Free written scope consultation - allowances, timeline, and change-order rules on paper before a single trade is scheduled
Fast, Reliable General Contractor Across Kensington
If you’re planning a remodel or addition in Kensington, you need a general contractor who understands hillside lots, clay soil, and the city’s permitting quirks before the first hammer swings. Sawyer Remodeling handles kitchen remodels, bathroom remodels, whole home renovations, room additions, ADUs, and garage conversions across Kensington, with a written price in your hands before any work starts. We coordinate every permit, inspection, and engineer review so your project doesn’t stall at the counter. Call (254) 272-5876 for a free estimate.
We’re not a corporate outfit parachuting in from somewhere else. We’re a General Contractor team that has done real work on Kensington’s streets, including a garage conversion on Kenyon Avenue that turned into a legal ADU after a soils test failed and forced new piers. That kind of local experience matters here. A flatland contractor who’s never dealt with Kensington’s sloped clay will quote you a number that doesn’t survive first contact with the building department.
Why Sawyer Remodeling Is Kensington’s Preferred General Contractor Company
Kensington homeowners keep our number because we put the price in writing and keep them informed at every step. No vague “we’ll see when we open the walls.” No invoice that looks nothing like the estimate. Every project runs under The Relay Visibility Guarantee: a live arrival time, photo updates before and after each phase, and a written price before a single tool is picked up.
Luca Romano leads our Kensington work. When you call, you get a live person, 24/7. When we send a crew, they’re background-checked and uniformed, and you’ll know exactly who’s walking into your home before they arrive. When the job is done, the 365-Day Done Right Promise backs it in writing: if it’s not done right, we make it right.
That matters in a place like Kensington, where older 1920s and 1950s homes hide surprises behind plaster walls and under crawl spaces. We’ve learned to look for the things that bite: outdated knob-and-tube wiring, undersized framing, foundations that were never engineered for a second story. You find General Contractor in Kensington work is different from flatland cities. We know that going in.
Styles & brands we work with
General Contractor Services in Kensington
General Contractor Services in Kensington means coordinating the whole job: plans, permits, demo, framing, rough-in, finishes, inspections, and final sign-off. You’re not hiring a handyman. You’re hiring someone who manages the schedule, the subs, the material deliveries, and the building department, so you don’t have to. In Kensington, a kitchen remodel runs $14,000 to $45,000; a bathroom remodel runs $9,000 to $28,000.
Kitchen and Bath Remodels
A Kensington kitchen remodel usually means pulling out a 1950s layout, rewiring, plumbing for new fixtures, and rebuilding with materials that can handle the humidity swings that come off the bay. We quote cabinet installation at $4,000 to $13,000, countertop installation at $2,000 to $6,500, and backsplash installation at $800 to $2,500. We stock and order from name-brand suppliers including KraftMaid and Cambria, so your materials have manufacturer backing behind the install.
A small bathroom remodel in Kensington runs $5,000 to $12,000; a walk-in shower installation runs $4,500 to $12,000. That includes waterproofing done right, Schluter edge trim (the metal strip that waterproofs where your tile meets the floor), and fixtures from Kohler, Moen, or Grohe. We don’t use mystery suppliers, and we don’t bury the price.
Room Additions and ADUs on Hillside Lots
Room additions in Kensington carry a different risk profile than in Berkeley or Albany. You’re almost certainly on a sloped lot with expansive clay, which means the foundation design matters more than the framing. A home addition here runs $45,000 to $130,000, and an ADU runs $90,000 to $220,000. If your property needs a soils report, we’ll get it ordered before we pour anything. That’s not an optional step in Kensington.
What happens when you call
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A real person answersNo phone trees - you reach a local pro.
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You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched.
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A background-checked tech heads outLicensed & insured, dispatched right away.
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You approve before work beginsNothing starts until you say go.
Construction Company in Kensington
As a Construction Company in Kensington, our job is to take your project from idea to signed permit to finished space without you having to manage trades yourself. That means ordering the geotechnical review, scheduling electrical and plumbing rough-in inspections, and making sure every stage passes the City of Kensington’s hillside requirements. We pull permits, we coordinate with the engineer, and we don’t start framing until the building department says go.
Garage Conversions and Seismic Retrofit
We recently completed a garage conversion on Kenyon Avenue where the original slab-on-grade foundation failed a soils test, forcing us to excavate and pour new piers before framing. That was a $12,000 change order the homeowner approved in writing after we walked them through the engineer’s report. The final converted space, finished with KraftMaid cabinetry and a custom Cambria countertop for a kitchenette, passed all inspection sign-offs and became a legal ADU. That’s how The Relay Standard works: you see the engineer’s report, you approve the change in writing, and you’re never surprised at the invoice. Garage conversions in Kensington run $30,000 to $80,000.
Exterior and Hardscape Work
Some Kensington projects involve the outside of the home as much as the inside. Paver driveway installation runs $7,000 to $18,000, concrete driveway installation runs $4,500 to $12,000, and driveway sealing runs $250 to $700. If you’re replacing a roof along with a remodel, roof replacement runs $8,000 to $20,000 and roof repair runs $400 to $1,800. We use GAF, CertainTeed, and Owens Corning roofing; James Hardie siding. Name-brand, with the manufacturer backing the install.
Trusted Brands We Service in Kensington
We work with premium material partners across the full remodel so Kensington homeowners choose from proven brands, not mystery suppliers. Countertops come from Cambria, Silestone, and Caesarstone. Fixtures come from Kohler, Moen, and Grohe. Cabinetry comes from KraftMaid and Wellborn. Exteriors use GAF, CertainTeed, Owens Corning, and James Hardie. We keep common fasteners, flashing, and trim stock available for Kensington projects, so a misordered part doesn’t stall framing for a week. When a local supplier is out of stock, our relationships with Bay Area distributors usually get us what we need within a couple of days.
See the difference
Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterCommon General Contractor Problems We See in Kensington Homes
- Skipping the soils report on sloped clay lots. Most Kensington home additions and ADUs sit on expansive clay that moves with the seasons, and a foundation that isn’t engineered for it will crack. We order the geotechnical report before we pour anything.
- Underestimating the cost of code compliance in older homes. 1920s and 1950s Kensington homes frequently need seismic upgrades, panel replacements, and full re-wiring during a remodel. If it’s not in the first quote, it becomes a change order later.
- Applying for permits without coordinating the hillside reviews. The City of Kensington requires geotechnical and drainage review for sloped properties. If those aren’t scheduled in the right order, you can lose months waiting on a desk review.
- Mismatched material deliveries on narrow streets. Kensington’s winding roads and tight driveways make large deliveries harder than flatland cities. We coordinate deliveries for smaller trucks or scheduled drops so materials don’t block the street.
Pricing for General Contractor in Kensington, CA
| Project | Kensington Price Range |
|---|---|
| Kitchen Remodel | $14,000 – $45,000 |
| Bathroom Remodel | $9,000 – $28,000 |
| Home Addition | $45,000 – $130,000 |
| ADU Construction | $90,000 – $220,000 |
| Garage Conversion | $30,000 – $80,000 |
What changes the price? Soils reports and foundation engineering, code upgrades on older homes, and material selections. We show you every line item before any work starts. Call (254) 272-5876 for a free estimate, and we’ll put the number in writing.
We Also Serve Cities Near Kensington
When a project takes us beyond Kensington, we serve Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, and San Francisco through our Bay Area office dispatch. Most of our Kensington clients come from the East Bay hills and surrounding neighborhoods. If you’re unsure whether we cover your street, call us.
Serving Kensington, CA - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Kensington area and know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage - if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
FAQs About General Contractor in Kensington
Do I need a soils report for a room addition or ADU in Kensington?
Yes, on most hillside lots in Kensington you need a soils report before the city will approve a room addition or ADU permit. The expansive clay that underlies much of Kensington moves with seasonal moisture, and the building department requires foundation engineering based on the geotechnical findings. We order the soils report early so your schedule doesn’t stall. Call (254) 272-5876 and we’ll tell you whether your specific lot triggers the requirement.
How long does a typical kitchen or bathroom remodel take in Kensington?
A kitchen remodel in Kensington usually runs 6 to 12 weeks; a bathroom remodel runs 3 to 8 weeks. Hillside permitting and any required foundation work can add a few weeks if you’re changing the footprint. We give you a written schedule before work starts, and photo updates along the way so you’re never guessing.
What permits and inspections apply to a general contractor project in Kensington?
Most general contractor work in Kensington requires a building permit, plus electrical, plumbing, and mechanical permits if those systems are touched. Sloped properties also require geotechnical and drainage review through the City of Kensington. We pull every permit, schedule every inspection, and you get the final sign-off in writing.
What’s included in a typical Kensington general contractor estimate, and what can change the price?
Our written estimate includes all labor, materials, permits, dump fees, and finishing. The main things that change a price once work starts are hidden conditions: failed soils tests, old wiring, seismic deficiencies, or rot behind walls. We show you the engineer’s report and get your written approval before any change order moves forward. Call (254) 272-5876 for an exact quote, free.
Can you handle a garage conversion or ADU in Kensington that meets city requirements?
Yes. We’ve converted garages on Kenyon Avenue and other Kensington streets into legal ADUs with kitchenettes, baths, and proper egress, all passing city inspection. The process includes a soils report, foundation work if the slab fails, and full electrical and plumbing sign-off. We know the Kensington hillside code path well enough to keep the project moving.
Written by Luca Romano, Owner at Sawyer Remodeling, serving Kensington and the East Bay hills since 2005.
Call (254) 272-5876 today to schedule your free estimate. We’ll answer in person, put the price in writing, and send a background-checked, uniformed crew you’ll recognize at the door.
