Certified Home Remodeling Contractors in McKinney, TX
Which McKinney house are you remodeling?
| Built | Share of McKinney homes (Census ACS 2020–2024) |
|---|---|
| 2010 or later | About 40% |
| 2000–2009 | About 33% |
| 1980–1999 | About 19% |
| 1950–1979 | About 6% |
| Before 1950 | About 2% |
Path 1: Remodeling a historic McKinney property
If your home is in one of McKinney’s historic districts, or is listed as a designated or contributing historic property, the city’s historic preservation rules shape what you can change. The city maintains a Historic Resource Inventory Survey that lists these properties. Check it, or ask the Historic Preservation Office, before planning.
Exterior changes need review. The City of McKinney states that “All proposed changes to the exterior of your property require consideration by the Historic Preservation Office,” with examples including replacing windows, siding and exterior doors; removing historic trim or masonry; and adding or removing shutters, porches, railings, chimneys and fencing. For properties in the historic districts, a Certificate of Appropriateness is required before a permit can be issued (City of McKinney, Historic Preservation FAQ).
Interior work is not monitored by the preservation office. In the city’s words, “The Historic Preservation Office does not monitor interior changes or alterations, but encourages property owners to maintain interior historic features.” Interior remodeling still needs the normal building, plumbing and electrical permits.
Ordinary maintenance is usually fine. Painting, repairs and replacing materials in kind (wood siding with matching wood siding, for example) typically need no permission. The city recommends confirming with the Historic Preservation Office first that your plans count as maintenance.
What this means for a whole-home remodel:
- Plan interior changes (kitchen, bathrooms, layout) separately from exterior changes.
- Build the Certificate of Appropriateness review into the schedule for any window, door, siding or porch work.
- Keep and protect original interior features where you can, as the city encourages.
- Expect older systems behind the walls: a house that old has usually seen several generations of electrical and plumbing work.
The city’s Historic Preservation page has the application packet and contacts.
What is different inside a pre-1950 house
Historic and older homes reward careful remodeling, but they hold surprises that newer houses do not. Plan for these possibilities. Every house is different, and they are confirmed only once walls are open:
- Plaster walls. Many older houses have plaster over wood lath rather than drywall. Plaster is dusty to remove and heavy. Patching it to match takes skill, and some owners keep original plaster in rooms that are not being reworked.
- Older wiring and plumbing. A house this old has usually been updated piece by piece. Expect a mix of systems from different decades, and budget to bring anything you open up to current standards.
- Pier-and-beam foundations. Many older houses sit on piers with a crawl space rather than a slab. That affects floor leveling, how plumbing is run, and how new flooring is installed. Our McKinney hardwood page explains squeaks, bounce and crawl-space moisture.
- Lead-based paint. In homes built before 1978, contractors disturbing painted surfaces must follow the EPA’s lead-safe work rules. Our Richardson bathroom page explains the requirement.
- Little or no insulation in exterior walls, and older windows. Insulating opened walls is an easy win. Window changes are exterior changes that go through historic review.
- Out-of-square rooms and settled floors. New cabinets, doors and flooring are fitted to the house as it is.
Preparing for historic review
If any part of the remodel changes the exterior of a property in a historic district, plan the review into the schedule before anything is ordered:
- Talk to the Historic Preservation Office early to confirm the property’s status and what needs review.
- Prepare clear information: photos of the existing exterior, drawings of the proposed change, and the specific materials (for example, the window type and profile).
- Wait for the Certificate of Appropriateness before applying for the building permit for that work, since the city requires the certificate first in the historic districts.
- Then order windows, doors and exterior materials.
Interior-only remodels skip this step, though normal building, plumbing and electrical permits still apply.
A city tax incentive for historic homes
McKinney’s Historic Neighborhood Improvement Zone (HNIZ) program, established in 2008, encourages owners to maintain and rehabilitate historic residential properties. It has a three-tiered incentive structure; at the Rehabilitation Level, an eligible property receives a 50% exemption from city property taxes for ten years (City of McKinney, HNIZ program record). Eligibility, the qualifying work and the application timing are set by the city. If you own a historic McKinney home, ask the Historic Preservation Office about the program before you start the work.
Path 2: Updating a newer McKinney home
The order a whole-home remodel follows
- Plan and permit: layout, structure, systems and finishes decided; permits filed (and, for historic properties, exterior review completed).
- Protect and demolish: the parts of the house staying in use are sealed off; demolition exposes what is behind the walls.
- Structural work: beams for removed walls, new openings, framing changes.
- Rough-in: plumbing, electrical, and heating and cooling run to their new locations.
- Rough-in inspections, before anything is covered.
- Insulation and drywall.
- Cabinets, then countertops (templated after the cabinets are set), then tile.
- Flooring, coordinated with cabinets and trim.
- Paint, trim, doors and fixtures.
- Final inspections and walkthrough.
We pull the required permits and coordinate inspections at each stage.
What drives the cost on each path
| Historic or older home | Newer home |
|---|---|
| What is found behind plaster and floors | How many rooms change, and whether layouts move |
| Bringing old wiring and plumbing up to current standards | Structural work for opened walls |
| Lead-safe work practices (pre-1978) | Cabinets, countertops and finish level |
| Matching original trim, doors or floors | Flooring area across the main level and stairs |
| Exterior work that needs historic review | HOA requirements, where they apply |
| Foundation and floor leveling on pier-and-beam | Lighting and electrical upgrades |
Who does the work
- Certified General Contractor
- In-house design and construction team
- $1 million in insurance coverage
- NKBA affiliation
- 500+ flooring and remodeling projects completed under Sami’s leadership
- Six-time Best of Plano award winner (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2023)
- 0% financing available for qualified homeowners
Compare materials at our showroom, 2830 W. 15th St., Suite 1, Plano (Mon–Fri 11–5, Sat 11–4), and see finished projects in our gallery.
Home remodeling questions from McKinney homeowners
Do I need city approval to remodel a historic home in McKinney?
For exterior changes, yes: the Historic Preservation Office reviews them, and properties in the historic districts need a Certificate of Appropriateness before a permit is issued. The preservation office does not monitor interior changes, though normal permits still apply.
Can I replace the windows on a historic house?
Replacing windows is one of the exterior changes the city lists as subject to review. Talk to the Historic Preservation Office before ordering anything.
How do I find out if my house is a historic property?
The city maintains a Historic Resource Inventory Survey of designated and contributing properties. Contact the Historic Preservation Office to confirm your property’s status.
Is there a tax incentive for remodeling a historic McKinney home?
The city’s Historic Neighborhood Improvement Zone program offers city property tax exemptions to eligible historic residential properties; the Rehabilitation Level is a 50% exemption for ten years. Ask the Historic Preservation Office about eligibility before starting work.
Is there a tax incentive for remodeling a historic McKinney home?
The city’s Historic Neighborhood Improvement Zone program offers city property tax exemptions to eligible historic residential properties; the Rehabilitation Level is a 50% exemption for ten years. Ask the Historic Preservation Office about eligibility before starting work.
Can we stay in the house during a whole-home remodel?
Often, if the work is phased so a bathroom and some kitchen function stay available. The phasing should be agreed before work starts.
How long does a whole-home remodel take?
It depends on the scope, structural work, inspections, material lead times and, for historic properties, exterior review. You receive a schedule with your written estimate.