A Guide to Gut Renovations in New York (Plans, Budget, and More)

What is a gut renovation? It’s when a home is stripped down, and only the most important structural elements are left behind. In a gut renovation, mechanical infrastructure, plumbing, flooring, walls, electrical systems, and fixtures are removed to improve the home and meet the owners’ needs and preferences.

A gut renovation takes on a whole new meaning in New York.

Plans to speak withproperty preservation specialists, address permit issues, and account for historical changes are necessary, especially in New York City. When embarking on a gut renovation in one of the world’s largest cities, doing your homework is an absolute must.

Especially given the growing number of renovations over the last year (according to a Real Estate Board of New York 2025 report), you’ll want to make sure you have everything prepared to ensure local municipalities give you the approval to begin your renovation.

Scordio Construction, Inc. here: if you’re looking to learn more about gut renovations in the Empire State, we can help.

Our team of gut renovation specialists has crafted this article about gut renovations in New York to support you along the journey in your new home renovation.

In this article, we’ll discuss:

• Key gut renovation considerations to keep in mind before embarking on a home gut renovation
• 4 extremely important reasons to conduct a gut renovation
• 6 key factors that affect the timeline and completion date of a gut renovation
• How high-end luxury builders approach gut renovations in New York

Key gut renovation considerations to keep in mind

Gut renovations can be extremely cumbersome in terms of time, money, and noise. But, when done right, they can also make a world of difference in a homeowner’s life.

To make the most of your whole home remodel, you’ll want to keep in mind the following key considerations:

• Set your budget and timeline for the build
• Choose a reputable luxury home builder and architect team to manage your project
• Prepare for a great deal of noise and disruptions

Let’s explore why each of these is crucial to a successful, hassle-free gut renovation.

Consider budget and timelines

When considering a gut remodel, the following factors will affect the budget and timelines of your gut renovation:

• The size of the home
• The scope of the remodel
• The materials used for your renovation project
• The location of your home
• The condition of the home
• The stylistic and aesthetic choices for your home
• The cost of labor
• The time it takes to receive a permit to build
• Supply chain issues

Depending on where you live, the cost per square foot of renovations will change. Also, the scope of the project determines the cost and timeline for the build.

Hire only the best

The right people can make all the difference in a full gut renovation. A skilled team of professionals will help you through the pre-construction phases and through the entirety of the renovation project.

Whether you’re trying to determine the right fixtures, floor plan, or electrical work on the project, your construction firm will help you make informed decisions about the design and material choices for your new renovation. When you hire a high-end luxury firm in particular, they’ll also ensure that necessary permits are attained before construction begins.

They’ll work with you throughout the entire renovation experience to help realize your vision.

Prepare for noise and disruptions

Gut renovation projects are noisy. Period.

If you’re considering a gut renovation on an existing property, be prepared to make some significant changes to your life.

The reason is that as the work progresses, parts of your home may be under construction and therefore difficult to navigate or enter.

For example, demolition and structural changes will kick up dust and debris. By setting expectations and communicating with your luxury high-end builder, you can minimize disruptions and gain clarity on the scope of the noise.

Just keep in mind that you’ll likely need to budget a few months for the disruption and time to complete the gut renovation. Nevertheless, unexpected delays occur with any ambitious project, so budget for extra time on top of your projected timeline.

Why do a gut remodel? Reasons for a gut remodel

With the extensive work that comes with any demolition or construction project, particularly gut renovations, why embark on a gut renovation?

Though a complete gut renovation is a significant investment that involves changing structural elements and adding new structures to a home’s facade, many homeowners choose to embark on the renovation process for the following reasons:

• To fix previous structural issues and update outdated spaces
• To scrub a home clean of pests, mold, bacteria, and asbestos
• To renovate after a natural disaster

Homeowners find the upgrade is worth the investment, especially for older homes. Let’s explore each reason in greater detail.

Patch up structural issues and update outdated spaces

Over time, homes can develop major structural problems in its design and construction. For example, sagging floors, cracked walls, and compromised foundations can all affect a home’s overall integrity.

These issues can affect the stability of the structure, but also be a safety and health risk to the people living in the home. By choosing to renovate your home, you can improve the structural integrity of your home to better suit your needs and improve the long-term durability of your home.

What’s more, if your home was built years ago, there’s a strong chance that the layout and design may be outdated or no longer suit your needs. An important reason for a gut remodel is to start fresh on your home and create a space that reflects your personal style and desired functional requirements.

Whether you’re choosing to expand the space you’re living in, adding more natural light, or incorporating modern finishes, you can bring your dream home to life with a complete gut renovation.

Clean out pests, mold, bacteria, or asbestos

When a home experiences water damage or leaks, mold and bacteria can grow in its place. Pests, bacteria, and asbestos can also surface.

When pests, mold, bacteria, and asbestos arrive on the scene, a complete renovation is a necessity. When a home is gutted and renovated, hazardous materials that can pose health risks can be eliminated, creating a safer, cleaner, and more breathable home environment.

For this reason, gut renovations typically involve adding or removing structures to create a cleaner and healthier living space.

Refurbish and renovate after a natural disaster

Natural disasters happen when you least expect them, and they can add unexpected expenses in the process.

A gut renovation allows homeowners to restore their homes to pre-disaster conditions, thereby helping ensure a stronger foundation and improving the strength of load-bearing walls. At the same time, you can increase the property value of your home by revamping your home’s infrastructure.

Gut renovation costs and timelines explained

When conducting a complete overhaul of your home, the following factors can affect the cost of the gut renovation:

• Consultations by experts
• Permitting and inspection processes
• Fees for architectural drafts and interior design
• Project management by a luxury high-end building and contracting team
• Structural repairs, remediation work, and landscaping
• Building material costs
• Removing walls, demolishing infrastructure, and cleaning up after all work is complete
• Installing plumbing and electrical systems
• New construction work
• Sourcing and installing internal fixtures, furniture, decor, and appliances
• Living costs while the home is under construction
• Meetings with municipal authorities aimed at ensuring compliance with building codes and regulations
• Change orders

While not an all-inclusive list, the following can affect the length of time to complete a gut renovation.

• The scope of work on the project
• The availability of materials and contractors
• How worn in the home is
• The types of design plans included in the home
• How large the home is in terms of square feet
• The geographic land and climate in which the home is located

Finally, if you decide to work with a dedicated building firm versus doing the gut renovation yourself, expect a different price range for each.

For nothing other than the expediency and safety, we recommend working with a high-end construction firm. They have the tools, knowledge, processes, and experience to quickly and safely renovate your home so it’s flawless and fully functional.

What’s more, should unexpected issues arise, a dedicated building firm also has contingency plans baked into their processes to help streamline the renovation and ensure a quality build.

Scordio Spotlight on gut renovations

Whether a full gut or a partial remodel, renovating in NYC is a surreal experience.

What goes into a build? The process involves more than wood and nails. Vision, coordination, and craftsmanship drive every step.

Here’s a peek behind the walls into the heart of our process.

Conduct a gut renovation with a specialist with 40+ years of experience

Gut renovations can significantly improve the infrastructure, longevity, aesthetic, and functionality of a new home.

When you’re ready for your next renovation, ask yourself the following: Would you rather conduct a do-it-yourself renovation or a gut renovation with a team with decades of experience? The answer will determine the type of journey you embark on for your next home project.

As the client, you’re paying for every single nail at the end of the day, which is why hiring a general contractor to take care of a gut renovation is worth your time and resources. Having an experienced professional and general contractor can make life much easier.

With our clients, we own everything that’s on our proposal, such as the plans, the resources, and more. We help them take care of permits you wouldn’t expect to know you need, such as structural geo-technical drawings, site-safety, plumbing, mechanical, landscape, electrical, architectural, electrical-load, and other plans.

Yes, we’ll take care of everything for you. With more than 40+ years of experience, we’re experienced at ensuring compliance with local ordinances.

Every project is crafted with meticulous attention to detail, using top-quality materials and labor. If you’re curious to learn more about how we do renovations  in New York City or any other details that may arise during the renovation process, we invite you to chat with one of our knowledgeable renovation specialists.

We’d be happy to help.

Scordio Construction, Inc.: Exquisite Renovations That Stand the Test of Time Since 1985