Frequently Asked Questions
We get the same good questions on nearly every estimate, so we put the answers in one place. Below you’ll find straight talk on pricing, scheduling, licensing, and what a Kingswell-standard remodel actually looks like inside a Los Angeles home. If your question isn’t here, call (936) 259-2607 and a real person will pick up.
Key Takeaways
- Every Penhallow job gets a written price before any work starts, plus a written guarantee when we finish.
- Our 365-Day Done Right Promise covers the work for a full year, and a follow-up visit after a failed repair is free.
- A live person answers the phone 24/7, so you’re never routed to voicemail or a callback queue.
- We handle kitchen remodeling, bathroom remodeling, and whole-home remodels across Los Angeles and its surrounding neighborhoods.
Pricing & Estimates
How much does construction service cost in Los Angeles?
Construction service in Los Angeles runs from a few thousand dollars for a focused bathroom refresh to $200,000 or more for a full whole-home remodel, and the number depends mostly on square footage, layout changes, and the finish level you choose. A mid-range bathroom remodel typically lands between $14,000 and $38,000, while a kitchen usually runs $18,000 to $55,000 depending on whether we’re moving plumbing, changing the layout, and which cabinet and countertop lines you pick. Whole-home remodels in older LA stock (think a 1920s Spanish bungalow in Atwater Village versus a 1990s build in Sherman Oaks) can swing widely because of what we find behind the walls once demo starts. At Penhallow, every one of those numbers is written down before the first cabinet comes out, so the figure you see on day one is the figure on the invoice.
Do you offer free estimates?
Yes, estimates are free and there’s no obligation. We’ll walk the space with you, talk through what you’re trying to accomplish, and follow up with a written price rather than a verbal ballpark you have to remember. You get a real number you can hold us to, in writing, before any work begins.
Why is a written price different from a verbal estimate?
A written price is the number we’re committed to; a verbal estimate is a guess that tends to grow after demo day. With Penhallow, the price we put in writing is the price you pay, because we’d rather spend an extra hour measuring and checking now than surprise you with a change order three weeks in. If we do find something unexpected behind the drywall, we stop, show you, and talk options before touching the budget. That’s part of The Kingswell Way: say the price before the work, show up in the window we gave, and leave the place cleaner than we found it.
What drives the price up or down on a remodel?
Four things move the number the most: whether you’re changing the layout (moving walls, plumbing, or gas lines costs more than refreshing finishes in place), the cabinet and countertop lines you select, the age and condition of the home’s existing systems, and whether permits are required. Cambria quartz and Silestone are on the higher end with their own lifetime warranties; KraftMaid and Wellborn cabinetry sit in the mid to upper range depending on door style. Older Los Angeles homes often hide surprises like original knob-and-tube wiring or cast-iron drain lines, and addressing those adds cost but is not optional if the remodel is going to last. Call (936) 259-2607 for an itemized written breakdown on your specific project.
Is it cheaper to repair or replace during a remodel?
It’s usually cheaper to repair when the underlying structure is sound and you’re happy with the layout, and cheaper to replace when systems are already failing or you want a different footprint. If a bathroom faucet drips, we repair it. If the shower pan is leaking into the subfloor, replacing tile is pointless until the membrane and substrate are addressed. We’ll tell you which one applies in your home without pushing the larger job. Our job is a remodel you won’t have to think about again, not the biggest invoice we can write.
Service & Scheduling
Do you offer emergency construction service?
Yes, we take emergency calls around the clock, though “emergency” in remodeling usually means water where it shouldn’t be rather than a sudden cabinet collapse. Burst supply lines behind a vanity, a failed shower pan leaking into a downstairs ceiling, water intrusion through a failed window flashing during a storm: those get routed to a live person immediately, and we’ll tell you on the phone how to shut off the water or limit damage until we arrive. A live person answers our line 24/7, so you won’t sit in a voicemail maze while water spreads across your floor. Call (936) 259-2607 and we’ll triage it right then.
How fast can you respond?
For emergencies, we aim to have a technician on the way the same day and often within a few hours, depending on the time of day and where in the city you are. For standard estimates, we typically schedule the first visit within a few business days and follow with a written price shortly after. Once a project starts, you’ll get a defined arrival window in writing, and we hold to it; if we’re running late, you hear from us before you have to wonder.
Do you give an arrival window or a vague time block?
We give a defined arrival window in writing, not a “sometime Tuesday” promise. That’s a standing commitment under the Kingswell Guarantee: you know when we’ll be there, and if something shifts we call ahead rather than leaving you guessing. Our technicians arrive in uniform and have been background-checked, so you know exactly who’s walking through your door.
How long does a typical remodel take?
A bathroom remodel usually takes two to four weeks, a kitchen four to eight weeks, and a whole-home remodel three to six months depending on scope and permitting. Los Angeles permitting through the Department of Building and Safety can add time on structural work, and we build that into the schedule up front rather than pretending it doesn’t exist. We’ll give you a written timeline with the price so you can plan around it.
What areas do you serve?
We serve Los Angeles and the surrounding neighborhoods, including areas like Silver Lake, Echo Park, Atwater Village, Sherman Oaks, Studio City, Culver City, and the San Fernando Valley. If you’re near the city and you’re not sure whether you’re in our service area, call (936) 259-2607 and we’ll tell you straight. For a fuller picture of what we do locally, see our General Contractor in Los Angeles page.
Licensing & Trust
Are you licensed and insured?
Yes, Penhallow Remodeling is a state-licensed general contractor and carries insurance, and we’re happy to provide documentation before you sign anything. Every technician on your job has passed a background check and wears a uniform, because we think you deserve to know who’s in your home. We operate as part of the Kingswell family of companies, and this location is independently owned and operated to the same standards the Kingswell brand set back in 2004.
Do you guarantee your work?
Yes, every project is backed by our 365-Day Done Right Promise: if the work fails inside the first year, we come back and fix it at no charge, and it’s covered in writing on every job. You also get a written guarantee on every repair, plus a free return visit if a repair fails, with no service call fee and no re-inspection fee. Layered on top, the products we install carry their own warranties, so your Cambria quartz or Kohler fixtures are covered by the manufacturer alongside our guarantee.
What exactly does the 365-Day Done Right Promise cover?
It covers our workmanship for a full year from completion. If a cabinet door hangs crooked, a tile joint opens up, a fixture we installed fails, or a finish we applied doesn’t hold, we come back and make it right at no additional charge. Here’s the sequence if something does go wrong:
- Call us at (936) 259-2607 and describe what you’re seeing. A live person answers, day or night.
- We schedule a return visit and give you a defined arrival window, free of any service call fee.
- A uniformed, background-checked technician diagnoses the issue and explains what caused it before touching anything.
- We perform the repair at no charge if it falls under the guarantee, and we leave the space clean.
- You get a written record of the fix, so the paper trail matches the promise.
What payment methods do you accept?
We accept major credit cards, debit cards, checks, and standard bank transfers, and we’ll put the payment schedule in writing alongside the price so there are no surprise draws. Larger remodels are typically billed in milestones tied to completed stages of work, not one lump sum up front. If you have questions about financing for a bigger project, call (936) 259-2607 and we’ll walk you through the options.
What makes Penhallow different from other Los Angeles contractors?
We put the price and the guarantee in writing before a single cabinet is pulled or tile is set, and a live person answers our phone 24/7. Most homeowners we work with have already been burned by a contractor who quoted one number and charged another, or who stopped answering after the final check cleared. If you’re tired of that pattern, our home page and this FAQ both read the same way: written price, defined arrival window, guaranteed work, clean job site.
Specific Services
Do you handle kitchen remodeling?
Yes, kitchen remodeling is one of our main services, and it’s where the written-price promise matters most. A kitchen typically involves cabinetry (we work with KraftMaid and Wellborn), countertops (Cambria, Silestone, and Caesarstone are common picks), plumbing fixtures from Kohler and Moen, and often some electrical work for outlets and lighting. Because kitchens involve multiple trades overlapping, the schedule has to be tight; a poorly sequenced job can add weeks. We give you the written price, the written timeline, and a single point of contact so you’re not chasing five different crews. Call (936) 259-2607 with your rough dimensions and priorities and we’ll set up a walk-through.
Do you handle bathroom remodeling?
Yes, bathroom remodeling is our other core service, and it’s often where first-time clients start with us. A bathroom remodel almost always involves a substrate question: what’s behind the tile? That moisture-resistant layer (called the substrate or cement board) is what actually keeps water from reaching your framing, and it’s where cheap jobs fail in five years. We install proper waterproofing as a standard part of the job, then finish with fixtures from Kohler, Moen, Delta, Toto, or Grohe depending on what you choose, plus vanities, tile, and glass. Tile failure in Los Angeles often traces back to homes built before the 1980s, where original pans and substrates were never updated.
Do you handle roofing?
No, roofing is outside our scope; our work is interior remodeling (kitchens, baths, and whole-home). If a roof leak is causing water intrusion that affects interior work we’d do, we’ll tell you clearly, refer you appropriately, and wait until the roof is sound before we start inside. Better to fix the actual cause than paper over it with new drywall.
Do you handle windows & doors?
We handle interior door and window-related work as part of remodels, including replacing doors and finishing trim around new windows, but full exterior window replacement is generally a specialist trade. If your remodel involves adding a window or changing a doorway, that’s firmly in our lane. For a fresh exterior entry door, we work with Therma-Tru products on many projects. If you’re not sure which side of the line your project falls on, call (936) 259-2607 and we’ll tell you honestly.
Do you handle whole-home remodels?
Yes, we take on whole-home remodels, which are the largest-scope jobs we do and where our written-price approach is worth the most. These projects usually involve a mix of structural work, systems updates (electrical, plumbing), finishes, and often permits through the City of Los Angeles. Because the scope is big, the surprises compound; older LA housing stock carries a real risk of finding issues once walls are open. We handle that by inspecting first, pricing with known contingency in writing, and telling you the moment anything changes so you can make an informed call rather than getting a surprise invoice at the end.
Do you work with older Los Angeles homes?
Yes, and much of our work is in pre-war and midcentury housing stock, which brings its own considerations. A 1920s Spanish bungalow in Echo Park has different framing, plumbing, and electrical than a 1990s build in Sherman Oaks, and we price accordingly rather than pretending all homes are the same. Original cast-iron drains, knob-and-tube wiring, and unpermitted prior additions are the four things that most often surface during demo on older LA homes. Discovering them early is why we do a thorough walk-through before writing the price.
Can you come today?
For emergencies, often yes; for standard estimates, usually within a few business days. A live person answers our phone around the clock, so if you’re standing in a kitchen with water coming through the ceiling, call (936) 259-2607 right now and we’ll triage it. If it’s a routine quote, we’ll book the first available walking-through window and follow with the written price.
What should I have ready before the estimate?
Before the walk-through, it helps to have a rough sense of your budget range, a few inspiration photos or a list of what you want to change, and any documentation you have about prior work on the home (permit records, past remodel receipts, inspection reports). If you know the home’s age and roughly when the last major updates happened, that’s useful too. None of it is required; we’ll walk the space and ask the questions that matter. But it makes the first visit more productive and the written price more accurate.
What brands do you install?
We install products from recognized trade brands, which matters because their manufacturer warranties sit alongside our own guarantee. Cabinetry comes from KraftMaid and Wellborn. Countertops are typically Cambria, Silestone, or Caesarstone. Fixtures come from Kohler, Moen, Delta, Toto, Grohe, and Blanco depending on the room and finishes. Siding work uses James Hardie, and exterior hardscape uses Belgard or Unilock. Entry doors often come from Therma-Tru. You’re not locked to a single line; we’ll talk through what fits your budget and your home.
How do you handle a problem after the job is done?
You call (936) 259-2607 and a live person answers, any hour. If it’s within the 365-Day Done Right Promise, we come back and fix it at no charge, with no service call and no re-inspection fee. If it’s after that window, we’ll still diagnose it and give you a written price before doing anything, just like the original job. A guarantee is only as good as the person answering the phone, which is why we staff ours around the clock.
Getting Started
Is there anything you don’t do?
Yes, and it’s worth saying plainly: we focus on kitchen remodeling, bathroom remodeling, and whole-home remodels. Roofing, exterior window replacement, HVAC, and standalone electrical service calls fall outside our scope. If your project crosses into another trade, we’ll tell you and point you the right way rather than half-handling it. There’s no upside to us taking on work we’re not set up to do well.
What’s the first step if I want to move forward?
The first step is a call to (936) 259-2607 for a free estimate. A real person answers, we schedule a walk-through at a defined time, and you’ll have a written price in hand shortly after. From there you decide; no deposit, no commitment, no pressure. If the price works for you and you’re ready to move, we put the project schedule and the guarantee in writing before we touch a single thing.
Have a question we didn’t cover? Call Penhallow Remodeling at (936) 259-2607.
Written by Trevor Nash, Owner at Penhallow Remodeling, serving Los Angeles as part of the Kingswell family of companies.