Kitchen Remodelingin Highland, CA
A kitchen remodel in Highland needs no permit for cabinets, countertops, tile or painting, but removing or replacing sinks, electrical items or drywall does, and the City's own pages disagree about like-for-like sink swaps. Moving an outlet needs a permit. Ask the Building & Safety counter before work starts, because the exempt and permit lists pull in different directions.
Highland kitchens mostly belong to the 1980s and after. The Land Use Element says the big tracts east of City Creek came with the East Highlands Ranch planned community in that decade, and Highland incorporated in November 1987. ACS 2020 to 2024 estimates count 16,795 housing units, 75.2 percent of them single-family detached, with 8,992 built from 1980 through 2009 and 7,358 built before 1980. About 35.9 percent of occupied homes are rented, and the median owner-occupied home is worth $485,600, so a kitchen original to a home from 1980 through 2009 is 17 to 46 years old.
On a kitchen job, MDG Builders (CSLB #1040337) acts as the general contractor: we define the scope, ask the counter which permits the plan needs and sequence the trades, with a licensed subcontractor on each of plumbing, electrical, cabinets and tile. The kitchen remodeling page holds our sourced cost tiers, the Highland overview lists every trade we manage here, and the San Bernardino and Rialto guides show how two neighbors handle the same work. The City's Building & Safety Division issues permits. The City's pages opened for us, but its Municipal Code link returned an access error, so code sections below come from GoCodebook, a third-party mirror dated October 4, 2026, and the City has the final word.
What Highland's permit exceptions, Policy 200 and Policy 330 say about kitchens
Where kitchen remodeling permits come from in Highland: City of Highland Building & Safety Division.
- Kitchen remodels: cabinets, countertops, painting and tile are permit-exempt finish work on the Permit Exceptions page, but the same page requires a permit for removing or replacing sinks, electrical items or drywall, and separately says a like-for-like replacement of sinks, garbage disposals or dishwashers is exempt if no valves, pipes or fixtures are replaced or rearranged; because the two statements pull in different directions, ask the counter before starting.
- Kitchen walls: Policy 330 (April 2019) allows moisture-resistant gypsum board (green or purple board) for kitchen and sink backsplashes and for dry or temporary damp walls, and approves cementitious backer boards and other backers with water barriers for wet areas.
- Electrical and plumbing work in a kitchen: the City's Homeowner Permit Tips bulletin says moving or adding an outlet needs a permit, replacing a water heater or adding a permanently wired light fixture needs a permit, and replacing faucets does not normally need one; Policy 200 requires a 1 inch future conduit from the electrical service to the attic and a second under the service panel on residential electrical installations, so ask whether a service upgrade triggers it.
- Kitchens in rentals: residential rentals must carry a business license certificate backed by a self-certification checklist and a right-of-way inspection, so permit-free cosmetic work in a rental still sits under the Rental Enhancement Program (Municipal Code 15.52). (GoCodebook mirror, text as of 2026-10-04).
Which kitchen work needs a permit in Highland, and why do the City's pages disagree about sinks?
Finish work is exempt. The City's Permit Exceptions page lists cabinets, countertops, painting and tile as work that needs no building permit, and the same page requires one for removing or replacing sinks, electrical items or drywall. Its plumbing list separately says a like-for-like replacement of sinks, garbage disposals or dishwashers is exempt if no valves, pipes or fixtures are replaced or rearranged. Those two statements pull in different directions, so a sink swap is a question for the counter, not for a contractor's memory.
The Permits page also names reroofing, electrical, plumbing and HVAC work, and renovations such as kitchen expansions, as permit work, and it says exempt work must still meet every technical code. Applications go through the City's permit portal, which is open at any time, and contractor declarations must be signed by the licensee or a person listed on the CSLB license.
Get the counter's answer on the sink in writing, by email.
How old is a Highland kitchen, and what is behind the cabinets of a 1980s tract home?
The 1980s are Highland's largest building decade, with 3,789 units, followed by 2,849 from the 1990s and 2,354 from the 2000s. Before them come 1,969 homes from the 1970s, 1,667 from the 1960s, 1,842 from the 1950s, 1,167 from the 1940s and 713 from 1939 or earlier, which is how 43.8 percent of units come to predate 1980. The old townsite around Palm Avenue and Base Line is zoned Village Residential to protect its historic character.
Age brings two hazards into a kitchen. EPA's lead-safe rule applies to paid work that disturbs paint in homes built before 1978, and the ACS table cannot separate 1978 from 1979, so we state no count. South Coast AQMD Rule 1403, amended October 5, 2007, sets notification, removal, handling and cleanup rules for renovation that disturbs asbestos-containing material. We could not tell from our reading whether one household's kitchen counts as a covered job, so ask the District before cabinets, flooring or textured ceilings come out of an older home.
Ask whether testing for lead and asbestos is in the scope.
What does moving an outlet, a light or a water heater require in a Highland kitchen?
The City's Homeowner Permit Tips bulletin, dated April 2017, says moving or adding an outlet needs a permit, replacing a water heater needs one and adding a permanently wired light fixture needs one, while replacing faucets does not normally need a permit. It is an older bulletin, so confirm it against the current counter answer. Inspections run Monday through Thursday and on alternate Fridays, with morning and afternoon blocks, and the permit holder must give adult access and keep the job card and approved plans on site.
Policy 200 adds a Highland-only wiring step. It requires a 1 inch future conduit from the electrical service to the attic and a second under the service panel on residential electrical installations, so ask whether a panel upgrade that comes with new kitchen circuits triggers it. Each conduit is a small line item, but it is the kind that appears on a plan check comment after the bid is signed.
Ask whether the new circuits need a panel upgrade.
Which wall board, backsplash and range hood rules apply to a Highland kitchen?
Policy 330, dated April 2019, allows moisture-resistant gypsum board, the green or purple kind, for kitchen and sink backsplashes and for dry or temporary damp walls, and it approves cementitious backer boards and other backers with water barriers for wet areas. That is friendlier than the same policy's shower-surround rule for bathrooms, where water-resistant gypsum is not permitted, so a contractor who works a bath and kitchen in one visit should keep the two straight.
Energy rules arrive with the 2025 codes. Municipal Code Title 15 adopts the 2025 California Energy Code through Ordinance 477. The Energy Commission's summary lists local mechanical exhaust in kitchens, field-verified range hood airflow and sound, wall dimmers on kitchen lighting except lighting built into the hood, and separate controls for under-cabinet lights. Section 150.2 was not among the pages we read, which leaves open how many of those items an alteration must meet, so ask the plan reviewer what plan check will test.
Ask the hood's airflow rating before the cabinets are ordered.
Can I take out a kitchen wall or add a bump-out on a Highland lot?
Planning looks first. The City's plan check page says every new structure goes through a Planning Division process and the Planning approval goes in with the plans. An addition needs three plan sets, two sets of reports such as soils, structural and truss calculations, Title 24 and a fire flow test report from East Valley Water District. R-1 standards set a 25 foot front setback, 5 and 10 foot interior side yards, a 20 foot rear yard and 40 percent maximum lot coverage, so a bump-out has to fit inside them.
The City says it requires fire sprinklers in all new structures and some additions, and its page does not define which additions trigger them, so ask Building & Safety. The plan check flow chart from December 2021 gives 10 business days for a first review and 5 for later ones, while the June 2023 Housing Element says a first plan check takes no more than two weeks. Treat both as targets, not guarantees. Highland designs to seismic design category D at minimum, so ask whether a wall removal needs an engineer's detail.
Ask Planning to confirm setbacks before a bump-out is drawn.
Can I remodel a kitchen in a Highland rental, condo or townhouse, and when can crews work?
Rentals add a layer. Under Municipal Code 15.52, a residential rental's business license certificate depends on an owner self-certification checklist and a City inspection photographed from the public right of way within two weeks, so permit-free cosmetic work still sits under that program. About 12.9 percent of Highland's units, 2,166, are in buildings of five or more units and another 3.8 percent are in buildings of two to four, so many remodels happen inside a shared building.
Construction hours are fixed by Municipal Code 15.48.020: no activity before 7:00 am or after 7:00 pm Monday through Saturday and none on City or federal holidays, and deliveries count. Owner-builders file a property owner package and a declaration, and an agent needs a notarized authorization. Ask your HOA or landlord about its own rules for elevator use, noise and debris, because the City's rules set only the minimum.
How much does a kitchen renovation cost in Highland, and how do I choose a contractor?
We found no Highland price survey, so these are Los Angeles and national figures. Remodeling magazine's Cost vs. Value 2025 report, published September 18, 2025, gives Los Angeles costs of $29,765 for a midrange minor kitchen, $86,214 for a midrange major remodel and $171,369 for an upscale major one. On Thumbtack's Los Angeles page, last updated July 13, 2026, kitchen jobs run $12,471 to $40,909. The 2026 Houzz and Home study of 10,176 renovating homeowners puts the national median at $24,000, with $20,000 for minor jobs and $55,000 for major ones. Against Highland's Census median home value of $485,600, the $86,214 major remodel is about 18 percent, though that sets a Los Angeles cost beside a Highland price. For planning we use roughly $25,000 to $45,000 for a refresh with nothing moved, $45,000 to $90,000 for new cabinets, counters and appliances in the same layout and $90,000 to $170,000 and up for upscale finishes or a new layout.
A kitchen draws on several licenses: plumbing C-36, electrical C-10, cabinets C-6, drywall C-9 and tile C-54. Business and Professions Code sections 7159 and 7159.5 cap a down payment at $1,000 or 10 percent of the contract price, whichever is smaller, and bar collecting payment ahead of finished work. The California kitchen cost guide and the kitchen permit guide, which covers Los Angeles rules, give more context.
Kitchen photos from Highland and nearby communities
Kitchen scenes tied to Highland places such as East Highlands Ranch, Molino, Warm Springs and the Historic Village District, and to nearby communities such as Redlands, Loma Linda, San Bernardino and Colton, from demolition and framing to cabinets, hoods and finished islands.
Where these Highland kitchen figures come from
The kitchen remodeling page shows each cost tier with its source and the figures that disagree. A kitchen often shares a schedule with exterior work, and the Highland rules for that are on the roofing page, the fencing page and the painting page. For a big city with a different permit ladder, compare the guide for Los Angeles.
| What it covers | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Refresh in the same layout: new counters, sink, lighting, hardware, paint and limited cabinet work | $25,000 to $45,000 |
| Full remodel in the same layout: new cabinets, counters, appliances, flooring and lighting | $45,000 to $90,000 |
| Upscale remodel or layout change: custom cabinets, premium appliances, a moved wall, relocated plumbing or gas | $90,000 to $170,000 and up |
Highland kitchen remodeling questions, answered
Do I need a permit for a kitchen remodel in Highland?
For cabinets, countertops, tile and painting, no. For removing or replacing sinks, electrical items or drywall, yes, and moving an outlet needs one too. The City's pages disagree about like-for-like sink swaps, so the Building & Safety counter is the place to settle it before work starts.
Do I need a permit to replace kitchen cabinets?
Not by the City's Permit Exceptions page, which lists cabinets and countertops as exempt finish work. The exemption does not cover work that comes with it, such as moving wiring, replacing a sink or removing drywall, and exempt work must still meet the technical codes. Confirm the scope with the counter.
What happens if you don't get a permit for a remodel?
Under Municipal Code 15.04.030(D), starting without a required permit adds an investigation fee equal to the permit fee, and 15.04.030(E) allows re-inspection fees. We print no amounts because the City's Fees page lists a contact only. Applying afterward may mean opening walls, as the City's as-built bulletin describes.
How much does a kitchen remodel cost in California?
In Remodeling magazine's Los Angeles data a midrange minor kitchen costs $29,765 and a midrange major one $86,214, while Thumbtack's range is $12,471 to $40,909 and the national Houzz median is $24,000. We found no Highland survey, so our $25,000 to $170,000 and up tiers are planning ranges, not quotes.
How long will a kitchen remodel take?
We found no Highland kitchen timeline. Staff say a permit portal application is checked for completeness in 1 to 3 business days, and plan check for an addition is a separate step with targets of 10 business days or two weeks. Cabinet lead time and inspections also shape the schedule, so ask for a dated sequence.
What order should you remodel a kitchen in?
Tear-out and framing change come first. Rough plumbing, wiring and hood ducting follow and get inspected before the walls close, then drywall, flooring, cabinets, countertop templating, backsplash and fixtures, and the final inspection. Cabinet delivery often sets the whole calendar, so order them early.
Will Title 24 apply to my project?
Probably in part. The 2025 Energy Code lists local exhaust, field-verified hood airflow and sound, kitchen lighting dimmers and separate under-cabinet controls, and Highland adopted that code through Ordinance 477. Section 150.2 was not among the pages we read, so how many items an alteration must meet stays open. Ask the plan reviewer.
How do I choose a kitchen remodeling contractor?
Check the license on the Contractors State License Board site, ask for a written proposal listing scope, materials and payment steps, and ask which subcontractors do the plumbing and electrical. A down payment is capped at the lesser of $1,000 or 10 percent of the price. Our license guide shows the lookup.
Can I remodel my kitchen myself?
Yes, as an owner-builder, if permits are pulled. Highland's permit portal asks owner-builders for a property owner package and declaration, and a notarized authorization if an agent files for you. Any plumbing, gas, mechanical or electrical work still needs its permit and inspection, and Policy 200's conduit rule can apply.
Does an old Highland kitchen need an asbestos survey?
Possibly. South Coast Rule 1403 sets notification, removal and cleanup rules for renovation that disturbs asbestos-containing material. We could not tell whether one household's kitchen counts as a covered job, and 7,358 Highland homes predate 1980. Ask the District before cabinets and flooring come out.
Ask for a kitchen estimate in Highland
Share the neighborhood, the year the house was built and whether a wall, a pipe, a gas line or an outlet will move. Before we call back we sort the permit list, the sink question, the lead and asbestos issue and any setback limit on the lot.