Cicarelli Contractors is a kitchen remodeling contractor for Bay Area homes, handling layout redesigns, cabinet installation, countertop replacement and appliance upgrades. We plan the kitchen around how you cook, run the plumbing and electrical changes under permit and give you a written estimate with every item listed.
Kitchen remodeling
A kitchen remodel, or kitchen renovation, replaces the parts of a kitchen that wear out or no longer fit the way you live: cabinets, countertops, sink, appliances, lighting and finishes. A light remodel keeps the layout and swaps those pieces; a full remodel moves the sink, range or walls, which brings plumbing, gas and electrical work with it.
The order of work is what keeps a kitchen remodel on track. Demolition comes first, then any plumbing and electrical changes and their inspections, then cabinets, countertops, backsplash, appliances and paint. Countertops are measured only after the cabinets are set, so the stone fits the boxes it sits on.
As a kitchen remodeling contractor serving San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, San Jose and Walnut Creek, we often pair a kitchen with interior painting for the rooms around it, and sometimes with a bathroom remodel in the same project.
Six Google reviews quoted word for word about professionalism, schedule and cleanup. None mentions a kitchen remodel by name yet. Swipe or use the arrows.
If I had another project, I wouldn't think twice and they would hire them again because they are clean people at work, flexible with hours and very professional.
We had a good experience with the company, the team was professional and made us feel confident about it. The job was done on time. Definetely would recomend their services!
The team exhibited exceptional performance, demonstrated effective communication, and displayed a commendable work ethic.
Great Job. Good communication. Hard working crew.
Excellent job and ZERO complaint. The project was done on time.
Very professional. It was explained what was going to be done.
They were done in 4 days. Other companies gave us a time limit of 2 weeks. Hard workers. We will use this company again. We need more work done.
Kitchen services
Pick one or combine them. Most kitchens we remodel include at least two of these.
Kitchen layout redesigns that open the room, add an island or move the sink and range, with plumbing and wiring rerouted under permit.
Kitchen cabinet installation from removal of the old boxes to new base and wall cabinets set level, fastened and ready for the countertop.
Countertop replacement measured to the new cabinets, plus appliance upgrades with the power, gas and venting each new unit needs.
Keeping your cabinets? Painting them can be the lower-cost option; see cabinet painting.
Planning the kitchen
Changing your mind after demolition is what stretches a kitchen remodel. These choices are best locked in during planning.
Planning a bathroom too? Doing both at once can share demolition and inspections; see bathroom remodeling.
Kitchen remodel step by step
The kitchen is the room you miss most while it is out of service, so we plan the order of work before anything comes out.
Start With A Free EstimateWe measure the kitchen and settle the layout, cabinets and appliances with you.
Floors and nearby rooms are covered and the old cabinets and counters come out.
Lines are moved or added under permit and inspected before walls close.
Base and wall cabinets go in level, square and secured to the framing.
Countertops are templated to the cabinets, then the backsplash goes up.
Appliances, lighting, hardware and paint, then a final walk-through.
Pricing
Kitchen remodel cost depends on what changes and what stays. We list each of these on its own line in the estimate.
Keeping the sink, range and walls in place, or moving them.
Stock, semi-custom or custom cabinets and how many there are.
Material, square footage, edges and sink cutouts.
New models and the power, gas or venting they require.
Plumbing, electrical and gas changes inspected by the city.
Old wiring, leaks or damage found during demolition.
See which kitchen upgrades buyers notice before you set the budget, or send photos for a written kitchen estimate. Get a written quote
Permits and rules
Not for cabinets, countertops, tile or paint alone in cities like Oakland and Berkeley, which list them as exempt finish work. Moving or adding plumbing, gas or electrical needs a permit, and in a home built on or before 1994 that permit also requires water-conserving fixtures.
The written contract should state who obtains the permits, as the CSLB requires.
Kitchen remodel answers
Homeowners looking for kitchen remodeling near me ask about budget first, then what to ask a contractor and whether a permit is needed. These answers come from how we plan kitchens and from the rules Bay Area cities post.
A reasonable budget matches the scope you choose. Keeping the layout and replacing cabinets, counters and appliances is one level; moving the sink, range or walls adds plumbing, gas, electrical and permits on top. Set the scope first, get it priced line by line, and keep a reserve for what demolition uncovers.
We can price a layout-stays option and a layout-changes option in the same estimate.
It can be enough for a focused update, such as painting cabinets, new hardware, a new faucet or one appliance, while the layout, cabinets and plumbing stay in place. Replacing cabinets and countertops, or moving anything, usually goes well beyond that. Listing what must change first shows whether the budget fits.
Tell us your budget and we will say plainly what it covers in your kitchen.
Cabinets are usually the largest single line, followed by countertops and appliances. Labor rises sharply when plumbing, gas lines or walls move, because that brings rough-in work, inspections and wall repair. Keeping the sink and range where they are is the most effective way to protect the budget.
Painting sound cabinets instead of replacing them is another option to compare.
Ask whether their CSLB license is active and covers the work, who pulls the permits, how the order of work runs, how changes are priced, how dust and the rest of the house are protected, and what the warranty covers. Ask to see the estimate itemized, not as one lump sum.
Any license can be checked on the CSLB website.
It depends on the work. Cities such as Oakland and Berkeley exempt cabinets, countertops, tile and paint, but plumbing, gas and electrical changes need permits. On pre-1978 homes in Oakland, disturbing paint needs a lead-based paint permit. We check the rules for your address before quoting.
Permits and inspections appear as their own lines in our estimate.
| Kitchen work | Official rule |
|---|---|
| New cabinets and countertops | Exempt finish work in Oakland (city page) |
| Tile and painting | Exempt in Berkeley (city page) |
| Moving the sink or gas line | Permit required in Berkeley (city page) |
| Remodel permit, home built by 1994 | Water-conserving fixtures required (Berkeley) |
| Painted walls opened, pre-1978 home | Lead-based paint permit in Oakland (city page) |
Summarized from the official city pages linked above.
Updated · By Athalyson Bernardo, Owner of Cicarelli Contractors · CSLB #1109419
FAQ
Send photos of your kitchen, rough measurements and what you want to change, and we will reply with a written estimate. Calls and texts are answered Monday to Saturday, 9 am to 5 pm; the FAQ page has general answers.
Call (650) 404-7049It depends on the scope. Replacing cabinets and counters in the same layout is a much shorter job than moving plumbing, gas and walls, and custom cabinets or stone counters add lead time before installation. The written estimate gives the expected schedule once the design and materials are chosen.
Often, yes. We confirm the order list and sizes against the measurements first, so missing fillers or a wrong corner cabinet do not stall the job. The estimate then covers installation, and any adjustments the cabinets need on site are agreed in writing.
Not for most of it, because cabinets, sink and counters are out at the same time. Many families set up a temporary kitchen with the refrigerator, a microwave and a small table in another room. We plan the order of work to keep that period as short as the scope allows.
Yes. Moving a sink, adding an island with outlets or running a new gas line is part of a layout change, and that work goes in under permit and is inspected before the walls are closed. It is the part of a kitchen remodel that most affects cost.
That is why we set the cabinets level and square before the countertops are templated. The counter is measured to the installed boxes, not to the old kitchen, so seams, overhangs and sink cutouts line up with what is actually there.
Call or text (650) 404-7049, Monday to Saturday, 9 am to 5 pm, or send photos and measurements through the free estimate form. We send a written, itemized kitchen remodel estimate within 24 hours of the photos or the site visit.
GuideDoes a Modern Kitchen Remodel Add Home Value? A Bay Area Guide
GuideHard Demolition for an ADU or Home Addition in the Bay Area: What to Plan
GuideHouse Demolition vs. Renovation: Should You Renovate or Rebuild?Updated · By Athalyson Bernardo, Owner of Cicarelli Contractors
