A living room remodel in Southern California typically costs $10,000 to $40,000+. New flooring, trim, paint and LED lighting sit at the lower end, a built-in media wall lands in the middle, and a full lighting plan with built-ins on several walls and a new fireplace surround pushes toward the top.
Most projects fall into three tiers. A finish refresh at $10,000 to $18,000 keeps the layout and covers new hardwood or LVP flooring, baseboard and crown molding, an accent wall or wainscoting, paint, and LED recessed lighting on dimmers where existing wiring allows. Adding a custom entertainment center or built-in office wall usually brings a project to $18,000 to $30,000. A full room remodel with built-ins on more than one wall, a new fireplace surround and flooring carried into adjoining rooms runs $30,000 to $40,000+.
Custom built-ins are often the largest single line item, priced by linear footage, door and drawer count, and whether the finish is paint-grade or stain-grade. Flooring cost depends on the material and how much area you cover, since LVP costs less per square foot than engineered or solid hardwood. Electrical work adds cost when new recessed lights or a TV location need wiring and patching. Conditions under the floor, such as an uneven slab or old adhesive, are priced only after we show you what we find.
Our living room remodels keep the walls where they are, and a new fireplace surround is finish work around the existing firebox. Moving walls or changing a gas fireplace requires a permit and is outside the projects we take on. We keep our projects within the scope that does not require a building permit, and we tell you at the first visit if what you have in mind would need one. Every project starts with a free in-home consultation and a written estimate before any work begins.
Answered by Legacy Construction & Design · CA License #790442 · October 2026