Mountain View, Santa Clara County

Kitchen Remodel Mountain View: compare written estimates from licensed remodelers

Thinking about redoing the kitchen in a Mountain View Eichler, ranch house, townhome or condo? Describe the project once, and up to 3 licensed remodelers who take jobs in Mountain View will reach out to arrange a visit and give you a free written estimate. The City's rule is specific: replacing kitchen cabinets needs a building permit before work starts, while new countertops or refacing the cabinets you have do not. Electrical, plumbing or vent-hood changes can add trade permits, and any change to the outside of the house goes to the Planning Division first. Comparing bids written for the same scope is the clearest way to see what your kitchen will take. This site lays out 16 common kitchen projects, the permit offices for 10 nearby communities, and plain answers to the questions owners raise before signing.

Check your area › Call (650) 662-5380
What are you remodeling?

Free. No obligation. Up to 3 licensed remodelers.

Remodeled kitchen with a gray-blue island, quartz counters and stainless appliances
Project by a participating remodeler

Licensed builders

Every remodeler holds a California contractor license

Fast response

Hear back within 1 business day

Free estimates

Compare written bids, no obligation

Local to your city

Remodelers who work where you live

Kitchen remodeling services

Built-in cabinets with glass-front uppers and wood lower drawers

Kitchen cabinet replacement

Tearing out old cabinet boxes and installing new ones, the step that triggers a Mountain View building permit.

New cabinets in Mountain View →
Large kitchen island with a quartz top and gray-blue cabinets

Kitchen island installation

Adding or enlarging an island, with seating, storage, and power or plumbing where the floor allows.

Islands in Mountain View →
Open kitchen layout with a center island and a wall of cabinets

Kitchen layout redesign

Rearranging where the sink, range, refrigerator and storage go, with the plumbing, gas and wiring that follow.

New layouts in Mountain View →

Before and after: a real kitchen remodel

The same kitchen, photographed before and after a remodel by one of the participating remodelers: new cabinets, quartz counters, a tile backsplash, lighting and appliances, with the sink and windows where they were.

The same kitchen before and after a remodel: orange walls and laminate counters, then white and wood cabinets with quartz counters
Project by a participating remodeler

What a kitchen remodel in Mountain View involves

Surface update

Counters, backsplash, paint, refaced doors and new light fixtures, with the cabinet boxes left in place. In Mountain View, countertops and refacing alone need no building permit.

New cabinets, same footprint

Cabinets, counters, appliances and flooring replaced while the sink, range and walls stay put. Replacing cabinets triggers a City building permit.

Reworked floor plan

Walls opened, plumbing or gas moved, new circuits and sometimes a bigger panel. Plans, plan review and inspections become part of the schedule.

Kitchen remodeling permits in Mountain View

  • Mountain View requires a building permit, issued before construction starts, for any kitchen remodel that replaces the cabinets. Replacing countertops or refacing the existing cabinets does not need one.
  • Depending on the scope, separate electrical or plumbing permits may apply, and replacing a range hood that vents outdoors needs a mechanical permit. The application includes an 11-by-17-inch plan of the existing and proposed kitchen and an electrical load calculation.
  • If the remodel changes the outside of the house, the Planning Division reviews it before the building submittal. The City lists about 5 business days to receive a permit for a like-for-like replacement and 2 to 3 months for a renovation that removes walls.

City of Mountain View Building Division · 500 Castro Street, (650) 903-6313

What drives the cost

  • Cabinet line: stock, semi-custom or built-to-measure boxes set much of the total
  • Moving water, gas or power: every fixture that changes location adds rough-in work and an inspection
  • Electrical capacity: an induction range, extra circuits or a panel too small for the new load
  • Surprises behind the drywall: aging wiring, old supply lines or damaged framing that only shows up during demolition

Kitchen remodel cost in Mountain View: published averages →

How it works

  1. 1

    Tell us about the project

    Your kitchen plans, your ZIP code and when you want to start.

  2. 2

    Get matched

    Up to 3 licensed remodelers who work in Mountain View contact you.

  3. 3

    Compare and choose

    Compare written estimates and hire the one you like, or no one. You sign with the remodeler directly.

Areas served around Mountain View

Remodelers who work in Mountain View also take projects in these nearby communities.

Questions Mountain View homeowners ask before a kitchen remodel

Does Mountain View require a permit for a kitchen remodel?

Yes when the remodel replaces cabinets: the City requires a building permit before construction begins. Swapping countertops or refacing existing cabinets does not need one. Depending on the work, separate electrical or plumbing permits may apply. The Building Division at City Hall, 500 Castro Street, (650) 903-6313, can confirm your scope.

What will my kitchen remodel cost?

That depends mostly on the cabinets you choose and whether anything moves. A published average can't price your kitchen; a written estimate after a site visit can. Get two or three for the same scope and compare them line by line.

Do I pay anything to use this site?

No. Matching and estimates are free for homeowners. Participating remodelers pay a referral fee.

Are the remodelers licensed?

Each one is an independent contractor with a California license. Look up any license number at cslb.ca.gov before signing a contract.

When will remodelers contact me?

Usually within 1 business day, to set a time to see the kitchen.

How long will the kitchen be out of service?

A surface update may take a couple of weeks. A remodel with new cabinets or a new layout runs longer because of plan review, cabinet lead times and inspections. Ask each remodeler for a written schedule with the bid.

Who handles the permit, me or the remodeler?

In most cases the licensed remodeler you hire submits the permit online and schedules the City inspections. Make sure the written estimate says so.

Will the City look at my electrical panel?

Mountain View asks for electrical load calculations with a kitchen remodel permit, so the panel's capacity gets checked either way. An induction range or added circuits are the usual reasons an older panel falls short.

What should I prepare before the estimate visit?

Photos of the room, a rough sketch with measurements, the appliances you plan to keep or buy, and a budget range. Giving every remodeler the same information makes the bids comparable.

Am I committed to hiring someone?

No. Estimates are free, and you decide whether to hire any of the remodelers.

Talk to a licensed kitchen remodeler about your project in Mountain View

  • Free estimates, no obligation
  • Licensed California remodelers
  • You sign with the remodeler directly
Call (650) 662-5380 Or start online: answer a few quick questions →