Home Remodeling Contractor in Pasadena
Dacotah Studio is a designer-led home renovation company serving Pasadena and Northeast Los Angeles.
We plan, design, and build full home remodels, whole home renovations, and luxury residential remodels from first conversation to final walkthrough.
★★★★★ 5.0 Google/Houzz Reviews
As Featured In
The typical home remodeling experience looks like this:
If you’re planning a house renovation or full home renovation, the typical process can feel fragmented.
You hire an architect, then start comparing remodeling companies, and then try to find a contractor who can actually build the plans on budget.
It doesn’t have to work this way.
Many homeowners come to us after searching for a local home remodeling contractor and realise they need more than a general contractor; they need an integrated team.
A home remodeling studio where design leads. From the first design conversation to the final walkthrough.
Dacotah Studio is a designer-led architecture design-build firm and residential remodel contractor in Pasadena. We specialize in thoughtful home remodels, whole home renovations, and luxury home remodel projects where design, construction, and project leadership need to stay connected from the start.
Why Choose Dacotah Studio
Design-Led
Your home is designed before it's priced. Not the other way around.
Personally Led
Your project is led by our dedicated team with direct oversight from our founders Shawn and Christina.
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Fully Integrated
Architecture, interior design, permitting, and construction. Clarity, consistency, and accountability at every stage.
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from design to buildStart with a planning conversation. Leave with clarity.
Before any design work or costs are discussed, we begin with a focused 30-minute conversation about your home remodel, house remodel, or complete home renovation.
Whether you’re considering a residential remodel, full home remodel, or whole house renovation, we’ll help you understand what the scope is likely to require.
30 minutes with Shawn. Currently booking [May 2026] projects.
Here’s what you’ll get after your free conversation with us:
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Not every project is a good fit for our design-build approach. We'll tell you honestly - and if we're not the right match, we'll point you in the right direction.
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Not a guess. Not a "it depends." A grounded estimate based on the type of home, the scope of work, and what we've seen across similar projects in your neighborhood.
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When could design start? How long does permitting take in your city? When would you realistically move back in? We'll walk through the phases, so you're not operating on hope.
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We'll map out the full process for you, the sequence, the decision points, and exactly where we handle the heavy lifting so you can focus on the choices that matter to you.
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You'll be working closely with us for 8–14 months. This conversation is a chance for both sides to see if the fit feels right.
TESTIMONIALSWhat Our Clients Say
Meet the Team
Shawn and Christina are a husband-and-wife team who've spent over a decade building Dacotah Studio together
As home renovation specialists in Pasadena, Dacotah Studio brings together design direction, construction planning, and residential general contractor expertise under one roof. For homeowners comparing home renovation contractors or remodeling contractors, our difference is simple: the people shaping the design are also responsible for how it gets built.
We serve clients planning home renovation in Los Angeles, home remodels in Pasadena, and design-led residential remodels throughout Northeast LA.
Questions we hear most
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Our fee structure is tiered and based on the project scope and budget. Smaller jobs (from $100k-$250k) are 12-13% of overall budget. Medium and larger jobs ($300k-$1.5M) are 10-12% of the overall budget.
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Projects can range from 4 months to 1.5 years, based on the scope of work and city involvement needed.
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When design and build are separate teams, you become the project manager - mediating between firms with different priorities, timelines, and budgets. In our integrated model, the people who design your home also build it. One team, one line of accountability, one vision carried through from concept to completion.
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The best time to reach out is before decisions are locked in. The earlier we can engage, the more effectively we can guide planning, scope, and priorities through design - before pricing and permits constrain your options. Early is exactly right.
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We're based in Pasadena and serve Northeast Los Angeles and surrounding areas - including Eagle Rock, Highland Park, Silver Lake, Glendale, South Pasadena, La Cañada Flintridge, Altadena, Arcadia, and more. We live and work in these neighborhoods. We know the homes, the agencies, and the permitting landscape.
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We’re best suited for homeowners planning a whole home remodel, full home renovation, complete home renovation, or luxury home remodel. We are not typically the right fit for single-room updates or isolated cosmetic fixes.
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Both. Dacotah Studio is a designer-led home remodeling contractor and home renovation company. Our integrated team handles design, planning, permitting, and construction so your project is not passed between disconnected teams.
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If you’re comparing home remodel companies, look for a team that can explain budget, timeline, permitting, design decisions, and construction responsibility clearly before work begins.
from design to buildStart with design.
The best projects begin with a conversation before anything is priced, permitted, or promised. If you're considering a renovation and want clarity on what it actually takes, this is the place to start.
30 minutes with Shawn. No obligation. No pressure. Just a clear picture of what's possible for your home.
★★★★★ "From the start they were very professional in every stage." - Vida
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★★★★★
“Dacotah Studio is amazing! Their designs are stunning, and they really know how to bring a space to life. The team is super reliable, easy to work with, and pays attention to every detail. Highly recommend!”
Katie H