---
title: "Home Remodeling in Cupertino | Additions, Kitchens & Baths"
description: "Home remodeling in Cupertino by a licensed contractor (CSLB #1073096): second-story review, Eichler rules, permit times and a townhouse renovation on video."
url: "https://qabuilders.com/service-areas/cupertino/"
---

Homes, townhouses and condos in Cupertino

# Home Remodeling in Cupertino

Home remodeling in Cupertino, from additions and second stories to kitchens and baths.

[Call (669) 213-8077](tel:+16692138077)

[Free estimate](https://qabuilders.com/service-areas/cupertino/#quote)

## Get a free estimate

Tell us about your project and one of our representatives will get back to you.

(Quote form: same as the other town pages.)

[Areas we serve](https://qabuilders.com/service-areas/) / Cupertino

QA Builders remodels homes in Cupertino, from home additions and second stories to kitchens, bathrooms, whole-house remodels, ADUs, garage conversions and new custom homes, as a licensed general building contractor (CSLB #1073096). In Cupertino, a one-story project that needs no exception, variance or planning permit may go straight to the Building Division; a second story goes through a Planning application with a notice board.

For a free consultation and estimate, call [(669) 213-8077](tel:+16692138077) or fill in the form above.

## A Cupertino townhouse renovation, on video

Townhouse renovation with new floors and showers, Cupertino (project card: whole-home remodel, with video; video: "Townhouse renovation with new floors and showers in Cupertino", project walkthrough).

[See more of our projects →](https://qabuilders.com/portfolio/)

### What the Cupertino townhouse job covered

The owners of this Cupertino townhouse did not live in California while the work ran. Their review lists the scope: the master and guest showers rebuilt with quartz slab walls, the sub-floor reinforced and leveled through the entire townhouse, ceilings and walls painted, and a cover installed over the washer and dryer cubby. They write that the project finished on its original completion time frame.

Our [whole-house remodeling](https://qabuilders.com/full-home-remodeling/) page covers whole-home work: structural changes, electrical and plumbing, kitchens and baths.

## Kitchen and bathroom remodels in Cupertino: what needs a permit

Cupertino’s Building Division lists finish work that needs no permit on a single-family home, as long as the home does not encroach over a subsurface drain system, a public utility easement or into required setbacks from property lines: painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets, counter tops and similar finish work. The city adds that anything not on its list needs a permit. For the rest of a kitchen or bathroom remodel, its FAQ names these:

- **Plumbing permit:** installing or replacing plumbing fixtures such as sinks, water closets (toilets) and water heaters, and sewer, water and gas lines. A concealed trap, drainpipe, water, soil, waste or vent pipe removed and replaced with new material counts as new work and needs a permit. Stopping a leak needs none, provided the repair does not involve or require replacing or rearranging valves, pipes or fixtures.
- **Electrical permit:** outlets, lighting fixtures, wiring, and electrical panels and services.
- **Mechanical permit:** installing or replacing equipment such as a kitchen hood, a furnace or an air conditioning unit.
- **Building permit:** the remodeling work itself, with plans reviewed for compliance with state and local laws and regulations.
- **Work started without one:** a building inspector may stop the work until a permit is obtained, and the permit fees are doubled.

At the end, state law adds a step: under California Civil Code 1101.4, final permit approval of any alteration to a single-family home requires the applicant to replace noncompliant plumbing fixtures with water-conserving ones (toilets over 1.6 gallons per flush, showerheads over 2.5 gallons per minute, interior faucets over 2.2). Cupertino’s inspection page carries an owner certificate of compliance for those fixtures, and one for smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.

We handle all permitting and inspections required for your kitchen.

## Adding a second story in Cupertino

Cupertino gives a second story its own path under the R1 ordinance. It covers new second-story additions to single-story homes, new two-story homes and additions to an existing second story. The application is the city’s R1 and Two Story form, and a notice board goes up on the lot for the public comment period. What the design looks like decides how much review follows:

| When the design has | What the city requires |
| --- | --- |
| Side setbacks that total less than 30 feet (each measured from the side property line to the exterior wall) | Residential design review, with more stringent architectural standards |
| A second floor more than 66% of the first floor, or a second-floor setback under 15 feet from an interior side property line | Design review by the city’s consulting architect; under 15 feet, the design must offset its massing with higher quality architectural features and materials |
| An exception to the R1 standards (the city names odd lot shapes and particularly difficult physical circumstances) | A decision by the Design Review Committee after neighbor noticing and a public hearing |
| A second-story deck | A Minor Residential Permit, so neighbors are notified of its privacy impacts |

The city’s notice board handout (revised 6/22/2016, linked from the two-story page) asks for a weatherproof board of at least 2 by 3 feet on a post at least 5 feet tall, showing the property’s exact address, at least one perspective drawing or 3D photographic simulation of at least 11 by 17 inches, and a project summary. Evidence that it is posted is due before the application is ready for noticing, and it stays up from the start of noticing until the city acts on the application and the appeal period has passed.

### Second-story design guidelines, privacy planting and decks

The city says new two-story homes and second-story additions shall be generally consistent with its design guidelines:

- **Mass:** the mass and bulk should be compatible with existing homes in the neighborhood, not disproportionately larger than or out of scale with the neighborhood pattern.
- **Walls:** the design should use vaulted ceilings rather than high exterior walls, and long, exposed second-story walls should be avoided.
- **Street pattern:** the neighborhood’s current pattern of side setbacks and garage orientation should be maintained, and when possible doors, windows and architectural elements should be aligned vertically, horizontally and symmetrically.

Privacy planting is required within a 30-degree cone of vision from the window jamb for second-story windows facing the side and rear property lines when the sill is 5 feet or less above the finished floor and the glass is clear and/or the window opens, and for second-story decks. The affected neighbor can waive it on the city’s waiver form. A second-story deck may reach up to 3 feet into a required front setback, and one with open railings and no roof does not count toward floor area ratio.

### Single-story overlay neighborhoods

In an R1 zone with an "i" in its designation, the Single Story Overlay (R1-xi), buildings are limited to one story and 18 feet; the city says residents of those neighborhoods chose that limit. On those lots, added space stays on one level. The city’s interactive zoning tool helps find a lot’s designation, but the city notes it may not be 100% accurate and suggests asking a planner about a specific property.

5.0 on Google; 5.0 on BuildZoom; Top 1% of California contractors (BuildZoom score); 500+ projects completed; 15+ years in the Bay Area; CSLB #1073096, licensed and insured.

## One-story additions in Cupertino

Additions to the first story of an existing home, and new single-story homes, follow Cupertino’s one-story rules. A one-story project that needs no exception or variance from the R1 ordinance and no planning permit may be submitted directly to the Building Division for building permits; the ordinance’s Table 19.28.040 shows which planning permits a design may need. The city’s one-story page carries these notes to its R1 development standards:

- **Rear setback:** the first-story rear setback may be reduced to 10 feet with a Minor Residential Permit, provided the rear yard area equals or exceeds 20 times the lot width at the front setback line (width measured 20 feet back from the front property line).
- **Side setbacks:** interior side setbacks may be reduced to 10 feet, subject to Residential Design Review approval.
- **Front setback:** for a side-loading garage with a curved driveway, it may be reduced to 15 feet.
- **Easements:** recorded easements in a title report or a parcel or tentative map that result in larger setbacks take precedence over the ordinance’s setbacks.

A Minor Residential Permit involves neighborhood noticing and a review with the Planning Department. Some of the conditions that call for one: extending a legal nonconforming wall plane; a gable end enclosing attic space above 17 feet and up to 20 feet out of the building envelope; encroaching into the rear yard setback; and changing setback and height limits for solar design.

The city’s one-story design guidelines say there should be no three-car-wide curb cut, garage area on no more than 50% of the front elevation, living area closer to the street with the garage set further back, and at least a one-foot overhang on every roof; porches are encouraged. Its Building Division FAQ adds that single-family or duplex additions of 750 square feet or less, and non-structural remodels, may not require a soil investigation report. The decisions to make before design starts are in our [home addition checklist](https://qabuilders.com/home-addition-checklist/).

### Remodel, rebuild or new construction: where Cupertino draws the line

How much of the house a project opens up decides which codes apply. Under the city’s comparison matrix for existing and new construction (revised 10/2026), a room counts as remodeled when 10% or more of its combined wall and ceiling finish is removed or replaced. The house becomes a rebuild when any one of these is met:

- 50% and up to 75% of the exterior wall perimeter is removed or no longer used as exterior walls;
- 50% and up to 75% of the roof structure is removed;
- more than 75% of the conditioned floor area is remodeled.

The matrix measures the exterior wall perimeter from one outside corner to another along the perimeter of the building, attached garages included; walls and columns of patio covers, sunrooms, exterior porches and carports, and the walls of detached garages, are left out.

It becomes new construction when more than 75% of the exterior walls are removed or no longer used as exterior walls, or more than 75% of the roof structure is removed; past that 75% wall line, a demolition permit is also required.

| Requirement | Remodel | Rebuild | New construction |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Fire sprinklers | Not applicable | Applies | Applies |
| CalGreen | Not applicable | Applies | Applies |
| Construction tax | Not applicable | Not applicable | Applies |
| School fees | Remodeled area is not added floor area | Rebuild area is not added floor area | New area is added floor area |

## Homeowners on townhouse, condo, addition and ADU projects

> "The bathroom tiles are perfectly aligned, even up to the side tiles, and the kitchen cabinet doors are all precisely aligned."
>
> Hyung-Suk K., Townhouse kitchen renovation and flooring throughout

> "...they even watered my plants during the project. The final result is gorgeous, and I couldn’t be happier with how everything turned out."
>
> Mindy M., Condo remodel: bathroom, flooring, paint and lighting

> "Clean job site every week that we came to the job and constant updates, we felt so safe with them in our home it was a true pleasure to work with them!"
>
> Adam S., Full home remodel and house extension

> "It wasn't an easy task but Sal with his crew made it to went easy, simple and with no issues."
>
> Sarah J., Room addition

> "The project was finished ahead of schedule and final outcome and quality was as they promised at the start of the project."
>
> William B., Room addition

> "Sal was project manager, he was a true professional, always on time, always ready to help and always available for a contact."
>
> Jon C., ADU garage conversion

[Read more homeowner reviews →](https://qabuilders.com/testimonials/)

## Eichler homes in the Fairgrove neighborhood

The city’s R1 page describes the R1-e zone, Eichler Single Family, as "a small area of the city where the predominant architectural style is Eichler". The city’s Eichler Design Handbook, dated January 16, 2001, says the Fairgrove neighborhood is zoned R1e and bounds it by Phil Lane to the north, Tantau Avenue to the east, Bollinger to the south and Miller Avenue to the west: a group of 220 Eichler homes built in the early 1960s. The handbook describes Eichlers as largely single-story, with mostly low-pitched or flat roofs, indoor and outdoor patios or atriums, slab foundations and extensive glass.

Additions and remodels in the R1-e zone follow the Eichler Building Design Requirements in the R1 ordinance; the handbook’s design guidelines are voluntary. For a lot’s current designation, check the city’s interactive zoning tool, with the caveat above.

## ADU and JADU rules in Cupertino: size, garage conversions and parking

Cupertino’s ADU page says ADUs are allowed in all residential zoning districts where single-family homes are allowed; its development standards page says "many" residential districts and asks owners to check with Planning. Building one takes a building permit, and Planning takes preliminary plans and questions by email. The city’s rules for a single-family lot:

- **Size and placement:** an ADU of 800 sq ft or less is not limited by lot coverage, floor area ratio or open space and may sit 4 feet from the rear and side property lines; over 800 sq ft, those limits apply. There is no bedroom limit, but a studio or one-bedroom unit is capped at 850 sq ft and a unit with two or more bedrooms at 1,000 sq ft.
- **How many:** a streamlined detached ADU (800 sq ft or less) plus a JADU, two in total. A JADU cannot be combined with an attached ADU or with a detached ADU over 800 sq ft.
- **JADU:** 500 sq ft or less, entirely within the existing or proposed home (not a garage), converted from habitable space, within the allowed 45% floor area ratio, with at least an efficiency kitchen and a bathroom shared or its own. The city’s ADU steps handout (updated 7/30/2020) says to obtain a covenant from Planning staff, get the signature notarized and record it with the Santa Clara County Recorder before scheduling a final building inspection.
- **Garage conversions:** no part of the garage may become living space for the main house. An attached garage converted to an ADU is the property’s only ADU, never a JADU, and on a single-family property the lot can then have no other ADU, JADU included.
- **Parking:** converting a garage or other required enclosed parking to an ADU needs no replacement parking. For an added ADU, the development standards page asks for one more off-street space only when the main home has fewer than its zone’s minimum, and none when the property is within half a mile of a public transit stop, in an architecturally and historically significant historic district, within one block of a car share pick-up location, or when the unit’s occupant is not offered a required on-street parking permit.
- **Two stories:** the ADU page allows a two-story ADU when a portion of existing second-story space is converted; the development standards page allows an ADU on the second story only as a conversion of existing living space.
- **Use:** an ADU may be rented but not sold separately, and no ADU or JADU may be used for short-term rentals. There is no interior connection to the main home, except a JADU sharing its bathroom. A detached ADU needs its own address.
- **Fees and taxes:** ADUs under 750 sq ft pay no park, storm drain or school impact fees; larger ones do. The County Assessor appraises new construction, ADUs included, at fair market value.

Owner occupancy of a JADU: Cupertino’s ADU page says the owner must occupy either the main home or the JADU. State law as amended by AB 1154 (Government Code 66333(b)) requires owner-occupancy only when the JADU shares sanitation facilities with the house; it is not required when the JADU has its own, or when the owner is a governmental agency, land trust or housing organization.

The city also runs a pre-approved plan program, for detached ADUs only, limited to parcels in the Valley Floor Zone because much of Cupertino lies in geologic and seismic hazard areas (fault rupture, hillside and liquefaction among them); pre-approved plans stay subject to site concerns. Our [garage conversion](https://qabuilders.com/garage-conversion-san-jose/) page covers turning a garage into an ADU.

## Cupertino permits, review times and inspections

- **Applying:** the city’s permit page says applying can be done in person or by email, and its Building FAQ says electronic plan submittal is required; an electronic plan review does not begin until the submittal meets the city’s format requirements. Plan review fees are paid before plan review starts.
- **Questions:** staff answer questions about an application or submission requirements by email, phone or in person at City Hall, 10300 Torre Avenue; appointments are not necessary and walk-ins are welcome.
- **Review times:** the city’s permit page lists typical reviews in days, counted after an application has been deemed complete and subject to change, in the table below. A notice on the same page gives the current average as 20-30 business days for the first plan review and 10-20 business days for each later one.

| Single-family or duplex project | First review (days) | Each resubmittal (days) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Addition or remodel | 15 | 10 |
| New home | 15-20 | 10 |
| Detached or attached ADU | 10 | 10 |
| Demolition | 10 | 10 |

- **Contractor licenses:** besides the state license, the contractor and every subcontractor on the job need a City of Cupertino business license; the final inspection cannot be scheduled until they have one.
- **Inspections:** required for every permit issued, scheduled online. A confirmation email arrives before 7:30 a.m. on the day with a two-hour window. Fire inspections are booked with the Santa Clara County Fire Department.

### Protected trees in Cupertino

Protected trees on private property, in all zoning districts, can only come out with a tree removal permit, and public noticing is required. The city’s protected classes:

- **Heritage trees:** designated for special aesthetic, cultural or historical value or significance.
- **Specimen trees:** listed species, among them native oaks, deodar and blue atlas cedars, western sycamore and California bay laurel, with a single trunk of 12 inches or more in diameter or a multi-trunk of 24 inches or more, measured 4.5 feet above the ground.
- **Required trees:** any tree required to be planted or retained under an approved development application, building permit, tree removal permit or code enforcement action.
- **Privacy protection trees:** any tree required to be planted or retained as part of privacy protection landscaping.

A permit after removal costs much more than one before, and replacement trees or an in-lieu fee may be due. Trees must be protected during construction.

## Remodeling services and price ranges in Cupertino

- **[Home additions](https://qabuilders.com/home-additions/)** (room additions, second story additions, bump-outs and extensions): Costs typically range from $200-$400 per square foot depending on complexity, materials, and whether structural work is needed. We provide detailed estimates during consultation.
- **[Kitchen remodeling](https://qabuilders.com/kitchen-remodeling/):** Costs vary based on scope, materials, and kitchen size. A typical Bay Area kitchen remodel ranges from $30,000 to $100,000+. Your dedicated project manager will provide a detailed estimate during your free consultation.
- **[Bathroom remodeling](https://qabuilders.com/bathroom-remodeling/):** Bathroom remodel costs range from $15,000 to $50,000+ depending on scope, materials, and size. We provide detailed estimates during your free consultation.
- **[Whole-house remodeling](https://qabuilders.com/full-home-remodeling/):** Costs vary widely based on scope, from $100,000 for cosmetic updates to $500,000+ for extensive renovations. We provide detailed estimates after an in-home consultation.
- **[ADUs](https://qabuilders.com/adu-builders/)** (detached, attached and garage conversions): ADU costs typically range from $150,000 to $350,000+ depending on size, type, and finishes. Garage conversions are generally the most affordable option.
- **[New custom homes](https://qabuilders.com/new-construction/):** Custom home construction in the Bay Area typically costs $300-$600+ per square foot, depending on specifications, materials, and site conditions.

What moves a bathroom price up or down is laid out in our [bathroom remodel cost guide](https://qabuilders.com/bathroom-remodel-cost-san-jose/).

## Working with us on a Cupertino project

1. **First contact:** Contact us for a free consultation and estimate.
2. **Layout & 3D Renderings:** We collaborate with top architects and engineers.
3. **Permitting and project management:** We provide complete design-build and construction services, including permitting and project management. Every project receives a dedicated project manager so you know who to turn to every step of the way.
4. **Building:** With 15+ years and 500+ projects, QA Builders has the experience to coordinate multiple trades.
5. **Completion & Warranty:** Final walk-through, punch list completion, and our comprehensive warranty.

## Questions about remodeling in Cupertino

### Which state license does QA Builders hold as a general contractor in Cupertino?

QA Builders is a licensed California general building contractor (B license #1073096), bonded and with workers’ compensation insurance on file with the state board; this is the state contractor license.

### Do I need a permit to replace kitchen cabinets and counters in Cupertino?

Not for the cabinets and counters themselves, as long as the single-family home does not encroach over a subsurface drain system, a public utility easement or into required setbacks; the sink, wiring and hood around them are separate permits.

### Will my neighbors be told about a second story in Cupertino?

Yes. A second story goes through the city’s R1 and Two Story application, with a notice board on the lot for the public comment period; an exception to the R1 standards adds a public hearing.

### Can I convert my garage into an ADU in Cupertino?

Yes, with no replacement parking. On a single-family property, a converted attached garage has to be the property’s only ADU: it cannot be a JADU, and no other ADU, JADU included, can be added.

### Does a whole-house remodel in Cupertino need fire sprinklers?

Not while it stays a remodel under the city’s comparison matrix. Sprinklers apply once it becomes a rebuild, which starts, for example, when 50% of the exterior wall perimeter (as the city measures it, attached garages included) is removed.

## Starting a Cupertino project: your zoning designation and story count

We proudly serve San Jose, Willow Glen, Los Gatos, Campbell, Saratoga, Cupertino, and surrounding Bay Area communities.

Call [(669) 213-8077](tel:+16692138077), email [Contact@qabuilders.com](mailto:Contact@qabuilders.com) or send the [project form](https://qabuilders.com/contact/); it helps to know your lot’s zoning designation and whether the house is one story or two.

[Schedule Consultation](https://qabuilders.com/contact/)

[Call Us Now](tel:+16692138077)