⸻INTERIOR REMODEL PROJECT · DALLAS
North Dallas Interior Remodel
A 1970s home, fully reimagined from the inside out.
When a burst pipe forced the issue, this Dallas homeowner turned a difficult situation into the renovation they'd always planned. The result is a completely transformed kitchen, primary suite, and laundry room brighter, more functional, and built to last another 50 years.
| PROJECT - Interior Renovation | |
|---|---|
| Investment (2026 Estimate) | $575K-$625K |
| Duration | 16 Weeks |
| Completion | September of 2023 |
| Awards | 2025 NARI CotY |
| Spaces Transformed | Kitchen, Primary Suite, Laundry |
| Kitchen | 376 sqft |
| Primary Bath | 158 sqft |
| Interior Renovation Total | 3057 sqft |
Kitchen & Living Area Interior Renovation
2025 NARI CotY Winner — Interior Over $250,000 to $500,000
⸻ THE CHALLENGE
A 1970s layout that had outlived its usefulness.
When a winter storm burst a pipe, our clients saw an opportunity. The kitchen had long been offset from the breakfast room with a right angle countertop that served little purpose. The primary bathroom was compartmentalized small closets, an underutilized office niche, and a dated layout that made poor use of the natural light available from a large window.
The laundry room, while functional, lacked the storage and polish expected of a home where the space doubled as a serving area for dinner parties. All of the original 1970s millwork, dark countertops, and backsplashes were ready to go.
The goal was a brighter, more connected home one that worked as well for entertaining as it did for everyday living.
01
KITCHEN EXPANSION & REDESIGN
The kitchen gained space by absorbing the adjacent dining room. The cooktop wall was moved 30 inches, improving workflow and creating a better connection to the breakfast area. New custom millwork integrated with salvaged Wood Mode cabinetry for a seamless result.
02
PRIMARY SUITE TRANSFORMATION
The primary bathroom was relocated into an unused office space off the bedroom gaining a spacious layout with better natural light, a walk-in shower, freestanding soaking tub, and heated floors. The old vanity area was redesigned into a large walk-in closet.
03
LAUNDRY ROOM UPGRADE
Redesigned with additional cabinet storage and a custom countertop over the washer and dryer with pocketing cabinet doors that conceal the appliances entirely when the room serves as a serving area for entertaining.
04
STRUCTURAL & FRAMING WORK
Wall modifications to accommodate the expanded kitchen layout and bathroom relocation, including window modification, new door units, and all structural work required to open the kitchen to the breakfast area.
05
FINISHES THROUGHOUT
Complete refinishing of all impacted areas Taj Mahal quartzite countertops in the kitchen, Athos marble in the primary bath, Thassos basketweave tile floors, Alaskan Pearl & Mother of Pearl mosaic backsplash, wood floors, and full painting.
06
MECHANICAL SYSTEMS
Full plumbing scope for kitchen and primary bath including Grundfos Comfort System, electrical panel relocation, updated HVAC, recessed LED lighting throughout, and upgraded LED tape under-cabinet lighting replacing old fluorescent fixtures.
⸻ FUNCTIONAL ENHANCEMENTS
Every decision improved how the home works.
Kitchen
Layout redesigned for real cooking and entertaining
The original kitchen had a right angle countertop connecting to the breakfast room that served little functional purpose. By moving the cooktop wall 30 inches and closing the opening into what became an office, we created more counter space, better workflow, and a natural open connection to the breakfast area. The result is a kitchen that actually works for the way this family lives.
Primary Bath
Relocated into unused space maximizing light and function
Moving the primary bathroom into an adjacent unused office allowed for a completely new layout that captured a large window for natural light. The cramped closet configuration was replaced with a single, properly sized walk in closet. Heated floors were added for comfort. The space went from an afterthought to a destination.
Laundry Room
A utility room that doubles as a serving space.
The homeowners regularly used the laundry room as a staging area during dinner parties. We fabricated a custom cabinet with pocketing doors similar to a TV cabinet that fully conceals the washer and dryer when not in use. A countertop over the appliances added useful surface area. The room now works just as hard for entertaining as it does for laundry.
Lighting
Recessed LEDs and upgraded task lighting throughout
The original fluorescent under cabinet fixtures were replaced with LED tape lighting, dramatically improving task lighting quality at the countertops. Recessed LED lighting was added throughout and existing fixtures reorganized for better general illumination all while staying integrated with the new millwork aesthetic.
⸻ Project Gallery
The finished spaces.
⸻ MATERIALS & FINISHES
A lighter, brighter palette chosen for longevity.
After years of living with stained wood cabinetry, dark granite countertops, and 1970s era styling, our clients chose a complete aesthetic reset toward lighter, cleaner finishes. The goal was a home that felt bright and open not trendy, but timeless.
Taj Mahal quartzite was selected for the kitchen and breakfast countertops for its soft white background, wispy veining, and subtle warm coloration. The backsplash responds to it with Alaskan Pearl Thassos and Mother of Pearl mosaic tile materials that are in natural conversation with each other rather than competing.
In the primary bath, Athos marble in the shower and countertop provides a clean, sophisticated look with subtle patterned texture. The floor tile White Thassos Basketweave with Blue Celeste Dot introduces a rhythmic pattern of contrasting color that grounds the space without fighting the stone above it.
| Finish Schedule | |
|---|---|
| Backsplash | Alaskan Pearl Thassos & Mother of Pearl Mosaic |
| Bath Counters & Shower | 2cm Athos Marble — Vanity, Shower Walls & Threshold |
| Bath Floor | White Thassos Basketweave with Blue Celeste Dot |
| Heated Floors | Primary Bathroom & Toilet Room |
| Cabinet Glass | Custom glass doors & shelves — Breakfast Bar Back Bar |
| Wood Floors | Refinished existing hardwood throughout |
| Paint | Sherwin-Williams — Multi-step millwork finish process |
| Kitchen Counters | 3cm Taj Mahal Quartzite, Leathered — Kitchen & Breakfast |
⸻ SUPERIOR CRAFTMANSHIP
The details that separate good from exceptional.
01
Seamless Old & New Cabinetry
The homeowners wanted to preserve their original Wood mode lower kitchen cabinets but needed new units to complete the expanded layout. We inventoried every existing cabinet, took precise measurements, and worked with our millworker to fabricate new pieces that matched the original profile exactly including the distinctive door style and proportions. The result is indistinguishable from the original.
02
Custom Baseboard Recreation
The original baseboard was custom milled not available off the shelf and much of it was damaged by the water loss and the new floor plan. Rather than substitute a different profile, we developed an exact match in our millworker's shop and reproduced it throughout. The continuity of this detail is what makes the renovation feel like it was always there.
03
Matched Stone Veining
The Taj Mahal quartzite kitchen countertops and Athos marble shower slabs required careful attention at every joint and outside mitered corner. We selected and laid the slabs to match veining as closely as possible across seams including the notoriously difficult shower threshold mitered corners. The countertop joints at the kitchen are virtually invisible.
04
Bathroom Symmetry & Integration
The primary bath vanity required exact centering of downlights over each sink, precise placement of the window centered over the freestanding tub, and equal millwork wall panels flanking the window on both sides. The electrical switching panel was centered within the millwork panel a detail most would have placed wherever was convenient.
05
Multi-Step Millwork Finish
All millwork was painted using a multi-step process to achieve a uniform sheen and glass-smooth finish throughout. This level of preparation filling, priming, sanding between coats takes significantly more time than standard painting but produces the clean, furniture quality result that high end cabinetry demands. The light reflection through these spaces is a direct result of this process.
06
Panelized Bay Window & Bathroom Walls
The drab kitchen bay window was panelized with millwork to bring it into visual harmony with the surrounding cabinetry. In the primary bath, all walls were panelized and integrated with the cabinet design for a cohesive, built-in look. The frameless shower enclosure was specified specifically to avoid visually interrupting the Athos marble letting the stone speak for itself.
⸻ PROBLEM SOLVING
Three challenges that required creative solutions.
01
INTEGRATING OLD & NEW CABINETRY
The homeowners loved their original Wood Mode kitchen cabinets and wanted to keep the lower units but the expanded layout required new pieces. We did a full cabinet inventory, took precise measurements, and had our millworker fabricate custom components to match the original profile exactly. The old and new cabinets are indistinguishable in the finished kitchen.
02
ELECTRICAL PANEL IN A POCKET DOOR WALL
The electrical panel needed to be relocated 4 feet in the laundry room but the only viable wall contained a pocket door, making it impossible to run conduit down the wall cavity. Our solution we mounted the panel box on the outside of the pocket door frame, then constructed a custom paint grade plywood cabinet around it. It looks completely built in.
03
A LAUNDRY ROOM THAT HIDES ITSELF
The laundry room is regularly used as a staging area for dinner parties the homeowners wanted the appliances completely hidden from view when entertaining. We fabricated a custom cabinet with full width pocketing doors (like a TV armoire) that slides completely out of sight when closed. Function for both contexts, with no visual compromise in either one.
⸻ PROJECT INVESTMENT
A complete interior transformation projects like this typically range $575k–$625k today.
This project touched every major system in the affected areas structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and all finishes. The scope included full framing modifications, a complete electrical panel relocation, new HVAC work, all new plumbing for the kitchen and primary bath, and high end finish materials throughout.
Beyond the materials, what you're investing in is the knowledge to sequence a project like this correctly knowing which walls can move, how to route new mechanical around existing constraints, and how to deliver an occupied home renovation without making the family's daily life unmanageable.
Traver Construction has been managing projects at this level in occupied Dallas homes for over 35 years.
| PROJECT - Interior Renovation | |
|---|---|
| DEMOLITION | $9k–$11k |
| DRYWALL & FINISH | $29k–$34k |
| TILEWORK | $43k–$52k |
| WOOD FLOORS | $35k–$42k |
| MILLWORK | $57k–$68k |
| FINISH CARPENTRY | $27k–$32k |
| PAINTING | $69k–$80k |
| COUNTERTOPS | $43k–$52k |
| PLUMBING + HVAC + ELECTRICAL | $100k–$118k |
| FRAMING, DOORS & WINDOWS | $40k–$48k |
| GENERAL CONDITIONS | $87k–$100k |
| TYPICAL TOTAL INVESTMENT TODAY | $575k–$625k |
|---|
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How much does an Interior remodel of this scale cost in Dallas?
A Kitchen remodel of this scale would cost $575k-$625k
How long did the kitchen remodel take?
A kitchen remodel of this size typically would take 12-16 weeks.
What made this project win NARI CotY awards?
Traver Construction earned the NARI Contractor of the Year award through exceptional craftsmanship and creative problem-solving — tackling complex structural challenges, precision stonework, and custom detailing to fit the clients needs.
