Design and layout first
Traffic paths, work triangle, storage, and appliance specs drive everything downstream. A week of layout thinking saves a month of field changes.
Order long-lead items
Cabinets (4–10 weeks), stone slabs, and special-order fixtures get ordered before demolition. The demo date is chosen by the delivery date, not hope.
Demo, rough trades, inspections
Walls open, plumbing and electrical roughed, gas and venting corrected — then inspected before insulation closes anything.
Drywall, floors, cabinets
Paint-ready walls, then flooring, then cabinet installation. Setting cabinets on finished floors protects the finish and is the standard we follow.
Template and set stone
Stone fabricators template from installed cabinets. Countertops land one to two weeks later, and the sink, faucet, and backsplash follow in strict order.
Finish and walkthrough
Lighting, hardware, appliance hookup, and a joint punch walkthrough. The kitchen you cook in that weekend is the one we inspected the day before.
Mistakes that stall kitchen projects
Ordering cabinets after demo, choosing the sink after countertops are templated, swapping appliance models mid-project — cutout dimensions differ — and leaving lighting decisions until drywall is up. Every one of these is avoidable with a written sequence and a selections deadline, which is exactly what our kitchen estimates include.
Use this before you sign anything
The point of a guide like this is to make your first contractor conversation a sharper one. You should be able to ask which permit path applies, what sequence the work follows, and what assumptions the price rests on — and get a straight answer instead of a sales one. Bring this checklist to any estimate, ours or a competitor’s, and compare the answers rather than the totals. Where your parcel, jurisdiction, or house differs from the general case, the guide says so rather than pretending one rule fits every lot; that is exactly when a free site visit beats another paragraph of reading. Ofir Construction Inc. has run these projects from the same Winnetka shop for twenty years, and if your situation sits outside what is written here, call (747) 203-9716 or email us — we will walk your property at no charge anywhere in our service area.
Common questions
Can I keep my old fridge through a remodel?
Usually yes — we plan clear paths and protection. Plan appliance dimensions early anyway; a new fridge that doesn't fit the alcove is the classic kitchen regret.
Should flooring go under cabinets?
Our standard: flooring runs under cabinet toe-kicks for a clean, future-proof install. It's a detail worth agreeing on before cabinet day.
How long will I be without a working kitchen?
Most kitchens are functional again within six to ten weeks of demo. We sequence plumbing so water stays on as long as possible, and many clients set up a temporary pantry and coffee station in the meantime.
Is an island always worth it?
If the kitchen is roughly 13 feet wide or more, usually yes — with clearances checked first. In narrower rooms, a peninsula or a rolling cart often serves better. We measure before recommending, not after.
Related guides and services
- How to Hire a Licensed Contractor in California — The five-step California checklist: verify the CSLB license, compare bids on one scope, re…
- Hillside and Brush-Zone Remodeling — Remodeling in very high fire hazard severity zones: Class-A roofing, ember-resistant venti…
- Kitchen Remodeling — cabinet-and-countertop rebuilds, islands, and full reconfigurations that open cramped mid-century plans.
- General contractor in Winnetka — our home city
- General contractor in Chatsworth
Questions about your own project?
Guides are general — your parcel, your permit office, and your house have specifics. Call Ofir Construction Inc. at (747) 203-9716 or email OfirConstruction@gmail.com and we'll walk your property free of charge anywhere in our service area. Licensed, CSLB #1036242 — verify us at cslb.ca.gov.