# Kitchen and Bath Remodeling FAQ | Dollhouse Construction

- Business: Dollhouse Construction Inc (CSLB #1045801)
- Phone: (626) 991-8219
- Page: https://dollhouseconstruction.com/faq/
- Last updated: 2026-10-09 (generated from the live site copy at build time)

> Straight answers on remodel permits, timelines, estimates, payments and what to expect, from a San Dimas kitchen and bath remodeler. CSLB #1045801.

Questions

# Kitchen and bath remodeling questions, answered

Short answers, with a link to the long version. Still stuck? Call Dallas.

[Call Dallas: (626) 991-8219](tel:+16269918219)

[Free estimate](https://dollhouseconstruction.com/free-estimate/)

## Estimates

Do I need a plan or a budget before I call?
No. Call with a question or a rough idea. Dallas will help you shape it. A question isn't a commitment. [How the process starts](https://dollhouseconstruction.com/how-we-work/)

What's in your quote?
It's written, itemized and fixed-price: the work by phase, the materials, what's included and what isn't, and the payment schedule. [How pricing works](https://dollhouseconstruction.com/how-we-work/)

Who will get back to me?
Dallas or his team will reach out to you directly, at the phone number you give us. When you call, you reach the owner. [Request an estimate](https://dollhouseconstruction.com/free-estimate/)

## Costs and payments

How much does a kitchen or bathroom remodel cost?
It depends on layout, materials and what's behind the walls, so we don't post prices. After seeing your project, you get one fixed price in writing. [What moves the price](https://dollhouseconstruction.com/how-we-work/)

How much of a down payment can a contractor ask for?
California generally limits a down payment on a home improvement contract to $1,000 or 10% of the contract amount, whichever is less (Business and Professions Code section 7159.5). [Your money, explained](https://dollhouseconstruction.com/how-we-work/)

Why is the down payment so small?
California generally limits a down payment on a home improvement contract to $1,000 or 10% of the contract amount, whichever is less (Business and Professions Code section 7159.5). The limit protects you from paying a big deposit up front. After that, payments follow finished work. [Your money, explained](https://dollhouseconstruction.com/how-we-work/)

When do I pay the rest?
Payments are tied to work completed, not the calendar. Your written contract lays out the payment schedule before you sign. [Your money, explained](https://dollhouseconstruction.com/how-we-work/)

Will there be surprise fees?
The quote is fixed. It changes only when the job changes, and only in writing with your OK first. [One written price](https://dollhouseconstruction.com/how-we-work/)

## Changes and surprises

What is a change order?
A written change to your contract: what's changing, the price and the schedule effect. California requires signed change orders. No changed work starts until you sign. [Change orders, fairly](https://dollhouseconstruction.com/how-we-work/)

What if you open a wall and find a problem?
We stop, photograph it, show you, and give you options with prices. Whatever you pick is written up as a change order before we act. [When a wall opens up](https://dollhouseconstruction.com/how-we-work/)

Can I change my mind in the middle?
Yes, through a change order: written, priced and signed by you before the work. [Change orders, fairly](https://dollhouseconstruction.com/how-we-work/)

## Permits and inspections

Do I need a permit to remodel a kitchen or bathroom?
Often yes. In San Dimas you need one to add or remove walls, install or replace windows, or do plumbing or electrical work (minor fixture repairs excepted). Swapping switches and outlets doesn't need one. Check your city. [How a remodel works](https://dollhouseconstruction.com/how-we-work/)

Do all cities work the same way?
Roughly. Cosmetic swaps are usually exempt, while moving plumbing, adding circuits or changing walls needs a permit. Each city decides its own rules. [Where we work](https://dollhouseconstruction.com/service-area/)

Is lead paint a problem in my older house?
Homes built before 1978 may have lead paint. Federal EPA rules require a certified firm for paid work that disturbs it. [What we do about surprises](https://dollhouseconstruction.com/how-we-work/)

## Timelines

What delays a remodel?
Hidden conditions behind walls, permit and inspection timing, and special-order materials are the usual causes. [How a remodel works](https://dollhouseconstruction.com/how-we-work/)

## Design and materials

Do you do the design?
Yes. Design is in-house, so the layout, the structure and the permits are one coordinated plan. [How the design step works](https://dollhouseconstruction.com/how-we-work/)

Can I see looks before I commit?
Yes. The mood-board builder lets you pick looks for a kitchen or bath and email the board to yourself. It's not a quote: the written quote is. [Open the builder](https://dollhouseconstruction.com/kitchen-bath-remodeling/)

## About us and license

Are you licensed?
Yes. Dollhouse Construction Inc., California license #1045801. You can check it yourself at cslb.ca.gov. [About Dollhouse](https://dollhouseconstruction.com/about/)

Do I need a licensed contractor at all?
In California, home improvement work over $1,000 in labor and materials requires a licensed contractor. Check any contractor at cslb.ca.gov before you sign. [About Dollhouse](https://dollhouseconstruction.com/about/)

Who do I actually talk to?
Dallas, the owner. Call (626) 991-8219. [Meet Dallas](https://dollhouseconstruction.com/about/)

Where do you work?
Based in San Dimas, we take projects up to about 100 miles out depending on the scope. Not sure if we reach your address? Ask. [Service area](https://dollhouseconstruction.com/service-area/)

What other work do you do besides kitchens and baths?
Whole-home remodeling, ADUs and additions, outdoor living spaces, custom cabinets and millwork, flooring and tile, and exteriors. [See our services](https://dollhouseconstruction.com/)

No questions match that.
Try a different word, or ask the owner directly.

[Call (626) 991-8219](tel:+16269918219)

[Send a note](https://dollhouseconstruction.com/free-estimate/)

Still stuck?

## Ask the owner.

Call (626) 991-8219 or send a note. A question isn't a commitment.

[Call Dallas](tel:+16269918219)

[Get a free estimate](https://dollhouseconstruction.com/free-estimate/)

## Next step

- Free estimate: https://dollhouseconstruction.com/free-estimate/
- Call (626) 991-8219 (Dallas, the owner)
- All files for AI assistants: https://dollhouseconstruction.com/llms.txt