Full Kitchen Remodeling in Sunnyvale, CA

Every visit starts with

Free written scope consultation - allowances, timeline, and change-order rules on paper before a single trade is scheduled

Your dream remodel for as low as $199/month*on approved credit; ask for current terms

Styles & brands we work with

‹

›

Before & after – our own jobs

‹

BeforeAfter

BeforeAfter

BeforeAfter

›

Full Kitchen Remodeling in Sunnyvale, CA

A full kitchen remodel in Sunnyvale typically runs between $55,000 and $130,000, covers everything from demolition to the final coat of paint, and takes four to ten weeks depending on the scope. Unlike a cosmetic refresh – new cabinet doors and a coat of paint – a full remodel replaces the layout, the plumbing and electrical rough-in, the cabinetry, countertops, flooring, and fixtures in a single coordinated project. If your kitchen was built before 2000 and has never had a full gut renovation, this is almost certainly the scope you need.

At Rowan Construction Group Sunnyvale, every full kitchen remodel starts with a written flat price delivered before a single tool is unpacked. That is Clause 1 of the Haven Standard, and it is how we have kept 4,000-plus projects within a few percent of the agreed number since 2007. Grant Rowan built this company on the premise that a homeowner in Sunnyvale should be able to screenshot a quote, compare it line by line against a competitor’s, and understand exactly what they are getting. Call us at (650) 405-3637 to schedule your free estimate for Kitchen Remodeling Near Me in Sunnyvale, CA, or read on to understand how a full remodel works and what it should cost in this market.

This page covers the full-scope sub-service specifically. For an overview of all the kitchen work we do, including partial updates and cabinet-only replacements, visit our Kitchen Remodeling in Sunnyvale parent page.

When You Need Full Kitchen Remodeling

A lot of Sunnyvale homeowners come to us having already tried the partial approach – new countertops on top of aging cabinets, a fresh backsplash over a floor that was never quite level – instead of investing in proper Kitchen Design & Layout from the start. The issues that signal you need a full remodel rather than a piecemeal fix are usually pretty clear once you know what to look for.

• The layout does not work for how you actually cook. The triangle between the refrigerator, sink, and range is cramped or broken – common in the tract homes built in Sunnyvale’s Lakewood Village and Borregas neighborhoods in the 1960s and 1970s, where kitchens were designed for a single cook and a much smaller appliance footprint.
• Cabinets are structurally failing, not just cosmetically dated. Drawer slides that have been rebuilt twice, doors that swing crooked, or frameless boxes where the face frame has separated from the carcass are signs the cabinets need to come out entirely. A door swap does not fix a failed box.
• The electrical panel feeding the kitchen cannot support modern appliances. Many Sunnyvale homes wired before 1990 run a single 20-amp circuit to the kitchen. A full remodel lets us work with your electrician to add dedicated circuits for the dishwasher, microwave, and refrigerator – work that cannot be done cleanly without pulling the cabinets anyway.
• Plumbing is galvanized or has had chronic leak history. Galvanized supply lines corrode from the inside out and reduce water pressure measurably over time. A full remodel is the right moment to repipe the kitchen loop in copper or PEX, because the walls are already open.
• The floor substrate is damaged or layered past code. In Sunnyvale homes that have had multiple owners, it is common to find three or four layers of flooring stacked on the original subfloor. Santa Clara County building code limits resilient flooring layers; a full demo gives us a clean substrate and an honest starting point.
• You are preparing to sell and the kitchen is the reason buyers are passing. The Sunnyvale real estate market is tight and buyers doing home tours in the 94087 and 94085 zip codes are comparing your kitchen against recently renovated inventory. A dated kitchen in a structurally sound home is a solvable problem.

Our Full Kitchen Remodeling Process

A full remodel has more moving parts than any other kitchen scope, which is exactly why the process has to be documented at every step. Here is how we run it.

1. Measure, document, and price in writing. Before anything else, we measure the existing kitchen to the inch, photograph every surface and condition, and identify anything that will affect cost – substrate damage, non-standard wall angles, plumbing stack locations, existing soffit framing. The result is a flat written price with a line-item scope. Under Clause 1 of the Haven Standard, that price is delivered before any work starts, and the documented photo record from this visit goes to you as a standard deliverable. No change proceeds without a signed change order. That discipline is why our projects finish within a few percent of the agreed number.
2. Material selection and permit filing. We walk you through cabinet lines we source regularly – KraftMaid and Wellborn both carry full face-frame and frameless options at different price points – and countertop materials including Cambria quartz and Caesarstone, both of which we use in Sunnyvale kitchens regularly. Once selections are locked and the written scope is signed, we file for the Santa Clara County building permit. Full kitchen remodels in Sunnyvale require permits for electrical, plumbing, and any structural work; we handle the filings and the inspections.
3. Demo and rough-in. Cabinets, flooring, and drywall come out in a controlled sequence. We inspect the substrate, framing, and any in-wall plumbing or electrical as the layers are removed, document conditions with photos, and flag anything that changes the scope before touching it. If something unexpected turns up behind a wall – and in a 1970s Sunnyvale kitchen, it sometimes does – you will know about it and sign off on the change order before we proceed.
4. Mechanical rough-in and inspections. Plumbing and electrical rough-in work is scheduled and inspected before the walls close. We coordinate directly with the licensed subcontractors and schedule the Santa Clara County inspections. Nothing gets drywalled over until it has passed inspection – that is not optional, and it protects you on any future sale or insurance claim.
5. Cabinet installation, countertops, and finishes. Cabinets go in first, templated and leveled to the finished floor plane. Countertop templates are pulled after cabinets are confirmed level and square – Cambria and Caesarstone both require factory templating for tight seam placement. Backsplash, flooring, paint, and trim follow in a sequenced schedule that minimizes the time the kitchen is out of service.
6. Fixtures, appliances, punch list, and final walkthrough. Kohler or Toto fixtures are set, appliances are connected and tested, and we walk every item on the punch list with you before we call the project complete. The 365-Day Done Right Promise applies from the day you sign off: if something is not right, we make it right. That is printed on the contract, not in an asterisk.

Before

After

Full Kitchen Remodeling Pricing in Sunnyvale

Full kitchen remodels in Sunnyvale cost more than in many other Bay Area cities because labor rates in Santa Clara County are among the highest in the state and permit fees reflect the county’s fee schedule. Here are honest ranges based on what we actually quote in this market.

What Moves the Number Up or Down

• Layout changes cost more than in-place replacements. Moving the sink to a new location means rerouting the drain stack, which adds plumbing labor and potentially affects the subfloor. In Sunnyvale’s older ranch-style homes, the stack is often in a slab, which adds concrete work.
• Cabinet grade is the single largest cost variable. Stock cabinets from a home center and a fully custom cabinet line from a local shop can differ by $15,000 to $30,000 on a standard Sunnyvale kitchen footprint. We can show you both options at the same appointment.
• Permit complexity varies by scope. A like-for-like replacement with no layout changes may qualify for an over-the-counter permit in Santa Clara County; a structural change or a service-panel upgrade does not. We specify which applies in your written quote.
• Substrate conditions discovered during demo. Water damage at the sink base, subfloor rot, or deteriorated drywall in the backsplash area are the most common surprises. We photograph and document every condition before the change order is written.

Every quote we deliver is a flat written price with a line-item scope – not a range, not a ballpark, and not a number that shifts after the contract is signed without your approval. If you already have a written estimate from another contractor, bring it. Our Free Second Opinion service means we will review it line by line at no charge.

Call (650) 405-3637 to schedule your free on-site estimate. A member of our team will measure, document, and return a written price – not a callback with a verbal range.

FAQs – Full Kitchen Remodeling in Sunnyvale

How long does a full kitchen remodel take in Sunnyvale?

Most full kitchen remodels in Sunnyvale run four to ten weeks from the start of demo to final walkthrough. The range is wide because permit timelines at the Santa Clara County Building Department vary – an over-the-counter permit for a simpler scope can be issued in days, while a project involving structural changes or a service-panel upgrade may take three to four weeks for plan check. Material lead times are the other variable: KraftMaid and Wellborn cabinets typically ship in three to five weeks from order confirmation, and Cambria countertop slabs run one to two weeks for templating and fabrication after cabinets are set. If your project includes a Kitchen Island Installation, we coordinate those lead times into the same delivery window. We build realistic scheduling into the written scope so you know the timeline before demo starts. Call (650) 405-3637 if you have a move-in or sale deadline we should design the schedule around.

Do I need a permit for a full kitchen remodel in Sunnyvale?

Yes, in most cases. Any work that touches electrical wiring, plumbing supply or drain lines, or structural elements requires a permit from the City of Sunnyvale’s Building Division (which administers Santa Clara County code locally). A pure cosmetic replacement – new cabinet doors and countertops over existing cabinets with no plumbing or electrical changes – may not require a permit, but that scope is not a full remodel. We file all required permits as part of our process, coordinate the inspections, and include the permit cost in the written price we deliver before work starts. Skipping permits to save money is a risk that shows up on title reports and can complicate a future sale; we do not take that shortcut. Call (650) 405-3637 to discuss your specific scope and what permits will apply.

Is it cheaper to do a full remodel all at once or in phases?

A full remodel done in a single project is almost always less expensive than the same work done in two or three phases. The reason is mobilization cost: every time a crew is set up, demo is done, and inspections are scheduled, there is overhead that does not produce finished work. Phasing also typically means paying for drywall and paint twice – once after phase one, and again after phase two opens the walls. The only scenario where phasing makes financial sense is when budget constraints are real and the alternative is financing a larger project at a high interest rate. We can show you both scenarios in writing. Bring your current budget and the scope you want, and we will give you a straight answer about whether phasing saves money in your specific case. Call (650) 405-3637 to set up that conversation.

What is the 365-Day Done Right Promise and what does it cover on a kitchen remodel?

The 365-Day Done Right Promise means that if any element of your kitchen remodel is not done right within the first year, Rowan Construction Group makes it right at no additional charge. That covers workmanship: a cabinet door that goes out of alignment, a tile grout joint that cracks under normal use, a plumbing connection that develops a slow drip. It does not cover manufacturer defects in appliances you supply, normal material wear, or damage caused after our crew leaves. The terms are written out on a separate page linked from your contract – not summarized in a clause with an asterisk. Material warranties from brands like Cambria and Wellborn run separately and in addition to our workmanship promise. Call (650) 405-3637 if you want the full terms explained before you commit.

Key Takeaways

• Full kitchen remodels in Sunnyvale run $55,000 to $130,000 depending on cabinet grade, layout complexity, and permit scope.
• Santa Clara County requires permits for electrical, plumbing, and structural work – Rowan handles all filings and inspections as part of the project.
• Every project starts with a flat written price and a documented photo record. No change proceeds without a signed change order.
• The 365-Day Done Right Promise covers workmanship for a full year and is written into the contract, not referenced in a footnote.
• If you have a competitor’s written estimate, Rowan’s Free Second Opinion service reviews it line by line at no charge.
• Call (650) 405-3637 to schedule a free on-site estimate. You leave with a written price, not a follow-up promise.

Rowan Construction Group is part of the Rowan Construction Group home network of residential construction services. For a full picture of the kitchen work we do – including partial updates, cabinet-only replacements, and countertop refreshes – see our Kitchen Remodeling in Sunnyvale page.

Written by Grant Rowan, Owner at Rowan Construction Group Sunnyvale, serving Sunnyvale since 2007.