Free written scope consultation - allowances, timeline, and change-order rules on paper before a single trade is scheduled
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AfterFast, Reliable Kitchen Remodeling Across San Lorenzo
A full kitchen remodel in San Lorenzo typically runs $14,000 to $45,000, depending on whether you are refacing cabinets or gutting a 1948 Bohannon tract home down to the studs. The work usually takes 6 to 10 weeks once permits clear. Call (877) 610-1318 for a free estimate on yours.
We know what is behind these walls because we have opened hundreds of them. Nearly every kitchen in San Lorenzo sits in a 1944-1952 Bohannon tract home with original subfloor and framing, and remodeling in SLVHA-governed sections means Hunnewell Drive, Paseo Grande, or Via Barrett are often the first names on an Architectural Control Committee application before the county permit is pulled. Missing that step routinely triggers HOA cease-and-desist letters mid-remodel. We handle that paperwork for you, in the right order, before a single cabinet gets ordered.
Tom Barrett founded Barrett & Sons Construction in 1998, and his sons run the crews today. A live person answers the phone when you call, and the person who signs your change orders is the same person who walks the job site in San Lorenzo, not a rotating project manager from an out-of-state call center.
Why Barrett & Sons Construction Is San Lorenzo’s Preferred Kitchen Remodeling Company
San Lorenzo homeowners tend to ask the same question before they sign anything: will you actually show up, and will the price on paper match the bill at the end? We answer both by putting every scope, allowance, and price change in writing before work proceeds. The allowance that is not on paper is a surprise waiting for a date. Tom has been saying that since the late 1990s, and his written 90-Day Done Right Promise says it on every contract: if it is not done right, one call brings him back.
We are not a franchise dispatching strangers. Tom Barrett publishes his name, address, and license number. Look it up before you sign anything. The permit inspector works for you, not for us, and we like it that way. On a full kitchen remodel off Bockman Road, our crew opened a load-bearing wall and found original undersized framing with 24-inch stud spacing and early Romex wiring. Before moving any plumbing or adding an island, we installed engineered LVL headers, sistered the floor joists under the expected quartz countertop load, and wrote a change order for the rough-in work so the county inspector signed off before drywall went up. That is the difference between a contractor who pulls permits and one who tells you permits are optional. We pull them on every eligible job.
Our crews arrive in San Lorenzo with background-checked, uniformed team members who carry the Barrett & Sons name. We answer the phone 24/7. Response time to most San Lorenzo neighborhoods is same-day for estimates when the schedule allows, and we coordinate all permit and SLVHA paperwork from our San Francisco Bay Area office.
Our Kitchen Remodeling Services in San Lorenzo
Full Kitchen Remodeling
A full kitchen remodel in San Lorenzo means working inside a 70-80-year-old Bohannon shell. We open walls expecting undersized framing, non-standard spacing, and original early Romex or knob-and-tube junctions. Our Kitchen Remodeling team plans for that before demo starts, so the structural and rough-in corrections are written into the scope, not discovered as a surprise invoice. Expect $14,000-$45,000 depending on layout changes, structural work, and finish level.
Cabinets & Countertops
Cabinet installation in San Lorenzo runs $4,000 to $13,000, and countertops typically run $2,000 to $6,500. For cabinetry near the coast, we specify stainless steel concealed hinges and full-extension soft-close drawer slides, then use a marine-grade silicone sealant on all countertop seams and backsplash transitions to keep the salt air from corroding hardware or wicking into the substrate. Interior-grade hardware fails fast here. We do not install it.
Backsplash, Tile & Flooring
Backsplash work in San Lorenzo runs $800 to $2,500, and floor tile is priced by square foot after we inspect the subfloor. The East Bay’s expansive clay soils beneath San Lorenzo shrink and swell dramatically between the dry summer and wet winter, and installing tile directly over the original 70-year-old subfloor without leveling means cracked grout joints and popped tiles within the first wet winter. We level and prep before tile touches the floor.
Kitchen Design & Layout
Most San Lorenzo kitchens are 900 to 1,100 square-foot homes with compact galley or L-shaped layouts. Design decisions hinge on what the Bohannon framing will allow without moving load-bearing walls, and on whether the SLVHA Architectural Control Committee must approve any exterior wall or window changes. We sequence the design, the permit package, and the HOA application together so nothing stalls.
What happens when you call
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A real person answersNo phone trees - you reach a local pro.
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You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched.
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A background-checked tech heads outLicensed & insured, dispatched right away.
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You approve before work beginsNothing starts until you say go.
Trusted Brands We Service in San Lorenzo
We carry and install materials you can look up, not mystery brands off a van. In San Lorenzo kitchens, that means KraftMaid and Cambria in cabinetry and countertops, with Schluter waterproofing systems under any tiled surface near a sink or exterior wall. For plumbing fixtures, Grohe and Sterling hold up better in salt air than big-box generics. We keep common replacement parts stocked for San Lorenzo service calls, which means faster turnarounds when a hinge or drawer slide needs replacing.
Common Kitchen Remodeling Problems We See in San Lorenzo Homes
- Corroded cabinet hardware from salt air. Interior-grade hinges and drawer slides bind and pit within a few years here. We specify stainless or marine-grade hardware on every coastal kitchen, and we have replaced enough pitted zinc hardware in San Lorenzo to know the cheap spec costs more within a decade.
- HOA stops after the county permit is already issued. In SLVHA-governed sections of San Lorenzo, skipping the Architectural Control Committee approval triggers a cease-and-desist letter even after Alameda County issues the permit. Custom cabinets sit in storage, and homeowners pay rescheduling fees. We file both applications together.
- Tile laid over the original subfloor without leveling. Expanding clay soils move seasonally. The original Bohannon subfloor telegraphs that movement as cracked grout and popped tiles within the first winter. We level, then tile.
- Hidden knob-and-tube or early Romex behind original walls. You will not know it is there until demo. We do, because nearly every San Lorenzo tract home from 1944-1952 had it. We correct it during rough-in and get the county inspector to sign off before drywall closes the walls.
Pricing for Kitchen Remodeling in San Lorenzo, CA
Here is what we quote in San Lorenzo, and we stand by these numbers as honest ranges for this market:
| Service | Typical San Lorenzo Price Range |
|---|---|
| Full Kitchen Remodeling | $14,000-$45,000 |
| Small Kitchen Remodel | $9,000-$20,000 |
| Cabinet Installation | $4,000-$13,000 |
| Countertop Installation | $2,000-$6,500 |
| Backsplash Installation | $800-$2,500 |
| Kitchen Island Installation | $3,000-$10,000 |
What moves the price in San Lorenzo: structural corrections to original Bohannon framing, SLVHA-required exterior changes, whether the clay soil has caused slab or subfloor movement that needs leveling, and your finish selections. We write every allowance and every scope change down before work proceeds. No surprise invoices at the end. Call (877) 610-1318 for a free written estimate on your kitchen.
We Also Serve Cities Near San Lorenzo
Beyond San Lorenzo, our crews serve Kitchen Remodeling in San Lorenzo neighbors in Ashland, San Leandro, Cherryland, and Castro Valley. If you are a few minutes away in any of those communities, the same permits, brands, and written-pricing rules apply.
Serving San Lorenzo, CA - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the San Lorenzo area and know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage - if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
FAQs - Kitchen Remodeling in San Lorenzo
SLVHA approval is required for any exterior change in the association-governed sections of San Lorenzo, including window relocation, wall changes that affect the exterior, and sometimes roofline work tied to a kitchen layout. Interior-only remodels that do not touch the exterior generally do not need Architectural Control Committee review, but you still need Alameda County permits for plumbing, electrical, and structural work. We check the SLVHA map for your specific address before we order anything. Call (877) 610-1318 and we will tell you exactly what your home triggers.
Plan on $14,000 to $45,000 for a full kitchen remodel in San Lorenzo, with the honest mid-range landing around $25,000 to $35,000 for a typical 1950 Bohannon home that needs some framing correction, subfloor leveling, new cabinetry, quartz counters, and backsplash. Homes with more extensive knob-and-tube removal, foundation leveling, or SLVHA-triggered exterior work run toward the top of that range. We write the structural corrections into your estimate before demo starts.
No, cabinet refacing and countertop replacement generally do not require a building permit in San Lorenzo. Plumbing or electrical rough-in, moving walls, adding an island with power, or changing a window opening do. A lot of old Bohannon kitchens have hidden wiring issues, so if we open a wall and find something the county will care about, we stop and bring it to you with a written change order before proceeding. Estimates are free at (877) 610-1318.
Coastal-spec hardware uses stainless steel or marine-grade alloys instead of standard zinc plating, and it usually adds $150 to $500 to the hardware line item depending on the number of drawers and doors. In San Lorenzo’s salt air, yes, you notice. Interior-grade hinges corrode and bind within two to five years, and drawer slides seize up. We replace enough of them to know the cheap spec costs more within a decade.
Every allowance and every scope change is written down before work proceeds. When we find undersized framing, early Romex, or subfloor movement, we stop, show you what we found, and issue a written change order with a specific price. You approve it before we touch it. No draw schedule is charged for work we have not done, and no overage ever appears at the end without your signature on paper first.
Your Kitchen Remodel in San Lorenzo Starts With One Call
Tom Barrett answers his own phone. His sons run the crews. The permit inspector works for you, not for us. If you want a kitchen remodel in San Lorenzo priced honestly, with permits pulled and every change order in writing, call (877) 610-1318 and schedule your free estimate.
Written by Tom Barrett, Owner at Barrett & Sons Construction, serving San Lorenzo since 1998.