Full Kitchen Remodel

When a Kitchen Needs More Than New Doors

A full remodel makes sense when the problems go deeper than finishes. The sink base has swollen from a leak nobody caught for years. The layout puts the refrigerator door in the path of everyone walking through. The electrical cannot support the induction range you want. Or the kitchen is simply at the end of its life, with tile counters, a soffit, a light box and cabinets that have all worn out together. In the older Irvine villages this is common, because every part of the original kitchen went in on the same day and has aged on the same clock.

Deciding on the Layout

Most tract kitchens from the 1970s are galley, L shaped or U shaped, often with a wall or a pass through separating the kitchen from the family room. Before any cabinet is ordered we measure the room, draw the existing plan, and look at a few things.

• The work triangle. The distances between sink, range and refrigerator should be short enough to be convenient and long enough that two people are not colliding.
• Aisle width. Forty two inches between counters works for one cook. Forty eight inches is better when two people use the kitchen at once.
• Where the plumbing is. These homes are generally built on a concrete slab. Moving the sink a few feet along the same wall is manageable. Moving it to a new island means saw cutting the slab and digging a path for the new drain line, which adds real cost. If the sink under the window already works, keeping it there frees money for everything else.
• The wall to the family room. Opening it is the most requested change we see. Whether that wall is carrying load is a question for a structural engineer, not a guess. If it is bearing, the engineer specifies a beam and the plans go to the City of Irvine for a permit.

Cabinets and Counters

We walk you through cabinet construction rather than just door styles. Plywood boxes hold screws and resist moisture better than particleboard, which matters most at the sink. Framed cabinets with overlay doors are the most familiar look. Frameless cabinets give slightly more usable interior width. Inset doors look beautiful and cost more because they have to be fit precisely. Full extension, soft close drawers are worth paying for in base cabinets, where deep drawers usually beat doors and shelves.

For counters, quartz is the easiest to live with, granite and quartzite are durable natural stone that want periodic sealing, porcelain slab resists heat and sun well, and butcher block is warm but needs regular oiling. The counter is templated only after the cabinets are installed and level.

Electrical, Lighting and Ventilation

A remodel is when the kitchen’s electrical gets brought up to current code. That means dedicated circuits for the dishwasher, disposal, microwave and refrigerator, GFCI protection at the counters, and AFCI protection where required. If you want induction, we check whether the panel has capacity for a dedicated forty to fifty amp circuit before it becomes a surprise. Lighting is designed to meet Title 24, which means high efficacy fixtures and the required controls.

A range hood should be ducted outside. Recirculating hoods filter grease but return heat and moisture to the room. Larger hoods above certain airflow ratings may need make up air, which we plan for during design.

The Order of Work

1. Lead and asbestos testing in pre 1978 homes, and HOA review where required.
2. Permits, then protection of floors and the rest of the house.
3. Demolition, followed by framing changes.
4. Rough plumbing and electrical, then inspection.
5. Drywall, texture and paint.
6. Cabinets installed and leveled.
7. Counter template, fabrication and installation.
8. Backsplash tile, fixtures, lighting and appliances.
9. Final inspection and a punch list walk with you.

Budget and Schedule

A full remodel in Irvine that keeps the same footprint commonly runs from $55,000 to $120,000. Moving walls or plumbing, custom cabinetry and premium stone push beyond that. Plan on eight to fourteen weeks from demolition to completion, with cabinet and slab lead times often setting the pace. Call (949) 453-7721 and we will walk your kitchen and write a scope you can compare against anyone.