A full kitchen remodel in the City of San Mateo typically costs $66,000 to $80,000. A simpler full remodel can start around $55,000, and high-end custom projects push past $100,000. In four local bids from 2025, a mid-range full remodel came in around $66,000 and a full gut remodel with a wall removed came in at $79,750. At the low end, a labor-only job installing cabinets, a backsplash, and appliances the homeowner bought was about $9,200. Cabinetry drove most of the spread between bids. The permit is a much smaller line than many homeowners expect: the city charges a flat $719.58 combination permit for a minor kitchen remodel.
Remodeling a kitchen in San Mateo? GreatBuildz is a free service that matches California homeowners with three vetted general contractors and stays involved through the project, so you can compare real bids with someone on your side.
Where these numbers come from
- Bids: four contractor bids for San Mateo kitchen remodels, plus other Peninsula kitchen projects we’ve seen
- Dates: 2025
- Projects: one labor-only installation, a mid-range full remodel, a full gut remodel with a wall removed, and a full remodel with a smaller layout
- Low / typical / high: $55,000 / $66,000 to $80,000 / $100,000+ for a full remodel
Every bid was checked to make sure it was complete and comparable. How we price our cost guides
San Mateo kitchen costs, line by line
These line items come from the San Mateo bids behind this guide.
| Line item | What the bids show |
|---|---|
| Custom cabinets and hardware | $18,000 to $57,605 |
| Quartz countertops | $6,500 on a mid-range remodel |
| Appliance package (mid-range) | $12,000 to $15,000 |
| Appliance installation | $2,500 for a full package |
| Hardwood flooring | $5,200 on a mid-range remodel |
| Tile backsplash | $1,600 to $1,849, labor and materials |
| Permit (minor kitchen remodel) | About $1,200 to $1,500 with add-ons |
If you’re buying your own appliances and paying only for installation, one bid priced a dishwasher at about $400, a refrigerator at about $300, and a range hood at about $1,600 to install.
Why cabinets drove the spread
Cabinetry was the biggest swing between the San Mateo bids. One November 2025 bid priced base cabinets, upper cabinets, an island, and a full-height entry cabinet at $57,605. A separate 2025 full-remodel bid priced custom cabinetry and hardware at $18,000 for a smaller layout. Same city, same year, a $39,605 difference on one line, driven by cabinet count, construction, and finish. Full gut work that removes a wall and touches every trade is the other thing that pushes a bid toward $80,000 and beyond.
At the other end, the labor-only bid, installing cabinets, backsplash, and appliances the homeowner bought, was about $9,200. Bids like that aren’t comparable to full-scope bids until you add the materials back in. BidCompare AI lines up bids with different scopes so you can compare them on equal terms.
Where to save: appliances, backsplash tile, and some finishes. Choosing mid-tier appliance brands can bring the package down to $8,000 to $10,000. Cabinetry and labor are where cuts tend to hurt, since a busy kitchen wears out cheap cabinets fast.
What the City of San Mateo charges for a kitchen permit
Most kitchen remodels in the City of San Mateo pay a flat $719.58 combination permit, plus small add-ons based on the project’s value. The FY 2026-27 fee schedule, effective July 1, 2026, sets one combination building, plumbing, electrical, and mechanical permit for minor residential kitchen or bathroom remodels. Percentage add-ons, such as the general plan maintenance and technology fees, come on top. By our math, a $60,000 to $80,000 remodel comes to roughly $1,200 to $1,500 in permit fees.
A larger remodel that the city prices on its single-family valuation table costs more: roughly $4,000 to $5,150 at the same project value, by our math, once plan review is added. The city sets the valuation from its own table, so it can differ from your contract price. Starting without a permit costs at least double: the penalty is a minimum of 100% of the permit fees.
How plan review works
The city’s Building Permits page has the current fee schedule and application links, and its list of projects eligible for over-the-counter review shows which remodels qualify for fast approval.
A kitchen remodel needs plans. If it uses conventional framing, needs no structural calculations, and needs no fire review, it qualifies for the city’s over-the-counter or virtual over-the-counter review. That includes remodels that alter walls. For virtual review, the city aims to contact you within one business day and issue the permit within one business day of fee payment. Applications go through the city’s Customer Self-Service portal. The city’s separate Express permits, issued with no plans, don’t cover kitchens.
Construction hours in San Mateo are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays, and noon to 4 p.m. on Sundays and holidays. Work inside a fully enclosed building is exempt if it stays below the noise limit at the property line.
Gas or electric range: San Mateo’s 2026 rule
You can still install a gas range in a San Mateo kitchen remodel. What changed is the wiring. Under Ordinance 2026-04, adopted in March 2026, a remodel that adds or alters kitchen circuits or receptacles under an electrical permit must also get the kitchen ready for an electric range later. There are two ways to do it: run a 50-amp circuit that can carry 240 volts to a receptacle within 3 feet of the range, or install an empty conduit pathway from the panel with a reserved breaker space labeled “240V ready.” Exceptions include remodels that would require a panel or utility service upgrade. Local energy-code changes like this one also need state Energy Commission approval before they’re enforced, so ask the Building Division whether it applies when you file.
Bigger projects face more. A home first permitted before 1992 that has an alteration or addition of 1,000 square feet or more must earn 12 points from a list of efficiency measures. Swapping a gas cooktop for induction and capping the gas line is one option on that list. A kitchen remodel alone rarely reaches that size.
Eichlers: City of San Mateo or the Highlands?
The San Mateo Highlands holds more than 700 Eichler homes built between 1956 and 1964, Eichler’s largest contiguous development. But the Highlands is in unincorporated San Mateo County, not the City of San Mateo. Kitchen permits there go through the County’s Planning and Building Department, under a different process and fee schedule from the ones above. Inside city limits, the main Eichler tract is 19th Avenue Park.
Whichever side you’re on, an Eichler kitchen comes with the same issues. The post-and-beam frame, where the roof rests on exposed beams and posts, limits which walls can move without an engineer. The concrete slab carries radiant heating tubes, so new plumbing or floor work has to avoid them. Original floor tiles are often vinyl-asbestos and should be tested before demolition. Together, these can add $10,000 to $30,000 compared with the same kitchen in a conventionally framed house.
Older San Mateo homes
About 47% of homes in the City of San Mateo were built between 1940 and 1969, and the median home dates to 1965, according to the U.S. Census American Community Survey (2020 to 2024). Kitchens in houses that age often hide galvanized steel water pipes and electrical panels too small for a modern kitchen’s appliances, so ask each contractor how their bid handles both.
San Mateo Kitchen Remodel FAQ
How much does a kitchen remodel cost in San Mateo?
A full kitchen remodel in San Mateo typically costs $66,000 to $80,000. A simpler full remodel can start around $55,000, and high-end custom projects pass $100,000. In four 2025 bids, a mid-range full remodel came in around $66,000 and a full gut remodel with a wall removed at $79,750. Cabinetry is the biggest variable: one bid priced cabinets at $18,000 and another at $57,605.
How much is a kitchen remodel permit in San Mateo?
The City of San Mateo charges a flat $719.58 combination permit for a minor residential kitchen remodel under its FY 2026-27 fee schedule, plus small add-ons based on project value. For a $60,000 to $80,000 remodel, that comes to roughly $1,200 to $1,500. Larger remodels priced on the city’s valuation table cost more.
Do I have to switch to an electric stove when I remodel my kitchen in San Mateo?
No. Gas ranges are still allowed. Under San Mateo’s 2026 reach code, a remodel that adds or alters kitchen circuits under an electrical permit must also add a 240-volt-capable range circuit or a “240V ready” pathway, so an electric range can be installed later.
Who issues kitchen permits in the San Mateo Highlands?
The San Mateo Highlands is in unincorporated San Mateo County, so permits go through the County Planning and Building Department, not the City of San Mateo.
Planning a San Mateo kitchen? GreatBuildz matches homeowners with vetted San Mateo contractors for free and stays involved through the project. For Bay Area-wide numbers, see our Bay Area kitchen remodel cost guide. Call 818.317.3567 or get matched with a contractor.
