Remodeling a Split-Level Home in Colorado: What Works in 2026
Drive through Front Range neighborhoods built from the 1970s through the 1990s, from Briargate and Gleneagle to Centennial, Littleton and Ken Caryl, and you will see split-level and bi-level homes on every street. They offer solid bones, generous square footage and a price point that still makes sense, but the layouts feel dated: compartmentalized rooms, kitchens walled off from the living space and finishes that have not been touched in decades. The good news is that split-levels respond to remodeling better than almost any other housing style, and everything worth doing happens within the existing footprint. Here is what we change most in a split-level remodel, what it typically costs in 2026 and what to expect.
Why split-levels respond so well to a remodel
The split-level's biggest weakness is also its biggest opportunity. Because the main level is usually chopped into a small kitchen, a separate dining room and a walled-off living room, opening even one wall transforms how the whole floor lives. The short stacked staircases that define the style bring natural light deep into the home once sightlines open up, and the half-buried lower level, often a garden level with real windows, is some of the most usable bonus space in any housing style. Updated split-levels stand out with buyers precisely because so few of them have been touched.
The changes that matter most
The kitchen wall almost always comes first. Most split-level kitchens are separated from the dining and living areas by a load-bearing wall, and opening it with a properly engineered beam creates the connected main level these homes never had.
From there the most requested work includes a full kitchen remodel, new stair railings where wrought iron is a popular upgrade, updated flooring run consistently across the main level, a refreshed primary bath as part of the larger project and finishing the lower level into a family room, guest bedroom or home office. Lighting deserves special attention because split-levels tend to have lower ceilings, so we lean on recessed fixtures and layered lighting to make the main level feel taller and brighter.
Typical 2026 cost ranges
Every remodel is different, and the actual cost for your project depends on the scope, finish level, material selections, structural conditions and the specific home. The ranges below reflect what we typically see for Colorado whole-home split-level projects in 2026. They are meant to help you set expectations for budgeting, not as a quote. We share a fixed-bid number for your specific scope after the consultation.
A cosmetic whole-home refresh (new finishes, paint, flooring, lighting and counters throughout) typically falls in the $150K to $250K range for a 2,500 to 3,500 square foot home. Specifics for your home will vary.
A mid-range whole-home remodel (kitchen and bath remodels, some layout changes and consistent finishes throughout) typically falls in the $200K to $450K range for projects of this scope.
A full custom remodel (structural changes within the existing footprint, custom cabinetry and top-tier finishes) typically falls in the $350K to $700K+ range. Many split-level owners also start smaller, with a main-level and kitchen scope, and we price that against your specific plans at the consultation.
We don't price by formula or per-square-foot. Every Alpine project is fixed-bid against your specific scope, written down before work starts. The ranges above are for orientation; the number for your project comes from the consultation.
What drives the spread
Structural openings are the biggest swing factor, since a single engineered beam is a very different project from reworking several load-bearing walls. Finish level moves the number as much as scope does, and whether the lower level gets finished, and to what standard, can shift the total meaningfully. Timeline follows the same logic: cosmetic whole-home work typically runs four to six months, mid-range projects five to eight months and full custom remodels seven to twelve months or more, driven mostly by fabrication lead times and the sequencing of trades.
Frequently asked questions
Is it worth remodeling a split-level home?
Usually yes. Split-levels tend to sell below newer layouts in the same neighborhoods, so keeping one and remodeling it gets you a modern open main level for far less than moving into a newer home of the same size.
Can you open up the main level of a split-level?
In most cases yes. The wall between the kitchen and living areas is usually load-bearing, and we open it with a properly sized beam, engineered and permitted, all within the existing footprint.
Can you finish the lower level of a split-level?
Yes, and it is one of the best-value moves in the whole project. Garden-level and basement-level spaces finish the same way a full basement does, with the note that any new bedroom needs a conforming egress window.
Do split-level remodels need permits?
Yes. Structural, electrical, plumbing and mechanical work all require permits and inspections, and we pull every permit as part of the project whether the home is in El Paso County, Douglas County or surrounding municipalities in the Denver suburbs.
Schedule a free consultation
If you own a split-level anywhere along the Front Range and wonder what it could become, we would be glad to walk it with you and lay out a plan, by phase or all at once. Call our Colorado Springs office at (719) 574-9676 or our Lone Tree office at (720) 835-2105 or reach out online for a free in-home consultation. Alpine Contracting provides interior remodeling services for homeowners in Colorado Springs, Monument, Woodland Park and the Southern Denver suburbs including Littleton, Highlands Ranch, Parker and Castle Rock.
***The ranges reflect what we typically see in the area(s) mentioned in 2026 — they’re meant to help you set a rough guide for budgeting, this is not to be used as a quote. We share a fixed-bid number for your specific scope after the consultation.
