Full plans, real permits
Every renovation we take on is run with a full architectural plan set, structural engineering where needed, permits pulled, and inspections completed. No "this is just a remodel" shortcuts.
Whole-Home Renovation Contractor in Weatherford, TX
Most of our renovation clients have been through a contractor-grade remodel once and never want to do it again. We run renovations with plans, permits, schedules, and warranties — same as a new build.
Typical ScopeWhole-home renovations & major additions on existing homes
Typical Range$400–$700+ per affected square foot
Owner-OperatedDan Schlaak on every job site, weekly walk-through.
Warranty1-yr workmanship · 2-yr systems · 10-yr structural · in writing.
What it is
Renovation work that is treated like new construction.
A new home starts with an empty lot and a clean plan. A renovation starts with thirty years of someone else’s decisions hidden inside the walls — some good, most fine, a few outright dangerous — and the job is to fix what is broken, keep what works, and integrate the new without breaking the old. It takes more skill, not less, than a new build. Most of the contractors who treat renovations as the entry-level work get it wrong, and the homeowner pays the price for ten years.
Because that is the only way to do them right. Every Open Prairie renovation runs with:
Most of our renovation work is whole-home renovations and major additions — projects where a family loves the location, the lot, the schools, and the bones of the house but the layout, the finishes, or the systems have outlived their usefulness. We are not interested in cosmetic remodels — there are plenty of contractors better suited to that than us. The renovations we take are the ones where, by the end, the house is functionally a new build.
- A full architectural set of plans, drawn before demolition starts
- Structural engineering where loads, walls, or roofs are changing
- Permits pulled and inspections completed at every milestone
- Daily site oversight from Dan
How we do it
What this looks like in practice
Honest about what is in the walls
We open the walls early and tell you what we find. If the wiring is dangerous, the plumbing is dying, or the framing was never right — you hear it from us before the new finish goes up.
Schedule you can trust
Renovations run longer than new builds per square foot, and we are honest about that up front. Our schedules are conservative on purpose. Most clients are surprised when we hit them.
Same warranty as new construction
One-year workmanship and ten-year structural on every renovation we touch, the same as a new build. The work we did is warrantied. The work we did not touch is, of course, not.
Scope of Work
What's included & what's not
What's Included
- On-site discovery walk and transparent scoping conversation
- Architectural design coordination, plans, and county filings
- All structural engineering, permits, and inspections
- Site work, utilities, and finished landscaping coordination
- Open-book budget with weekly cost-to-complete reporting
- Owner-led weekly walk-throughs by Dan Schlaak
- 10-year structural · 2-year systems · 1-year workmanship warranty in writing
Handled by Others
- Furniture, art, and decorative styling
- Smart-home / AV programming (we rough-in conduit & power)
- Pool, spa, or specialty outdoor structures (coordinated through trusted vendors)
- Land purchase or surveying (we will refer you to a trusted partner)
Open Prairie did exactly what they said they would do, on the timeline they said they would do it on, for the budget they quoted at the start. After thirty years building, that is the rarest combination in custom construction.
T. & M. ReynoldsAledo, TX · Verified Google Review
A renovation done correctly is harder than a new build.
A new home starts with an empty lot and a clean plan. A renovation starts with thirty years of someone else’s decisions hidden inside the walls — some good, most fine, a few outright dangerous — and the job is to fix what is broken, keep what works, and integrate the new without breaking the old. It takes more skill, not less, than a new build. Most of the contractors who treat renovations as the entry-level work get it wrong, and the homeowner pays the price for ten years.
Why we approach renovations like new construction
Because that is the only way to do them right. Every Open Prairie renovation runs with:
- A full architectural set of plans, drawn before demolition starts
- Structural engineering where loads, walls, or roofs are changing
- Permits pulled and inspections completed at every milestone
- Daily site oversight from Dan
- A real construction schedule with honest float built in
- The same one-year workmanship and ten-year structural warranty we put on a new home
What we take on
Most of our renovation work is whole-home renovations and major additions — projects where a family loves the location, the lot, the schools, and the bones of the house but the layout, the finishes, or the systems have outlived their usefulness. We are not interested in cosmetic remodels — there are plenty of contractors better suited to that than us. The renovations we take are the ones where, by the end, the house is functionally a new build.
Where we work
Across Weatherford, Aledo, Colleyville, Keller, Southlake, Plano, and the established estate neighborhoods of Fort Worth. We are particularly experienced with mid-century and 1990s estate homes that have great bones but dated layouts.
What it costs
A whole-home renovation typically runs $400–$700+ per affected square foot, depending on finish level, system replacements (HVAC, electrical, plumbing), and structural work. We will give you a transparent number after a walk-through and an inspection — never an allowance-game lowball that balloons later.
Talk to Dan about Whole-Home Renovations
Ready to scope your project?
Tell Dan a little about your land and what you're picturing. He'll give you straight answers - no sales rep, no pressure.
Owner-operated Free consultation Replies within 1 business day
Our Process
How a Project Comes Together
Five stages, each with a defined deliverable, a fixed payment, and a written sign-off before we move to the next.
01
Consult & Site Walk
We meet on your land, listen to how you want to live, and walk the buildable envelope, drainage, sun line, and access. Free, no commitment, no follow-up pressure.
02
Design & Engineering
Architect, structural engineer, and Dan working from the same table. Plans, elevations, and an honest cost range tied to your specific lot.
03
Selections & Allowances
Real numbers for real materials. We hand you a binder of selections with locked-in pricing so allowances are not a surprise nine months in.
04
Build
Dan on the job site weekly with the trade leads. Open-book accounting, transparent change orders, and weekly walk-throughs with you.
05
Deliver & Stand Behind
Punch-list-clean closing, all permits closed, full warranty package in your hand. We answer the phone for the life of the home.
Let's Build the Home of Your Dreams
Quality. Craftsmanship. Trust.
Three words that have defined Open Prairie Custom Homes for over thirty years, and the only three you need to look for when choosing the builder for your forever home.