Apartment Renovation Golden, CO
Our apartment renovation work helps landlords and condo owners turn tired units into places people want to rent and stay in. We handle unit turns, kitchen and bath updates and full gut renovations with tough, easy to clean finishes.
- Free, written estimates
- We pull the permits and handle inspections
- Answering calls 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
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Apartment Renovation
Landlords usually call us about apartment renovation when a unit stops paying its way.
It sits empty longer between tenants. The showings go fine until people see the kitchen. The carpet has been cleaned so many times it is thin, and every move out costs another round of patching, paint and repairs.
A smart renovation fixes that. We focus on what renters notice and what holds up to years of move ins and move outs. That means hard flooring instead of carpet, durable counters, good lighting and fixtures you can find parts for.
We also work on condos and small multi unit buildings, from one unit at a time to a whole floor between leases.
Rental work is one part of what we do as a remodeler, along with kitchens, bathrooms and basements.
Below you will find what a unit renovation costs, which upgrades pay off, the state rules that affect timing and what to know about older buildings.
What a Unit Renovation Costs
The scope of an apartment renovation sets the cost far more than the number of rooms.
National guides put a studio apartment renovation at about $25,000 to $50,000, or about $100 to $300 per square foot. A basic refresh with paint, new flooring and updated fixtures often runs about $100 to $150 per square foot.
Mid range work with semi custom cabinets, new tile and appliances often runs about $150 to $250 per square foot. A full gut with custom work runs $250 or more.
The kitchen and bathroom drive most of the budget. A budget apartment kitchen often costs about $7,000 to $12,000, and a basic bathroom refresh about $10,000 to $15,000. Holding back a contingency of about 20 percent is smart on rentals, where years of small leaks often hide under the floors.
Upgrades That Pay Off
The best apartment renovation dollars go where renters look and where wear happens.
Floors come first. In one national remodeling report, refinishing hardwood floors returned about 147 percent of its cost, and new wood floors about 118 percent. Where there is no wood to refinish, luxury vinyl plank stands up to pets and moving dollies.
Kitchens and bathrooms come next. Updated kitchens, updated baths and in unit laundry are the upgrades most often tied to higher rents, which landlords often see rise by 10 to 20 percent after a good apartment renovation.
Small changes add up too. Fresh paint, new light fixtures, cabinet hardware and new faucets cost little and make a unit show much better.
State Rules That Affect Timing
Colorado updated its rental laws in 2024, and two of them shape how apartment renovation gets scheduled.
The first is for cause eviction. Landlords can now decline to renew a lease only for listed reasons, and substantial repairs or renovation is one of them. For work expected to last under 180 days, the landlord must give written notice with an expected finish date. If the tenant asks within 10 days, they get the first right to sign a new lease when the work is done.
The second is the warranty of habitability. Problems like mold tied to dampness, or no running water, heat, plumbing or lighting, must be fixed on tight deadlines. Life and safety issues must be addressed within 24 hours, and stopping work before the fix is complete can count as a breach.
We schedule around both. That often means doing the big work between leases and handling urgent repairs fast so a unit never falls out of compliance. For legal questions about notices, check with your attorney.
Older Buildings and Lead Paint
Many older rental buildings went up before 1978, and that changes how an apartment renovation is done.
Homes and apartments built before 1978 may have lead based paint. Federal rules require contractors working in those units to be lead safe certified and follow lead safe work practices. Unlike owner occupied homes, rentals do not get the homeowner exemption.
Older buildings also tend to have galvanized pipes, two prong outlets, thin insulation and small electrical panels. We find those early and price the fixes before the walls close back up.
Permits for an apartment renovation follow the same rules as any home. Moving plumbing, adding circuits, changing walls and full remodels need a permit, while swapping cabinets, counters, flooring and fixtures in place usually does not.
What Homeowners Say
"We had a great experience with Arco Remodeling & Basement Finishing for our kitchen remodeling project. Chad did a fantastic job helping us bring our vision to life, and the finished kitchen turned out even better than we expected. The attention to detail, quality of the work, and overall professionalism really stood out."Reid, Google Review
Apartment Renovation Questions
These are the questions we hear most before we start on a rental.
What is the 30% rule for renovations?
The 30% rule says not to spend more than about 30 percent of a property's value on a single renovation. For a rental, it is a quick check that the work will not cost more than the higher rent and value can pay back. Many owners also set aside 10 to 20 percent for surprises.
Is it worth renovating an apartment?
Often, yes. Renovated units can rent for about 10 to 20 percent more and tend to sit empty less. Some upgrades pay back more than others. In one national report, refinishing hardwood floors returned about 147 percent of its cost, while full kitchen and bathroom remodels returned about 70 to 75 percent.
How much does it cost to remodel an apartment?
National guides put a studio apartment renovation at about $25,000 to $50,000, or about $100 to $300 per square foot. A basic refresh with paint, floors and fixtures sits at the low end. New cabinets, tile and appliances land in the middle, and a full gut costs $250 or more per square foot.
What renovations can you do in an apartment?
Owners can do almost anything with the right permits, from new floors and paint to moving walls and plumbing. Condo owners usually need HOA approval first. Renters should get written permission from the landlord before changing anything, even paint or light fixtures.
Ready to Renovate Your Units?
Tell us how many units you have and what they need, and we will call you back to set up a free walkthrough. You get a written estimate before any work starts.
(720) 909-3011Serving Golden, Lakewood, Arvada, Wheat Ridge, Edgewater, Morrison, Applewood, West Pleasant View and Fairmount.
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