Remodeling in
Scottsdale, Arizona
Scottsdale splits cleanly into two remodeling markets separated by about thirty years and a considerable distance up Scottsdale Road. South of the 101 you are largely working with 1950s–70s ranch and midcentury modern homes on established lots. North of it, you are in 1990s–2000s custom and master-planned construction with active HOA design review.
The work is different in each. South Scottsdale rewards restoration sensibility — these are architecturally interesting houses, and a remodel that erases what makes them distinctive is a loss. North Scottsdale is about finish level and getting approvals right.
Scottsdale's housing stock
1950s–70s midcentury south, 1990s–2000s custom north
Old Town and south Scottsdale hold a significant concentration of midcentury and ranch homes, including work by architects who defined the region's postwar style. North Scottsdale — DC Ranch, Grayhawk, Troon — is predominantly master-planned construction from the 1990s onward, much of it custom or semi-custom and nearly all of it under an HOA.
What we run into here
Midcentury homes with irreplaceable character
Original clerestory windows, exposed beams and post-and-beam framing are what make these houses valuable. The remodeling mistake is treating them as dated features to be removed. We work to keep them and modernize around them, which usually means more careful work rather than more expensive materials.
HOA design review in North Scottsdale
Master-planned communities have architectural review committees with their own approval timelines, entirely separate from city permitting. Interior work is often outside their remit, but anything visible from outside is not — and the review adds weeks, so it goes into the schedule at the start.
Luxury finish expectations
North Scottsdale homes were frequently built to a high standard originally, which means a remodel has to meet or exceed what is already there. Slab-matched stone, full-height cabinetry and integrated appliances are the baseline rather than the upgrade.
Permits in Scottsdale
City of Scottsdale Planning & Development Services
Scottsdale operates its own building department. Permits are required for structural changes, plumbing relocation and new electrical work. In master-planned communities there is usually a second, independent approval track through the HOA architectural review committee — the two run on different timelines and both need to be started early.
The work we do most often in Scottsdale
Midcentury kitchen modernization
The goal in a midcentury Scottsdale home is a kitchen that works by contemporary standards without looking like it was transplanted from a new build. Flat-slab cabinetry, honest materials and restraint about hardware suit these houses far better than raised-panel or ornate detail.
Master bathroom upgrades in North Scottsdale
The recurring project here is a 1990s or 2000s master bath with an oversized corner garden tub nobody uses. Reallocating that footprint to a large curbless shower with frameless glass is the highest-value change available in these floor plans.
Custom cabinetry
Scottsdale homes frequently have wall dimensions and ceiling heights that stock cabinetry cannot address well. Full-height custom runs scribed to the actual conditions are common here in a way they are not in tract housing.
Scottsdale neighborhoods we work in
Not an exhaustive list — we work throughout Scottsdale. These are the areas that come up most.
Recent work
All projects
Whole HomeVideoWhole-Home Transformation
A dated valley home stripped back and rebuilt into a light, open, indoor-outdoor house. Filmed before and after.
View project
KitchenModern Luxury Kitchen
Dark full-height cabinetry, a broad stone island and layered lighting — a kitchen built around contrast.
View project
KitchenContemporary Kitchen with Granite Island
Clean contemporary lines with a substantial granite island — durable, bright and built for daily use.
View projectRemodeling in Scottsdale — Questions
Do I need HOA approval to remodel in North Scottsdale?
For interior work, often not — most architectural review committees concern themselves with what is visible from the street or from neighboring properties. Anything touching windows, exterior doors, roofline or paint almost certainly does need approval. The review runs on its own timeline independent of city permitting, so we identify what needs submitting at the start rather than pausing mid-project.
Should I preserve the midcentury character of my Scottsdale home?
In most cases, strongly yes — and not only for aesthetic reasons. Original architectural features in well-designed midcentury homes contribute real market value in this area, and once they are removed they cannot be recovered. Clerestory windows, exposed beams and open post-and-beam plans are precisely what buyers in south Scottsdale are looking for. Modernizing the kitchen and baths while keeping those elements is almost always the better outcome.
What does a high-end kitchen remodel involve in Scottsdale?
At this level the differences are in things that do not show up in a materials list: slab-matched stone where the island waterfall and backsplash carry continuous veining, full-height cabinetry scribed to an uneven ceiling, integrated appliance panels, and a lighting plan built in layers. The labor and coordination account for a much larger share of the cost than in a standard remodel.
Remodeling in Scottsdale?
Free estimates throughout Scottsdale and the surrounding area. Call (623) 262-6242 or send us the details.