From outdated floor plans to modern open-concept living — we coordinate every trade, every finish, and every detail across your entire home renovation.
Whole-home remodeling in Mountain Home, Idaho is most often a decision to comprehensively modernize a structurally sound but functionally dated air-base-era house rather than leave a constrained local market. Mountain Home is the Elmore County seat, a community of just under 16,000 at roughly 3,150 feet on the western Snake River Plain, anchored by Mountain Home Air Force Base twelve miles southwest. The city's defining housing layer — 1950s-1970s ranches built as the base expanded through the Cold War — are honest, simply framed homes carrying every dated system and closed-off layout of their era at once: galvanized or aging plumbing, undersized electrical, single-pane windows, minimal insulation, walled-off kitchens, one bathroom, and no primary suite. Fixing one of those in isolation leaves the rest; a whole-home remodel addresses the house as a system. Iron Crest Remodeling Group LLC, operating as Iron Crest Remodel (Idaho RCE-6681702), approaches these projects with Mountain Home's specific realities — pre-1980 environmental requirements, split city/county jurisdiction, well-and-septic acreage constraints, and a high-desert envelope that punishes shortcuts — rather than a generic whole-home script with a city name dropped in. The result is a renovation engineered around the actual house and the actual jurisdiction, which is the entire point of this work.
Reimagine your entire home with a unified remodeling plan built for how you actually live.
A whole-home remodel addresses every major system and finish in your house under a single project scope — framing and layout changes, electrical panel and circuit upgrades, plumbing updates, HVAC improvements, insulation, drywall, flooring, trim, paint, and fixture installation across every room. In the Treasure Valley, many homes built in the 1980s and 1990s have compartmentalized floor plans, outdated electrical systems, builder-grade finishes, and inefficient insulation that no longer meet modern standards for comfort, energy efficiency, or livability. A well-planned whole-home renovation transforms these properties into cohesive, modern spaces while addressing deferred maintenance and code compliance in a single mobilization. The key advantage of a whole-home approach is coordination — trades move efficiently through the house in sequence, finishes are consistent from room to room, and the homeowner avoids years of disruptive room-by-room projects.
Mountain Home homeowners pursue whole-home remodeling for a variety of reasons. Here are the most common situations we see:
Not every whole-home remodel project is the same. Here are the most common project types we complete in Mountain Home:
Full gut and rebuild of every interior space including kitchen, bathrooms, bedrooms, and living areas. New flooring, drywall, trim, paint, lighting, and fixtures throughout. Layout changes and wall removals as needed.
Remove interior walls between kitchen, dining, and living areas to create a modern open floor plan. Includes structural header installation, electrical and HVAC rerouting, flooring transitions, and finish work.
Reconfigure the main floor to include a primary bedroom suite, accessible bathroom, and laundry — allowing single-level living without using stairs. Ideal for aging-in-place planning.
Comprehensive renovation of a recently purchased home that needs everything — updated electrical, new plumbing, insulation, drywall repair, flooring, kitchen, bathrooms, and cosmetic finishes throughout.
A planned multi-phase renovation that addresses the entire home over two or three stages, allowing homeowners to remain in the home during construction by completing one zone at a time.
Mountain Home's housing spans a pre-war downtown core, a dominant 1950s-1970s air-base-era ranch belt tied to the base's Cold War growth, 1990s-2010s subdivisions, and recent custom acreage. The 2020 census recorded about 6,600 housing units.
Railroad-era and pre-war homes with galvanized plumbing, aged or knob-and-tube wiring in the worst cases, plaster and original wood, and frequent subfloor and structural deterioration. Pre-1978 lead and pre-1980 asbestos requirements apply.
The city's largest layer: simply framed ranches and split-levels built as Mountain Home AFB expanded, with original single-pane aluminum windows, galvanized supply lines, undersized electrical, minimal insulation, closed kitchens, single bathrooms, and no primary suite. Pre-1980 environmental testing required.
Production subdivision homes with modern systems and builder-grade finishes now aging out of relevance. No asbestos or galvanized concerns; straightforward upgrade candidates.
Custom homes on one-acre and rural parcels, many on private well and septic, built to modern code and high finish.
Material selection affects the look, durability, and cost of your whole-home remodel. Here are the most popular options we install in Mountain Home:
The most popular whole-home flooring choice in the Treasure Valley. LVP is waterproof, scratch-resistant, available in realistic wood-look patterns, and installs quickly over existing subfloors. It provides a consistent look from room to room.
Best for: Main living areas, hallways, bedrooms, and kitchens
A premium flooring option that provides real wood appearance and feel with better dimensional stability than solid hardwood. Available in oak, hickory, maple, and walnut species with various stain options.
Best for: Living rooms, dining rooms, and bedrooms in climate-controlled environments
Engineered quartz is the go-to countertop surface for kitchen and bathroom renovations. Non-porous, stain-resistant, and available in hundreds of colors and patterns. Consistent appearance across multiple rooms.
Best for: Kitchen countertops, bathroom vanities, and laundry surfaces
Semi-custom cabinets offer the best balance of quality, options, and value for whole-home projects. More door styles, finishes, and sizing flexibility than stock cabinets, with 4-8 week lead times.
Best for: Kitchen, bathroom, laundry, and built-in storage throughout the home
High-quality interior paints from brands like Benjamin Moore, Sherwin-Williams, or PPG provide better coverage, durability, and washability than builder-grade paint. Consistent sheen and color throughout the home.
Best for: Every wall and ceiling surface in the home
Here is how a typical whole-home remodel project works from first contact to final walkthrough:
We walk every room with you, documenting what works and what does not. We discuss your vision for layout, flow, finishes, and function — then establish a realistic budget range and phasing strategy if needed. You receive a preliminary scope and conceptual plan within one to two weeks.
We develop a comprehensive design plan covering layout changes, flooring selections, cabinet and countertop choices, paint colors, lighting plans, fixture selections, and hardware finishes for every room. Consistency across the home is a primary focus at this stage.
We pull all required permits through Ada County or Canyon County — structural, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical as needed. We schedule and sequence every trade so work flows efficiently from demolition through finish.
Controlled demolition begins zone by zone. Wall removals, structural headers, framing modifications, subfloor repairs, and any foundation or crawlspace work are completed first. Rough inspections are scheduled before closing walls.
All wiring, plumbing lines, HVAC ductwork, and insulation are installed or updated throughout the home. Panel upgrades, new circuits for kitchens and bathrooms, and updated supply and drain lines are completed during this phase.
Drywall, tape, and texture are completed. Flooring is installed throughout, followed by trim, doors, cabinetry, countertops, tile, fixtures, lighting, and hardware. Paint is applied after trim and before final fixture installation.
We complete all final inspections, address every punch list item, test all systems and fixtures, and conduct a thorough room-by-room walkthrough with you to confirm everything meets the agreed-upon scope and quality standards.
Here is what to expect for project duration when planning a whole-home remodel in Mountain Home:
| Phase | Duration | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Planning and Design | 4–8 weeks | Comprehensive home assessment, design development, material selections, trade scheduling, and contract finalization. Larger homes with more complex scopes require longer planning. |
| Permitting | 2–4 weeks | Permit applications for structural, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical work through Ada County or Canyon County. Multiple permits may be required for whole-home projects. |
| Demolition and Structural Work | 1–3 weeks | Controlled demolition, wall removals, structural modifications, subfloor repair, and framing. Scope depends on how much of the existing structure is being modified. |
| Systems Rough-In | 2–4 weeks | Electrical rewiring, plumbing rough-in, HVAC modifications, and insulation installation throughout the home. Rough inspections are scheduled before closing walls. |
| Finish Work | 4–8 weeks | Drywall, flooring, trim, cabinetry, countertops, tile, paint, fixtures, and hardware installation across every room. This is the longest active construction phase. |
| Final Inspections and Walkthrough | 1–2 weeks | Punch list completion, final inspections, systems testing, and room-by-room walkthrough with the homeowner. |
Mountain Home range: $90,000–$160,000 – $400,000–$700,000+
Most Mountain Home projects: $180,000–$340,000
Mountain Home whole-home costs run modestly below Boise-proper but the gap is narrower than home values suggest because Elmore County's trade pool is thinner and crews frequently mobilize from the Treasure Valley. The low band covers a comprehensive cosmetic-plus-systems refresh of a modest ranch — kitchen, baths, flooring, paint, and targeted systems work without major structural reconfiguration. The average band covers what most Mountain Home whole-home projects actually are: full systems replacement (plumbing, electrical, HVAC), envelope upgrade (insulation, air-sealing, windows), opening the closed mid-century plan, new kitchen and baths, and finishes throughout. The high band covers extensive structural reconfiguration, additions combined with the remodel, and acreage/Blue Sage homes at high finish. The dominant local cost variables: structural plan-opening in load-bearing ranch walls; full pre-1980 asbestos and lead abatement (EPA RRP, Idaho DEQ) which on a whole-house scale is substantial; galvanized-to-PEX whole-house repiping; electrical service upgrades; and, on well-and-septic acreage, a Central District Health septic review if the remodel changes bedroom or bathroom count.
The final cost of your whole-home remodel in Mountain Home depends on several factors. Here are the biggest cost drivers:
The size of the home and the number of rooms being renovated is the primary cost driver. A 1,500 sq ft home costs significantly less than a 3,000 sq ft home with the same scope of work per room.
Removing load-bearing walls, adding structural headers, modifying the floor plan, or opening up rooms requires engineering, permits, and additional framing labor that adds significant cost.
Kitchens and bathrooms are the most expensive rooms to renovate per square foot due to cabinetry, countertops, plumbing, tile, and specialized labor. The number and scope of kitchen and bath renovations heavily influences total project cost.
Older homes may need panel upgrades, rewiring, new circuits, updated plumbing supply lines, or drain modifications. These system-level updates add cost but are essential for safety and code compliance.
The gap between builder-grade and mid-range finishes can add 30-50% to material costs. Premium flooring, quartz countertops, semi-custom cabinets, and quality fixtures all contribute to the overall finish budget.
If the project is large enough to require temporary relocation, housing costs add to the overall budget. Phased projects that allow you to live in part of the home during construction may take longer but avoid relocation costs.
These are the real-world projects we see most often from Mountain Home homeowners:
The defining Mountain Home whole-home project: a structurally sound 1950s-1970s ranch taken comprehensively to current standards. Scope is the whole system at once — whole-house repipe from galvanized to PEX, electrical service and panel upgrade, HVAC replacement right-sized for the high-desert load, envelope upgrade (insulation, air-sealing, new high-performance windows), opening the walled-off kitchen into the living space (often a load-bearing structural change), adding or reworking bathrooms toward a primary suite, and new finishes throughout. Pre-1980 asbestos and lead testing and abatement precede demolition. This transforms a dated but solid house into a modern, efficient, open home without leaving the lot or the school district.
An investor takes a dated ranch and renovates it comprehensively into durable, rentable inventory aimed at the base-driven tenant pool. Scope mirrors the owner-occupant modernization but with durability-for-turnover finish decisions throughout — plywood-box cabinetry, quartz or solid-surface counters, slip-resistant resilient flooring, serviceable fixtures, and a robust envelope so operating cost and tenant comfort hold up across PCS-cycle tenancies. Systems are brought fully current because deferred systems are the most expensive failures in a rental held for years. The economics are a multi-tenancy total-cost calculation, not a flip-and-finish-cheap one.
On the oldest residential blocks near the railroad-era downtown, a whole-home remodel combines deep systems replacement with character-respecting modernization. Scope: galvanized repipe, electrical replacement (knob-and-tube removal where present), subfloor and structural remediation common in these homes, envelope improvement constrained by historic character, and a layout reconfiguration that modernizes function while keeping the home's period vocabulary. Mandatory pre-1980 environmental testing and abatement. These are the most labor-intensive whole-home projects in the city but produce a distinctive, character-rich result the newer stock cannot match.
A 1990s-2010s subdivision home with sound systems but dated, builder-grade everything gets a comprehensive finish-and-function remodel: kitchen, all baths, flooring throughout, opening any remaining closed layout, lighting, and selective envelope upgrades (windows, attic insulation). No environmental abatement or repiping is typically needed, so the budget concentrates on finishes, layout, and energy performance. Frequently a resale-driven project because these homes turn to inbound military buyers; the design targets a cohesive, defect-free result that clears a VA appraiser's review.
On Blue Sage's one-acre lots and surrounding rural parcels, whole-home renovations are larger and higher-finish, often combined with an addition. The defining local factors are utilities and jurisdiction: most parcels are on private well and septic, so any change in bedroom or bathroom count triggers a Central District Health septic-capacity review, hard iron-bearing well water drives plumbing and treatment choices, and permitting runs through Elmore County rather than the city. These are forever-home projects engineered around the property's actual utilities and the high-desert envelope at a custom-home standard.
Solution: We remove or modify interior walls to create open-concept living areas, install structural headers where needed, and unify flooring and finishes across the connected spaces.
Solution: A whole-home remodel ensures consistent flooring, trim profiles, paint colors, door hardware, and fixture finishes throughout — eliminating the patchwork look of decades of small projects.
Solution: We upgrade the electrical panel, add dedicated circuits for kitchens and bathrooms, install GFCI and AFCI protection where required by code, and add outlets and lighting throughout the home.
Solution: During the renovation, we upgrade insulation in walls, attics, and crawlspaces — improving comfort and reducing heating and cooling costs in Boise's hot summers and cold winters.
Solution: A whole-home renovation exposes framing, plumbing, and wiring that may have been hidden for decades. We identify and repair water damage, pest damage, improper wiring, and failing plumbing during the demolition phase.
High-desert climate at roughly 3,150 feet on the open western Snake River Plain: cold winters, hot dry summers, very low humidity, large daily temperature swings, intense unobstructed UV, and strong wind.
Frequent 30+°F daily swings cycle tile, grout, caulk, siding, and waterproofing joints aggressively, making movement-accommodating detailing essential.
Open, treeless plain accelerates fading and degradation of exterior paint, decking, and cladding, and interior fading on sun-exposed rooms.
30 lb ground snow load and a 24-inch frost depth (Mountain Home area, below Tollgate) govern foundations, decks, and roofed structures; cold floors raise demand for in-floor heat.
115 mph residential design wind speed off the open plain drives siding fastening, window structural specs, and roofed-structure engineering; wind-borne grit abrades finishes.
Very dry interiors shrink and gap unacclimated wood flooring and cabinetry and reopen drywall seams; sealed winter homes still concentrate bathroom moisture.
Seismic Zone C (south of Featherville, includes Mountain Home) applies to structural and lateral detailing on additions and reconfigurations.
The oldest residential blocks around the railroad-era street grid, including landmarks like the 1910 Bengoechea building; pre-war and early-mid-century homes with aged systems.
Common projects in Downtown / Historic Core:
The city's largest housing layer, built as Mountain Home AFB expanded through the Cold War: simply framed three-bedroom, one-bath ranches with original systems and closed layouts. Split between owner-occupants and owner-landlords renting to base personnel.
Common projects in Air-Base-Era Ranch Belt (1950s-1970s):
1990s-2010s production-home build-out on the north and east edges; modern systems, builder-grade finishes aging out, frequently sold to inbound military buyers using VA financing.
Common projects in Newer Subdivisions (Silverstone, Morning View):
Blue Sage's one-acre custom-home lots and surrounding unincorporated rural parcels, many on private well and septic and permitted through Elmore County rather than the city.
Common projects in Blue Sage & Rural Acreage:
Every Mountain Home neighborhood has different housing stock, homeowner priorities, and project considerations. Here is what whole-home remodel looks like in each area:
Permit authority: City of Mountain Home Building Department (in city limits) or Elmore County Land Use and Building Department (unincorporated)
Here are the design trends we see most often in Mountain Home whole-home remodel projects:
Mountain Home's 2024 median home value was approximately $309,400 (Data USA), well below most of Ada County. The market is strongly influenced by Mountain Home Air Force Base: modest, fast-moving inventory, a large share of inbound military buyers using VA financing on relocation deadlines with appraisal condition review, and a substantial owner-landlord/investor segment serving base-driven rental demand. Schools are served by Mountain Home School District No. 193. This price band and buyer profile make competent, finished, defect-free remodels closer to a condition of sale than discretionary upgrades, and make durability-for-turnover the governing logic for rental work.
Avoid these common pitfalls Mountain Home homeowners encounter with whole-home remodel projects:
Better approach: In a pre-1980 Mountain Home whole-home remodel, repipe, electrical service upgrade, HVAC right-sizing, and a comprehensive envelope improvement are the load-bearing investments. Finishes over un-addressed systems is a value trap that strands the next expensive failure. Fund the bones first; build finishes on a house that performs.
Better approach: Partial galvanized repiping leaves corroded segments that fail next; partial abatement leaves disturbed hazards. On a comprehensive pre-1980 renovation, whole-house repipe and full, properly sequenced abatement are the only economical approach — the walls are open exactly once.
Better approach: After a whole-home insulation and air-sealing upgrade, the home's heating and cooling load drops. Installing the same-size system short-cycles and underperforms. Right-size the equipment to the renovated envelope and the high-desert load, with proper zoning.
Better approach: On well-and-septic properties common around Mountain Home, changing bedroom or bathroom count alters septic design load and triggers a Central District Health review and possible system upgrade. Confirm and price this before finalizing the renovated floor plan.
Better approach: Whole-home remodels of older Mountain Home stock routinely reveal subfloor damage, hidden galvanized runs, and structural conditions behind original finishes. Carry a realistic contingency and a diagnostic-first sequence rather than a fixed price that forces corner-cutting when reality appears.
In Mountain Home's 1950s-1970s ranch stock, the whole-home approach is usually the rational one because these homes carry every dated element at once — galvanized plumbing, undersized electrical, single-pane windows, minimal insulation, a closed kitchen, one bathroom, no primary suite. Remodeling one room leaves all the rest, and you end up re-opening walls repeatedly across a decade at higher total cost. Addressing systems, envelope, and layout comprehensively while walls are open is both more economical per dollar and the only way to actually resolve the house's obsolescence rather than relocate it.
Because an original mid-century envelope is the root cause of the home's poor comfort and high operating cost at 3,150 feet, where winters are genuinely cold, summers hot and dry, and daily swings exceed 30 degrees. Continuous insulation, rigorous air-sealing, and high-performance windows done whole-house while walls are open is dramatically cheaper than retrofitting later and pays back for the life of the home. We treat the envelope as the primary whole-home investment, with finishes built on top of a house that actually performs.
If the home was built before 1980 — most of the ranch belt and downtown core — yes, wherever those materials are present and will be disturbed. On a whole-home scale that means testing and licensed abatement throughout the structure, not in one room: flooring and mastic, joint compound, pipe wrap, and lead paint under EPA RRP rules. Idaho DEQ governs asbestos abatement. It is a substantial, sequenced-up-front scope item on a full pre-1980 renovation, and Iron Crest Remodel is EPA RRP certified and plans it before demolition rather than encountering it mid-project.
It depends on jurisdiction. Property inside city limits is permitted and inspected by the City of Mountain Home Building Department (with a zoning permit preceding the building permit); unincorporated Elmore County property by the Elmore County Land Use and Building Department, with Mountain Home-area inspections Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. A whole-home remodel involves a full multi-trade permit set, so coordinating it with the correct authority is foundational. We confirm jurisdiction first and manage the entire permit and inspection process.
In pre-1980 Mountain Home homes, almost always. Galvanized supply lines corrode internally and a partial repipe just strands the next failure; whole-house repipe to PEX or copper is standard whole-home scope here. Likewise, original panels and service in these homes cannot carry modern whole-house electrical loads, and the oldest downtown homes can still have knob-and-tube. Service upgrade and full knob-and-tube removal are foundational scope, not optional add-ons — doing the comprehensive remodel without them leaves the most expensive failures in place.
A typical whole-home remodel takes 3 to 6 months of active construction, depending on the size of the home and scope of work. Including planning, design, permitting, and material lead times, the total project timeline is usually 5 to 9 months from first meeting to final walkthrough.
It depends on the scope. Some projects can be phased so you live in one part of the home while another is under construction. Full gut renovations typically require temporary relocation for 2-4 months. We help plan the phasing strategy during the design phase.
Remodeling all at once is almost always more cost-effective. You save on mobilization costs, trade scheduling, and material purchases. Flooring, paint, and trim installed throughout the house in one project cost less per unit than the same work done in five separate projects over five years.
Yes. Most whole-home remodels involve structural, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical work that requires permits in Ada County and Canyon County. We manage all permit applications, inspections, and code compliance as part of our scope.
A well-executed whole-home remodel in the Boise market typically recoups 50-70% of its cost at resale, depending on the neighborhood, scope, and finish level. More importantly, it transforms your daily living experience and can add 15-25 years of usable life to an aging home.
We develop a whole-home design package before construction begins — selecting flooring, trim profiles, door hardware, paint colors, lighting fixtures, and plumbing finishes that work together across every room. This ensures a cohesive result rather than a collection of disconnected renovations.
A comprehensive whole-home remodel typically includes flooring throughout, kitchen renovation, bathroom renovations, paint and trim, lighting and electrical updates, plumbing updates, HVAC improvements, and any layout or structural changes. The exact scope is customized to your goals and budget.
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