Say I wanted to build a new forum from scratch...

[Stangsta]

I have a forum that has been up and running for a while.

I would like to keep it running in the meantime....so if I do a fresh install on a localhost....customize it to my liking....import the data from the live forums via Impex and then copy all the files over (from the localhost install) to the server replacing the old files, will my forums be up and running with all my modifications working properly? I do realize I may have to make small edits to the config.php file etc, but I am trying to make this as seamless as possible and to have the ability to work on the upgraded forums with minimal downtime.

So my question is....will the above work? If not, what do I need to do to accomplish my goal? Please feel free to ask questions of if you need further explanation. Thanks in advance to all that offer input.