your property. By updating the design, layout, and features of your home, you make it more attractive to potential buyers. According to the National Association of Realtors, a well-designed and well-executed whole-home remodel can recoup up to 102% of its cost at resale. This means that not only do you get to enjoy a beautifully renovated home, but you also make a smart financial investment that pays off when it’s time to sell.
Benefit #6: Improve Functionality and Efficiency
Whole-home or entire floor remodeling can also greatly improve the functionality and efficiency of your living space. By reconfiguring the layout and incorporating modern design elements, you can create a home that works better for you. Think open-concept living areas that foster family interaction, smart home technology that simplifies daily tasks, and energy-efficient appliances that save you money on utility bills. These improvements not only enhance your day-to-day life but also make your home more appealing to future buyers.
How Much Does a Main Floor Remodel Cost?
At Compelling Homes, a typical main floor renovation runs $110,000 to $140,000 in 2026. This tier of home remodeling uses a combination of both economic and luxury building materials. This range and scope of work are reminiscent of a 1200- 1400 sq. ft. main floor, where we update the kitchen, powder room, and flooring throughout.
Portions that can bring the project up from there, would be changing out the trim throughout the main floor. Or relocating the powder room, knocking down one or more walls, or changing out the stair system finishes.
For example, in Johnston, we’ve been in many homes where we’re requested to renovate the entire floor. So, we knock the wall down between the kitchen & the dining room, change all of the floorings out, update the plumbing fixtures and the stair system, relocate the powder room, and completely face-lift the entire fireplace wall. Projects like that run $140,000 to $253,000 in 2026, but they are DRAMATIC (in a fun way).
Remember, if you’re choosing our team to bring your dream home to life, we are here to make your home fit you. We care about getting to know you, your family’s lifestyle, habits, routines—the whole kit and caboodle. Then, we shape your dream space to fit your habits, not the other way around.
Remodel Budgeting 101: Class Is in Session
As you’re budgeting for your remodeling project, it can be helpful to break down the project into parts and evaluate the price individually. Say, for example, you’re wondering how much it costs to completely remove all finishes, and remodel your home.
We could begin with the base price by considering all of the removals & demolition the home may need. We would need to factor in labor, dumpsters, plastic and protection, and air cleaning in the home, which ranges from a couple of thousand dollars for a low or midrange remodel to $10,000+ for a higher-end remodel. The reconstruction cost is figured into the entire renovation project, but here are some current examples of budget ranges you can expect when you begin the renovation journey:
Here is a look at what Des Moines homeowners are actually investing in 2026, according to our prices for completed projects. Understand that these are averages. Your contractor is your best resource for understanding the cost and project scope of the work you’ve got in mind.
Kitchen Remodel Costs
Your kitchen is likely to be one of the costliest rooms to renovate, because of appliances, cabinetry, electrical work, and plumbing work. Remodeling your kitchen as a stand-alone project runs $69,000 to $130,000 in 2026, depending on your finishes and how much of the layout changes. You can see what each level includes on our kitchen remodeling and design page.
See also: What Is the Average Kitchen Remodel Cost?
Kitchen + Powder Room & Layout Changes
Everything in a full kitchen remodel, plus a refreshed powder room and a wall or two removed to improve the flow. Projects like this run $113,000 to $147,000. This is the sweet spot for homeowners who love their home's footprint but want the kitchen to connect better to the rooms around it.
Full Open-Concept Main Floor
The main floor scramble in its complete form: walls come down, new flooring runs throughout, and we often relocate the powder room, rework the fireplace wall, and refinish the stairs. These projects run $147,000 to $253,000 depending on the size of the floor and the finishes you choose.
Bathroom Remodel Costs
A primary bathroom remodel runs $59,000 to $140,000 in 2026, depending on the size of the bathroom and the finish level. The top of that range covers relocated plumbing, heated floors, and spa-like features such as a steam shower.
See Also: How Much Does a Bathroom Remodel Cost in the Des Moines Metro Area?
Basement Finish Costs
Finishing or remodeling a basement runs $70,000 to $250,000 and up, depending on the size of the space and what goes into it. A basement with a full bath, a bar, and a home theater sits at a very different point on that range than an open rec room. Our Basement Pricing Guide breaks down the scenarios.
Home Addition Costs
Home additions run $185,000 to $700,000 and up depending on scope, from a one-room addition to a full second story. Additions carry foundation, roofline, and exterior work that interior remodels don't, which is why the range is so wide. Our Addition Pricing Guide walks through what drives the number.
Another cost variable to keep in mind is the type of home you live in, which refers not only to age and condition but also style. Renovating a townhouse can be accomplished for less than a project involving your Victorian home or farmhouse. Similarly, upgrading a historic property is more costly because you must bring the property up to date, repair age-related damage, and work to preserve the character of the house.
Your Des Moines Whole-Home Remodel: Where to Start
We want you to have all of the information you need to feel empowered during and by your whole house remodeling experience. We hope you’ll draw some inspiration from our completed projects and make great use of the information we’ve shared to help you dream and plan. And if you want to hear how these projects actually go, read our reviews from Des Moines homeowners. We can’t wait to have a more personalized conversation and hear more about what you’ve got in mind. We know you’ll love the work we do together. Remember, don’t stop at “good enough” — make it Compelling!
Finding and Working with a Contractor
Finding and working with a contractor is a crucial part of the home remodeling process. The right contractor can make all the difference in achieving your dream home. Here are some tips to help you find a reliable and skilled general contractor, for your project.
Tips for Finding the Right Contractor
- Get referrals: Start by asking friends, family, and neighbors for recommendations. Personal referrals can provide valuable insights into a contractor’s work quality, reliability, and communication skills.
- Check online reviews: Look up home contractors on review websites such as Angie’s List, Yelp, and Google. Pay attention to the overall rating and read the reviews to get a sense of the contractor’s strengths and weaknesses.
- Verify licenses and certifications: Ensure the contractor is properly licensed and certified to work in your state and on your type of project. This step is crucial for ensuring that the work meets local building codes and standards.
- Get multiple bids: Obtain bids from at least three contractors to compare prices and services. This will give you a better understanding of the market rate and help you make an informed decision.
- Check insurance and bonding: Make sure the contractor has the necessary insurance and bonding to protect you and your property in case of accidents or disputes. This is essential for your peace of mind.
- Communicate clearly: Clearly communicate your project goals, budget, and timeline with the contractor. Good communication is key to ensuring that your vision is understood and executed properly.
- Check their experience: Verify that the contractor has experience working on projects similar to yours. This will give you confidence that they have the skills and knowledge to handle your specific needs.
- Get a written contract: Ensure you have a written contract that outlines the scope of work, payment terms, and timeline. A detailed contract helps prevent misunderstandings and provides a reference point if issues arise.
By following these tips, you can find a reliable and skilled contractor to help you achieve your home remodeling goals. A successful remodel starts with choosing the right professional to bring your vision to life.
About Us
Compelling Homes is a high-end home remodeling company in Des Moines. We’re here to guide you through every step of the renovation process, from brainstorming ideas to the final walk-through. Let’s turn your home into the ultimate reflection of your style and personality. Are you ready to take the plunge of a main floor scramble? You won’t be sorry.
