Free written scope consultation - allowances, timeline, and change-order rules on paper before a single trade is scheduled
Trusted General Contractor for Orange County Homeowners
Hiring a general contractor in Orange County usually means one thing went wrong before: a verbal quote that doubled after demo day, a crew that stopped answering, or a shower pan that leaked again by spring. Penhallow Remodeling puts the number and the guarantee in writing before a single cabinet is pulled. Kitchen remodels here run $14,000 – $45,000, bathrooms $9,000 – $28,000, and every project carries the 365-Day Done Right Promise, which says plainly that if the work fails inside a year, we come back and fix it at no charge. Trevor Nash leads our Orange County team. Call (424) 541-1701 for a written price.
Key Takeaways
- Written price before any work starts, not a verbal ballpark.
- 365-Day Done Right Promise on every project, in writing.
- Background-checked, uniformed crews. You know who is walking in.
- A live person answers the phone 24/7, including holidays.
Construction Company
A construction company is the firm that coordinates the trades, materials, permits, and schedule on a remodeling or building project, and in Orange County that coordination is what prevents a six-week kitchen from becoming a six-month one. Penhallow Remodeling Orange County handles kitchens, bathrooms, and whole-home remodels with a written price first. A small kitchen remodel in this market runs $9,000 – $20,000, while a full kitchen typically lands between $14,000 and $45,000 depending on cabinet line, countertop material, and whether walls move. Home additions are the biggest variable, ranging $45,000 – $130,000 based on footprint, foundation work, and finish level.
What the Kingswell Standard Covers
Every Penhallow project follows The Kingswell Way, established in 2004: say the price before the work, show up in the window we gave, and leave the place cleaner than we found it. That standard applies whether we are setting a Cambria quartz island or replacing a bathroom vanity. The written guarantee travels with the job, not the salesperson.
When a Homeowner Actually Needs This
You need a construction company when the job touches more than one trade: plumbing, electrical, framing, finish work. A homeowner in Tustin who tries to run that alone is managing four schedules and three sets of excuses, which is why many turn to a General Contractor in Tustin. We run it as one schedule with one point of contact.
Styles & brands we work with
Remodeling Contractor
A remodeling contractor is the person you call when a space works poorly and you want it rebuilt, not patched, and the difference between a good one and a burned homeowner in Orange County is usually whether the price was written down before the first swing of a hammer. Penhallow Remodeling Orange County prices kitchens at $14,000 – $45,000, bathrooms at $9,000 – $28,000, and walk-in shower installations at $4,500 – $12,000. Smaller scope work carries smaller numbers: a backsplash is $800 – $2,500, a vanity install $800 – $3,000. Every figure is written, and the written figure is the invoice figure.
Materials That Support the Guarantee
We install KraftMaid and Wellborn cabinetry, Cambria and Silestone countertops, Kohler and Moen fixtures, and James Hardie siding, because a guarantee is only as strong as the product behind it. Cambria quartz, for example, carries its own lifetime warranty that runs alongside our 365-Day Done Right Promise. You get two layers of protection on the same countertop.
Where Remodels Tend to Go Wrong
In older Orange County homes, the surprise is usually what is behind the wall: corroded galvanized supply lines, out-of-code electrical, or water-damaged studs from a slow leak. We flag those before we price, not after. A written price that ignores hidden conditions is not a price; it is a guess with a change-order waiting.
Licensed General Contractor
A licensed general contractor is a contractor who holds state licensing and pulls permits when the work requires them, and in Orange County that license is the first thing a homeowner should verify before signing anything. Penhallow Remodeling is state-licensed and insured, and we pull permits for structural changes, electrical work, and plumbing relocations. The cost picture does not change because of licensing; a licensed GC runs the same ranges: $14,000 – $45,000 for a kitchen, $9,000 – $28,000 for a bathroom, $45,000 – $130,000 for an addition. What changes is who answers when the inspector has a question.
Permits and Inspections, Explained
A permit is not bureaucracy; it is a record that the work was inspected against code. In cities like Irvine and Newport Beach, unpermitted work becomes a problem when you sell the house, so working with a General Contractor in Irvine who handles permits properly matters. We schedule the inspection, meet the inspector, and keep the paperwork with the job file.
The Difference Between Licensed and “Handyman”
A handyman can hang a door. A licensed general contractor can move that door, reframe the opening, reconnect the electrical that ran through the old wall, and sign for the work. The license is the part that makes the guarantee enforceable, and it is the part that protects you when a subcontractor does not finish.
Residential General Contractor
A residential general contractor specializes in homes rather than commercial buildings, which matters in Orange County because home remodels carry different rules: HOA approvals in planned communities like Ladera Ranch, setback requirements in older neighborhoods, and the simple fact that you live in the house while we work in it. Penhallow Remodeling Orange County works exclusively on residential projects, from a $3,000 cabinet installation to a $90,000 – $220,000 ADU construction. The job site is your home, so the crew standard is higher: background-checked, uniformed, and mindful of the fact that your kids still need breakfast.
Living Through a Remodel, Minimally Disrupted
We contain dust with zip walls, protect floors with ram board, and keep a defined path from the work area to the exit. The crew cleans at the end of every day, not just the last one. That is a Kingswell standard, not a courtesy.
Whole-Home Projects and Phasing
When a homeowner in Fullerton wants both bathrooms and the kitchen redone, we phase the work so one bathroom stays functional. The written price covers the phases, so you know the total before phase one starts. Nothing about the number drifts because we get tired of the project.
Hire a General Contractor
When you hire a general contractor, you are hiring one accountable person instead of five separate trades, and in Orange County the accountability question is the one that separates a $45,000 kitchen that finishes from one that does not. Penhallow Remodeling Orange County gives you Trevor Nash as your point of contact, a written price before work starts, and a written guarantee on the finished job. Kitchen remodels run $14,000 – $45,000; bathrooms $9,000 – $28,000. The number you sign is the number you pay, unless you change the scope.
Questions to Ask Before You Sign
Ask for the price in writing before demo starts. Ask what happens if a cabinet door is cracked on delivery or a tile cracks six months in. Ask who answers the phone when the crew is gone. A contractor who hesitates on any of those is telling you something.
What Penhallow Does Differently
We answer the phone 24/7 with a live person. We write the price before we start. And if the work fails inside a year, we return and fix it without a service call fee or a re-inspection charge. That is the 365-Day Done Right Promise, and it is in the contract, not the brochure.
General Contractor Services
General contractor services cover the full scope of a residential remodel: demolition, framing, rough-in plumbing and electrical, drywall, tile, cabinetry, countertops, fixtures, and final inspection. Penhallow Remodeling Orange County provides those services for kitchens and bathrooms primarily, plus whole-home remodels that roll several scopes into one schedule. Pricing follows the work: countertop installation $2,000 – $6,500, kitchen island installation $3,000 – $10,000, tub-to-shower conversion $3,500 – $10,000. Each item is priced in writing before any work begins.
Kitchen Remodeling by the Numbers
A small kitchen remodel in Costa Mesa or our General Contractor in Orange runs $9,000 – $20,000 when the footprint stays and the finishes change. A full kitchen with layout changes, new cabinetry, and stone counters lands closer to $45,000. The driver is always cabinet line and countertop material, not contractor mood.
Bathroom Work That Stays Dry
Bathroom remodels in Orange County run $9,000 – $28,000, with walk-in showers at $4,500 – $12,000 and tub-to-shower conversions at $3,500 – $10,000. The waterproofing system matters more than the tile. We use cement board substrate, the moisture-resistant layer behind your tile, and a waterproof membrane that keeps water where it belongs.
What happens when you call
- 1
A real person answersNo phone trees - you reach a local pro.
- 2
You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched.
- 3
A background-checked tech heads outLicensed & insured, dispatched right away.
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You approve before work beginsNothing starts until you say go.
Brands We Service
We install and service Quikrete and Sakrete products on projects that involve concrete work, from driveways to patio slabs to the bases under paver installations. Quikrete’s fast-setting mixes are useful when we pour a small pad for a kitchen island support or a shower base; Sakrete’s high-strength mixes handle structural applications where the load matters. Both brands are reliable when mixed correctly, and our crews know the water ratios and cure times that keep a slab from cracking.
We also work with Abodu and Cover on ADU projects, where the structure arrives as a manufactured unit and we handle site preparation, utility connections, and finish work. An ADU in Aliso Viejo or Rancho Santa Margarita typically runs $90,000 – $220,000 depending on unit size, foundation type, and utility trenching. Whether you have Abodu, Cover, or any other ADU system, we can handle the site work and finish scope.
See the difference
Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterSigns You Need a Pro Right Now
- Water stains on the ceiling below a bathroom. This usually means a shower pan or supply line is leaking, and the rot is advancing while you look at the stain. A contractor can open the ceiling, find the source, and repair the waterproofing before the joists need replacement.
- Cracks in the drywall above door frames and windows. In Orange County, where soil movement is common, these can be settling or they can be structural. Temporary cracks get cosmetic treatment; structural ones need a licensed set of eyes before anyone patches anything.
- The existing kitchen had a “quick flip” remodel. New cabinets over old electrical, stone counters on unleveled boxes, and a layout that traps the refrigerator door. These jobs cost more to fix than they saved, and a real remodel starts with addressing what the last guy skipped.
- Mold smell in the bathroom that cleaners cannot kill. That smell is coming from behind the tile or under the floor, and cleaning the surface will not touch it. The fix involves removing the affected substrate, treating the framing, and rebuilding the waterproofing properly.
- You are planning an ADU or addition and the bids are all over the map. A $40,000 spread between bids means the scope is not defined the same way across contractors. You need one written scope and one written price, from someone who will pull the permits and stand behind the work.
Our Process, Step by Step
Step 1: The walkthrough. Trevor Nash or a senior project lead walks the space with you, takes measurements, and asks what the remodel needs to solve. We look at the electrical panel, the water supply, and the existing framing, because the hidden conditions drive the real price.
Step 2: The written price. Within a few days, you get a written scope of work and a written price. Not a range, not a verbal ballpark. The number includes labor, materials, permits, and disposal. If you want to adjust the cabinet line or countertop material, we reprice before you sign, not after.
Step 3: Schedule and arrival window. We give you a start date and a defined arrival window, and we hold it. The crew shows up in uniform, background-checked, and introduces themselves by name. You will know who is in your home every day of the project.
Step 4: The build. Demolition is contained, materials are protected, and the site is cleaned at the end of every day. We handle permits and inspections, and we walk you through the rough-in stage before drywall closes anything up, so you can see the plumbing and electrical work that will be hidden.
Step 5: Walkthrough and written guarantee. We walk the finished space together, and you get the 365-Day Done Right Promise in writing. If anything fails inside that year, we return and fix it at no charge. No service call, no re-inspection fee, no argument about whose fault it is.
How Much Does General Contractor Cost in Orange County?
A typical kitchen remodel in Orange County runs $14,000 – $45,000 depending on layout changes, cabinet line, and countertop material. Bathrooms run $9,000 – $28,000, with smaller bathrooms (powder rooms, guest baths) at $5,000 – $12,000. Home additions are the biggest single project, at $45,000 – $130,000, while ADU construction runs $90,000 – $220,000. The specific numbers for common scopes: cabinet installation $4,000 – $13,000, countertop installation $2,000 – $6,500, backsplash $800 – $2,500, kitchen island $3,000 – $10,000, walk-in shower $4,500 – $12,000, tub-to-shower conversion $3,500 – $10,000, shower replacement $3,000 – $8,500, bathroom vanity $800 – $3,000.
What affects the price: whether walls move, what is behind those walls (galvanized pipe, knob-and-tube wiring, water damage), the cabinet and countertop lines you choose, and whether the permit requires engineering. A $20,000 kitchen and a $45,000 kitchen can have the same footprint; the difference is plywood versus particle board, stone versus laminate, custom versus stock cabinetry.
How to avoid overpaying: get the scope in writing before the price means anything. Two bids that are $30,000 apart are usually not measuring the same job. And ask what happens when a problem is discovered behind the wall. A contractor who prices hidden conditions honestly will tell you those are change orders; a contractor who swears the price will never move is guessing.
A free estimate from Penhallow Remodeling Orange County includes the walkthrough, the measurements, and the written number. Call (424) 541-1701 to schedule yours.
Our Service Area Near Orange County
Penhallow Remodeling serves homeowners across Orange County, from Irvine and Fullerton to Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Orange, Tustin, Aliso Viejo, Rancho Santa Margarita, Stanton, Ladera Ranch, and San Juan Capistrano. If you are planning a General Contractor in Irvine project or need a General Contractor in Fullerton, our team covers those cities with the same written-price standard. For the full scope of what we do, start with our General Contractor in Orange County overview or return to the home page to see every service we offer.
Serving Orange County, CA - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Orange County area and know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage - if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
Frequently Asked Questions About General Contractor in Orange County
A general contractor is the licensed professional who manages and performs a remodeling or construction project from start to finish, coordinating trades, pulling permits, and being the single accountable party for the work. In Orange County, homeowners hire a GC when the project involves multiple trades or structural changes that require inspections. Penhallow Remodeling handles kitchen and bathroom remodels, whole-home remodels, and ADU projects. Call (424) 541-1701 for a written estimate.
Most kitchen remodels in Orange County take 4 – 8 weeks from demo to final walkthrough, while bathrooms run 2 – 5 weeks depending on scope. Whole-home remodels and ADUs can take 3 – 6 months, driven by permit review times and structural work. We give you a written schedule with your written price, so you know the timeline before the first wall is opened.
Kitchen remodels run $14,000 – $45,000, bathrooms $9,000 – $28,000, home additions $45,000 – $130,000, and ADU construction $90,000 – $220,000. Smaller scopes like backsplashes ($800 – $2,500) and vanity installs ($800 – $3,000) carry smaller numbers. The exact figure depends on materials, hidden conditions, and scope, which is why our written price comes after a walkthrough. Call (424) 541-1701 for a free estimate with exact numbers.
Yes. We handle site preparation, foundation work, utility connections, and finish scope for Abodu and Cover ADU projects across Orange County. ADU construction here typically runs $90,000 – $220,000 depending on site conditions and unit size. We coordinate with the manufacturer’s installation team so the project moves on one schedule.
A live person answers our phone 24/7, including nights and weekends, so you can reach a real human when a pipe lets go above the kitchen or a shower pan fails. We will walk you through immediate steps and schedule a visit. The 365-Day Done Right Promise means if our work fails inside a year, we return and fix it without a service call fee.
Every project carries the 365-Day Done Right Promise, written into the contract: if the work fails inside a year, we come back and fix it at no charge. That includes a free second visit if a repair fails, with no service call or re-inspection fee. Product warranties from brands like Cambria and KraftMaid run alongside ours, so you get layered protection.
Clear the work area of personal items, decide where you will live or cook during the project, and gather any HOA requirements if you live in a planned community like Ladera Ranch or Rancho Santa Margarita. For a complete guide, see our General Contractor Maintenance Checklist for Orange County Homeowners. We handle dust containment, floor protection, and daily cleanup. The walkthrough with Trevor Nash will cover everything specific to your home before the written price is issued.
Schedule Your General Contractor Service in Orange County Today
If you are ready for a kitchen, bathroom, or whole-home remodel with a written price and a written guarantee, call Penhallow Remodeling Orange County at (424) 541-1701. We will schedule the walkthrough, give you the number in writing, and stand behind the work for a year. A live person answers 24/7, so the call never goes to voicemail.
Written by Trevor Nash, Owner at Penhallow Remodeling Orange County, serving Orange County homeowners with written prices and the 365-Day Done Right Promise.
