Recent project: kitchen remodel in Calabasas

Completed in July 2026. Cherry raised-panel cabinets and a mosaic backsplash replaced, in the same footprint, with stained shaker cabinets, lit glass uppers, a new island and white quartz counters. See the full project.

Two kitchens worth reading about before you sign

The 1960s home in what I wish I knew before remodeling my kitchen shows what “hidden conditions” means in practice. The panel could not support the planned appliances, the cast-iron drains needed replacement, and the wall the homeowners wanted gone was load-bearing and needed an engineered beam. The project ran about three weeks longer than planned and over the original budget. Their takeaway: “I wish I had understood how much the unseen stuff would drive the budget and the timeline.”

The other is the $28,000 kitchen in our guide to hiring a general contractor without getting scammed: a bid $17,000 below two competing quotes, a 60 percent deposit on a one-page contract, and a contractor who disappeared at roughly 60 percent complete. One rule from it is worth carrying into any signing — under California law the down payment on a home improvement contract cannot exceed $1,000 or 10 percent of the contract price, whichever is less. If a deposit request breaks that rule, walk away.

How a kitchen remodel actually runs

1. Site visit, design and 3D rendering. We measure, photograph the existing plumbing, electrical and framing, and you approve the layout on screen before anything is ordered, including walkway clearances (42 inches minimum, 48 if two people cook), refrigerator door swing and landing space beside the range and sink.
2. Cabinet drawings, appliance specs and permits. Every appliance is specified before cabinets are ordered so openings, gas, electrical and water locations are correct.
3. Demolition and rough-in. Plumbing and electrical are re-run, the beam goes in if a wall is coming out, the hood is ducted outside, and fire-rated drywall goes in where required, such as a wall shared with an attached garage.
4. Inspections, drywall, finishes and final walkthrough, with the punch list completed before final payment.

How much does a kitchen remodel cost in Southern California?

Kitchen pricing depends far more on scope than on square footage. A kitchen where nothing moves costs a fraction of one where the sink, range and a wall all change places. The ranges below are typical Los Angeles budgeting ranges, not a quote; your written estimate will itemize your actual scope.

Scope	What is included	Typical Southern California range
Cosmetic refresh (same layout)	Reface or paint cabinets, new countertops, backsplash, sink and faucet, lighting fixtures, paint; no walls or plumbing moved	$25,000–$40,000
Mid-range remodel (same layout)	New semi-custom cabinets, quartz countertops, new appliances, new flooring, updated electrical (circuits, lighting, GFCI), hood vented outside	$40,000–$70,000
Full remodel with layout, plumbing and electrical changes	Wall removal with engineered beam, relocated sink or range, new gas or drain lines, panel upgrade if needed, custom cabinets, island, flooring through adjacent rooms	$70,000–$100,000+

Most full kitchen remodels land in the $30,000 to $100,000-plus range described in our guide to what a Los Angeles general contractor costs; the top of the table applies when structural work, high-end appliances and custom cabinetry are all in one project.

What drives the price

• Layout changes. Moving the sink means new drain and supply lines; moving the range means a new gas line or 240-volt circuit plus new hood ducting. Each relocation adds trade labor, inspections and drywall repair.
• Load-bearing walls. Opening a wall to the living room usually requires an engineer’s calculations, a beam, posts and footings, and a structural permit. Most 1950s–70s Valley ranch houses have a bearing wall exactly where homeowners want the opening.
• Cabinets. Usually the single largest line item. Semi-custom boxes cost less than custom; plywood construction, deep drawers and pull-outs all move the price.
• Electrical capacity. Many older homes still have a 100-amp panel. An induction range, wall oven, dishwasher and the required small-appliance circuits can push it past its limit.
• Hidden conditions. Cast-iron or galvanized pipe, undersized wiring, water damage under the sink, uneven subfloors and unpermitted past work only show up after demolition. We recommend a 15 to 20 percent contingency on any pre-1980 home.
• Flooring scope. If the new floor has to run into the dining room and hallway to avoid a visible transition, the flooring line grows accordingly.

How long does a kitchen remodel take?

Phase	What happens	Typical duration
Design and selections	Site measure, layout options, 3D rendering, cabinet drawings, appliance specs, finish selections	3–6 weeks
Permits	Plans (and structural calculations) to LADBS or the city; over-the-counter for simple scopes, plan check for structural changes	2–8 weeks
Material lead times	Custom cabinets take around three weeks to manufacture; special-order appliances can run longer; countertops are templated after cabinets are set	3–8 weeks (overlaps permits)
Demolition to finish	Demolition, rough plumbing and electrical, framing, inspections, drywall, cabinets, countertops, backsplash, flooring, appliances, paint, punch list	Cosmetic 2–4 weeks; mid-range 5–8 weeks; full remodel 8–14 weeks

The design and ordering phase is where the schedule is won or lost. We do not start demolition until you have approved a 3D rendering, the cabinet drawings are confirmed, appliance specifications are in hand and long-lead items are ordered.

Decisions that are expensive to change later

Some kitchen choices can be revisited in five years for a few hundred dollars. Others are locked in the day the drywall goes up. Spend your attention, and your money, on the second group.

• The layout. Once flooring and cabinets are in, moving the sink 18 inches means tearing out counters, cabinets and floor.
• Wall opening width and beam size. Widening it later means a new beam, new posts and a second permit.
• Electrical rough-in. Outlet and switch locations, under-cabinet lighting wiring, a circuit for a future induction range, and panel capacity.
• Plumbing and gas locations. Sink, dishwasher, refrigerator line, pot filler and gas stub-outs.
• Hood ducting. An exterior duct route through the roof or a wall cannot be added cheaply after the ceiling is finished.
• Cabinet box quality. Doors can be refinished; cheap boxes, hinges and drawer slides cannot be upgraded without replacing the cabinets.

You can safely save on cabinet hardware, pendant lights, backsplash tile and mid-range appliances. All of them are replaceable without opening a wall.

Do you need a permit to remodel a kitchen in Los Angeles?

Almost always, yes. LADBS lists replacing or relocating kitchen cabinets, countertops, the sink, the dishwasher, an island, the electrical or the exhaust hood as permit work; the only kitchen work it exempts is a countertop swap, re-facing the existing cabinets and paint. For a kitchen that keeps its layout and does not touch structure, that permit is an express permit issued over the counter with no plan check. Moving or removing a wall, adding a beam or enlarging a window means plan check. Inside the City of Los Angeles (including Van Nuys, Sherman Oaks, Encino, Studio City, Woodland Hills, Northridge and North Hollywood) the permit comes from LADBS. Burbank, Glendale, Pasadena, Santa Clarita, Long Beach, Torrance and every Orange County city run their own building divisions; unincorporated areas fall under LA County Building and Safety.

A kitchen remodel typically needs a permit when it includes:

• Electrical. New circuits (kitchen counters require dedicated small-appliance circuits and GFCI protection under the California Electrical Code), relocated outlets or switches, recessed lighting, and any panel upgrade or subpanel. Title 24 energy rules apply to new kitchen lighting.
• Plumbing relocation. Moving the sink, dishwasher, refrigerator line or any drain; replacing supply or drain piping inside the walls.
• Gas. Adding, extending or relocating a gas line to a range or cooktop.
• Structural or wall removal. Removing or altering any wall, adding a beam, or enlarging a window or door opening. Bearing-wall changes require engineered plans.
• Mechanical. New range hood ducting through the roof or an exterior wall.

We prepare the drawings, pull the permits under our license and schedule every inspection. A contractor who suggests skipping permits is telling you something; unpermitted kitchen work surfaces at resale, at refinance and after a fire. Homes built before 1978 get lead-safe demolition practices, and older kitchens sometimes contain asbestos in floor tile, mastic or texture; testing and abatement, when needed, is handled by a licensed abatement contractor first.

Kitchen remodeling across Southern California, including the San Fernando Valley

We publish a dedicated page for the cities where we have built kitchens and can show the work, because the permit process is genuinely different from one city to the next — Los Angeles, Burbank and Pasadena each run their own rules.

• Kitchen remodeling in Sherman Oaks
• Kitchen remodeling in Woodland Hills
• Kitchen remodeling in Burbank
• Kitchen remodeling in Pasadena

We build kitchens throughout the City of Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley, where most of our projects are post-war ranch houses with galley or L-shaped kitchens closed off from the living areas; opening them up is the most common request we get. Elsewhere the process is the same but the permit office changes: every Orange County city runs its own building division, and master-planned communities often add HOA or CC&R review for exterior changes such as a new window or hood vent; the Ventura County cities and Corona, Riverside, Murrieta and Eastvale in western Riverside County each issue their own permits.

If the kitchen is one part of a larger project, see full home renovation. If the kitchen needs more square footage than the footprint allows, a room addition that pushes the exterior wall out is often a better answer than a cramped reconfiguration.

Kitchen remodeling FAQ

How much does a kitchen remodel cost in Southern California?

A kitchen remodel in Southern California typically costs $25,000 to $40,000 for a cosmetic refresh, $40,000 to $70,000 for a mid-range remodel that keeps the layout, and $70,000 to $100,000 or more when walls, plumbing and electrical are reconfigured. Cabinets are usually the largest line item, followed by structural work and countertops. These are typical Los Angeles budgeting ranges, not a quote.

How long does a kitchen remodel take in Southern California?

A kitchen remodel in Southern California usually takes two to four weeks of construction for a cosmetic refresh, five to eight weeks for a mid-range same-layout remodel, and eight to fourteen weeks for a full remodel with layout changes. Add three to six weeks of design and selections and two to eight weeks of permitting before construction starts.

Do I need a permit to remodel my kitchen in Los Angeles?

Almost always, yes. LADBS treats replacing or relocating cabinets, countertops, the sink, the dishwasher, an island, the electrical or the exhaust hood as permit work and exempts only a countertop swap, re-facing the existing cabinets and paint. A same-layout kitchen with no structural change gets an express permit over the counter with no plan check; wall removal, a new beam or a larger window goes to plan check. Inside the City of Los Angeles the permit is issued by LADBS; other cities use their own building departments.

Can I remove the wall between my kitchen and living room?

In most Southern California homes the wall between the kitchen and living room can be removed, but in a typical single-story ranch house it is often load-bearing. Removing a bearing wall requires an engineer’s calculations, a beam sized for the span, posts and usually new footings, and a structural permit through LADBS or your city. Budget for the engineering and the beam rather than assuming the wall is non-structural.

Should I keep my kitchen layout to save money?

Keeping the existing kitchen layout is the most effective way to control the cost of a remodel in Los Angeles, because the sink, range and dishwasher stay on their existing plumbing, gas and electrical, and the permit and construction timelines shrink. If the layout genuinely does not work, moving one element, usually the sink or the range, is far cheaper than moving all three.

What should I decide before demolition starts?

Before demolition starts on a kitchen remodel you should have an approved layout, confirmed cabinet drawings, every appliance selected with specifications, finishes chosen, long-lead materials ordered, permits approved, a written schedule, milestone-based payments and a written change-order process. Changes made after the walls are open ripple through electrical, drywall, cabinets and countertops and cost several times what the same decision costs on paper.

Do I need to upgrade my electrical panel for a kitchen remodel?

Many Southern California homes built before 1980 have 100-amp panels that cannot support a modern kitchen with an induction range, wall oven, dishwasher and the dedicated counter circuits the code requires. Whether an upgrade is needed depends on the existing panel, the appliances you choose and the rest of the home’s load. We evaluate the panel during the site visit so the answer is in the estimate, not in a change order.

Can I live in my house during a kitchen remodel?

Most homeowners stay in the house during a kitchen remodel in Southern California, but you will be without a working kitchen for the length of construction. Set up a temporary kitchen in the dining room or garage with a microwave, toaster oven, hot plate and a small refrigerator, and budget for takeout. We isolate the work area with dust barriers and keep water and power interruptions scheduled and short.

How do I compare kitchen remodeling contractors in Southern California?

Compare kitchen remodeling contractors in Los Angeles on scope, not just price; a lower bid often excludes permits, demolition, debris removal, electrical upgrades, painting or the materials themselves. Verify the license on the CSLB website, ask for proof of liability and workers’ compensation insurance, ask who will manage the project, and reject any deposit above $1,000 or 10 percent of the contract price, whichever is less.