Los Gatos / Kitchen remodeling
Kitchen Remodeling in Los Gatos
Half of Los Gatos homes were built in 1972 or earlier. A new kitchen usually means a new look at the panel.
Los Gatos kitchens tend to sit in homes built between the 1950s and 1970s, some of them in historic districts. We remodel kitchens here with the Town's express check where the structure stays put, the gas or induction decision made early, and anything touching the exterior filed with Planning first.
TWO PERMIT PATHS
Express check or full remodel review.
Los Gatos splits kitchen projects by whether the structure changes. Both start with a pre-application on the Town portal, and neither is accepted by mail or courier.
| Non-structural express check | Addition or structural remodel | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical scope | New circuits, plumbing, gas and fixtures in the same room | Walls removed, beams added, rooms enlarged |
| Plans | One signed PDF plan set | Full plan set with structural calculations |
| Exterior changes | Need Planning approval first | Need Planning approval first |
| HOA homes | HOA letter before issuance | HOA letter before issuance |
| Fixtures added or moved | West Valley Sanitation District certificate | West Valley Sanitation District certificate |
Source: Los Gatos: plan check submittal requirements, including kitchen and bathroom remodels ↗
WHAT WE PLAN IN A LOS GATOS KITCHEN
Same walls, or a new layout?
Cabinets, countertops, tile and paint need no permit in Los Gatos. Once wiring, plumbing or the gas line changes, a building permit is needed, and a non-structural kitchen qualifies for the Town's express check. Removing a wall, moving a window or adding square footage moves the project to full plan review, and possibly Planning or historic review.
Counter circuits
Two 20 amp dedicated circuits for counter receptacles, with no equipment connected to them, all GFCI and AFCI protected.
Receptacle spacing
Every counter 12 inches or wider gets a receptacle, with no point more than 24 inches from one. Islands over 12 by 24 inches need at least one.
Gas line
If the gas line is moved, plans show the existing and new locations, pipe size, appliance BTUs and the meter, and the pipe stays exposed for inspection.
Induction and ovens
Electric ovens and ranges each get their own circuit. In a 1960s or 1970s panel, a load calculation comes before the range is chosen.
Lighting
All kitchen luminaires high efficacy, and under-cabinet lighting switched separately from the room lights.
Garage connection
Half-inch drywall on the garage side and a 1 3/8 inch solid core or 20 minute rated door, self-closing and self-latching.
SILICON VALLEY CLEAN ENERGY
Rebates for an electric Los Gatos kitchen.
Los Gatos is an SVCE community, so its home rebates apply when gas cooking is replaced. Approval is needed before installation, so we reserve during design.
SVCE
Gas to induction range or cooktop
$500, or $750 income-qualified
Core rebate for replacing gas cooking.
SVCE
Induction cookware
up to $250
Add-on with a core appliance rebate.
SVCE
Wiring and circuit splitters
$500 per circuit, up to $2,000
For the new range circuit, or a splitter that avoids a panel upgrade.
SVCE
All-electric bonus
$500
For removing the gas meter once the home is fully electric.
Amounts from svcleanenergy.org/home-rebates, October 2026. Program terms can change.
LOS GATOS AT A GLANCE
Who handles a Los Gatos kitchen.
The Building Division issues the permit, Planning reviews anything on the exterior, and older homes may bring in historic review. PG&E and Silicon Valley Clean Energy handle the power and the rebates.
- 1972
- median year a Los Gatos home was built
- 59%
- of homes built from 1950 to 1979
- 32,786
- residents, ACS 2020 to 2024 estimate
Permits
Building Division
Kitchen permits start as a pre-application on the Town's Accela portal, with non-structural remodels eligible for the express check. The counter at 110 E. Main St. is open weekdays 8am to 1pm.
(408) 354-6876Building Division ↗Los Gatos: plan check submittal requirements, including kitchen and bathroom remodels ↗Inspections
Request by noon
Requests made by noon get an inspection the next business day, between 8am and 3pm, online or by voicemail on the inspection line.
(408) 354-6877Schedule an inspection ↗Historic
Pre-1941 homes
Any primary structure built before 1941 may be historic. Exterior changes, and interior work that alters the exterior, need Town approval before the building permit.
(408) 354-6874Historic alteration process ↗Utilities
PG&E plus SVCE
PG&E delivers electricity and gas, and Silicon Valley Clean Energy supplies the electricity and pays the induction and wiring rebates.
SVCE home rebates ↗Planning the work
How a Los Gatos kitchen project runs.
Site visit
Free visit. Walls, gas line, panel capacity, the age and historic status of the house, and HOA rules.
Permit path
Express check for non-structural work, full plan review if walls move. SVCE rebates reserved before appliances arrive.
Rough-in
Electrical, plumbing and gas inspected with the pipe exposed, requested by noon the day before.
Finishes and final
Cabinets, counters and appliances, final inspection, then the rebate claim.
WHAT TRIPS UP LOS GATOS KITCHENS
Problems Los Gatos homeowners run into, and how we plan around them.
From the Town's express check and historic review rules and the Census profile of Los Gatos housing.
A window over the sink turns a kitchen into a Planning application.
Exterior changes are identified at design and filed with Planning before the building permit.
The house is pre-1941, and the exterior change goes to the Historic Preservation Committee.
Historic status is confirmed first, and applications are timed to the committee's deadline of 13 days before its meeting.
A 1960s panel cannot carry an induction range.
A load calculation comes before appliance selection, and circuit splitters are considered before a panel upgrade.
The gas line inspection fails because the pipe was covered.
New gas piping stays exposed, with pipe sizes and BTUs on the plans, as the Town requires.
The permit waits on the HOA.
The HOA approval letter listing the work is requested as soon as the design is set.
Sources: losgatosca.gov express check requirements and historic alteration process; Census ACS 2020 to 2024 table B25034.
BEFORE YOU APPLY
What the Town asks for.
Upload to the pre-application
- Completed Town permit application
- Plan set as one bookmarked PDF, signed by the designer
- Title 24 energy forms and other documents as separate files
- HOA approval letter, where there is an HOA
Show on the plans
- Two 20 amp counter circuits and receptacle locations
- Separate circuits for an electric oven and range
- Gas line sizes, appliance BTUs and meter location if altered
- Garage door rating if the kitchen opens to the garage
Expect a longer path when
- A wall is removed or a beam added
- A window, door or siding changes
- The home is historic and the exterior is affected
- Fixtures are added or moved
Do I need a permit to replace kitchen cabinets and countertops in Los Gatos?
No. Painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets, countertops and similar finish work are exempt from building permits in Los Gatos. A permit is needed once electrical, plumbing, gas or structural work is part of the project.
Is there an express permit for kitchen remodels in Los Gatos?
Yes. The Town offers an express check for residential kitchen and bathroom remodels that do not change structure. It starts with a pre-application on the Town portal, including one signed PDF plan set, and a plan check fee is due once the pre-application is accepted.
What do Los Gatos inspectors require when a gas line is moved?
Plans showing the existing and proposed gas line locations, pipe size, the BTU ratings of the appliances served and the gas meter location, per the Town's express check rules. The new piping must be left exposed for inspection.
Is there a rebate for switching to induction in Los Gatos?
Yes. Silicon Valley Clean Energy pays $500 for replacing a gas range or cooktop with induction, or $750 income-qualified, plus up to $250 for induction cookware. Los Gatos has no added city rebate, and SVCE approval is needed before installation.
Does a kitchen remodel in a historic Los Gatos home need Town approval?
Only if the exterior changes. The Town's historic review covers exterior work and any interior work that affects the exterior, such as a new window over the sink. Interior-only kitchens in pre-1941 homes follow the normal building permit.
Does my HOA need to approve a kitchen remodel in Los Gatos?
Yes, if the home is in an HOA and the Town's express check is used. Los Gatos requires a letter from the HOA specifying the approved work before the permit is issued, and any exterior change also needs Planning approval.
