Full Kitchen Remodel

Taking a Kitchen Down to the Studs and Back

A full remodel replaces nearly everything you see and a good deal you do not: cabinets, counters, backsplash, sink and faucet, lighting, often the flooring, and the wiring and plumbing behind the walls. It is also the kind of job that is hardest to live through, which is why so many Palm Springs owners schedule it for the months they are away.

Here is how we build one, in the order the work actually happens.

1. Layout Before Anything Else

The layout decides how the kitchen feels to use far more than the finishes do. We look at the work triangle between sink, cooktop and refrigerator, and at the aisles between counters. Forty two inches is a comfortable minimum for one cook. Forty eight inches works better when two people share the kitchen or an island faces the range.

Mid century homes add their own constraints. Open plans and clerestory windows leave less solid wall for upper cabinets, so storage often moves into tall pantry units, deeper drawers or an island. A post and beam ceiling can limit where a hood duct can run. We sort those out on paper first.

2. Deciding What Moves and What Stays

Keeping the sink where it is saves money in most houses. In many desert homes it saves even more, because the house sits on a concrete slab and moving a drain means cutting the slab, running a new line below the floor, patching and passing an inspection. That is not a reason never to do it. It is a cost worth knowing before you fall in love with an island sink.

Walls are similar. Opening a kitchen to the living area is a common request, and whether it is simple depends on whether the wall carries roof load. If it might, a structural engineer looks at it and specifies the beam before any plans are submitted.

3. Cabinets

Cabinets are usually the largest single line in the budget and the longest lead time, so we settle them early.

• Box construction. Plywood boxes hold screws and resist moisture better than particleboard, which matters under a sink.
• Framed or frameless. Framed cabinets have a face frame around each opening. Frameless designs give a little more interior space and a cleaner modern line that suits many mid century houses.
• Door overlay. Full overlay doors cover the frame. Inset doors sit inside it and look beautiful, but cost more and need careful adjustment.
• Hardware. Soft close hinges and full extension drawer slides are worth paying for on a kitchen you intend to keep.

If your existing boxes are sound plywood and the layout already works, refacing or new doors can be the better answer, and we will say so.

4. Counters and Backsplash

Quartz is popular here because it needs no sealing and resists stains. Granite and quartzite handle heat well and suit a kitchen that opens to a sunny patio. Porcelain slab is thin, light and very resistant to UV, which helps near large glass. Butcher block is warm but asks for regular oiling in dry desert air. Counters are templated after the base cabinets are set and level, then fabricated.

The backsplash goes on after the counters. Grout choice matters more with very hard water, since light grout behind a faucet tends to show mineral staining.

5. Electrical and Ventilation

Modern kitchens need dedicated circuits for the refrigerator, dishwasher, disposal and microwave, plus GFCI protection at counter outlets and AFCI protection where code calls for it. Switching to an induction range often means checking whether the panel has capacity for it. Under cabinet lighting is easiest to add while the walls are open.

For ventilation, we prefer a hood that ducts outside rather than recirculating. Capture area matters as much as fan power. Larger hoods can trigger make up air requirements, which we check at design time. On a flat roofed house the duct route and roof penetration get planned with the roofer.

6. The Build Sequence

Demolition and protection, rough plumbing and electrical, inspection, insulation and drywall, flooring if it is changing, cabinets, template, counters, backsplash, fixtures and appliances, then the punch list and final inspection. On a summer job we run all of it on early hours with the air conditioning on inside.

7. Hard Water Choices

Coachella Valley water is very hard, and it shortens the life of faucets, dishwashers and ice makers. We suggest fixtures with replaceable cartridges, finishes that hide spotting, and a spot under the sink for a filter or softener line.

What It Costs

Most full remodels in Palm Springs fall between $50,000 and $95,000, with structural changes or custom cabinetry pushing past $100,000. The range moves with cabinet grade, counter material, and how much plumbing and wiring changes. Call (760) 583-3826 for a walkthrough.