Santa Clara / Kitchen remodeling
Kitchen Remodeling in Santa Clara
Gas or induction? In Santa Clara, the electric side is a city utility.
Santa Clara kitchens get electricity from Silicon Valley Power and gas from PG&E. SVP pays rebates for induction cooking and smart panels, and it schedules the power shutoff for panel work. We remodel kitchens here with the permit, the panel plan and the rebates lined up before cabinets are ordered.
GAS OR INDUCTION
What each choice means in Santa Clara.
Both are allowed in a remodel. The difference is in the drawings, the circuits and which utility pays a rebate.
| Gas range | Induction range | |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel supplier | PG&E gas | Silicon Valley Power |
| Drawings needed | Gas single line diagram if added or moved | Electrical plan and panel size |
| Permits | Building and gas permits | Building and electrical permits |
| SVP rebate | None | $750 replacing a gas range |
| Allowed in a remodel | Yes | Yes |
Source: City of Santa Clara Residential Plan Submittal Checklist and SVP rebate table ↗
WHAT A SANTA CLARA KITCHEN INVOLVES
Does the panel have room?
A kitchen remodel usually adds circuits: an induction range, a dishwasher, a disposal, lighting. In a 1960s or 1970s Santa Clara house the panel decides how far that can go. If it has room, the work stays inside the kitchen. If not, SVP's smart panel rebate is designed to add capacity without a service or transformer upgrade.
Layout and walls
Opening a wall or moving the sink means a floor plan showing existing and new walls, and structural details where a bearing wall changes.
Induction cooking
SVP pays $750 for replacing a gas range with an induction range and $250 for an induction cooktop. We run the 240-volt circuit in-house.
Gas appliances
Adding or moving a gas appliance requires a gas single line diagram sized to the total BTU load and the distance from the meter.
Panel capacity
Plans show the panel size and location. A smart panel with load management qualifies for SVP's $4,000 rebate when it avoids a service upgrade.
Lighting and outlets
High-efficacy lighting, GFCI countertop outlets and AFCI protection on kitchen circuits, laid out in the electrical plan.
Older finishes
Most Santa Clara homes predate 1980, so cabinets and walls painted before 1978 are handled lead-safe during demolition.
SANTA CLARA AT A GLANCE
Who handles what in a Santa Clara kitchen.
The city issues the permit, SVP supplies the electricity and the rebates, and PG&E still supplies gas. Panel work involves all three, so they are scheduled together.
- 58%
- of Santa Clara homes built before 1980
- $750
- SVP rebate for a gas-to-induction range swap
- 365
- days a permit stays valid after issuance or the last passed inspection
Utility
Silicon Valley Power
SVP pays induction, panel and prewired circuit rebates to Santa Clara residents on its service. Temporary power shutoffs and reconnections for panel work are booked through the city's permit portal.
(408) 244-7283SVP residential rebates ↗Permits
Permit Center and online portal
Plans are submitted, revised and paid for in the Permitting Online Portal. Expedited review is available by appointment for remodels of 750 square feet or less in one-story homes, at an extra 50 percent plan review fee.
(408) 615-2420Permit Center ↗Expedited review form ↗Service work
Panel and service upgrades
SVP policy requires a single main disconnect. Only SVP may touch its service conductors, and the city inspector authorizes the reconnect after the new equipment passes.
Service upgrade handout ↗Codes
Reach codes: new buildings only
Santa Clara's reach codes, in effect under Ordinance 2081 since January 1, 2026, apply only to newly constructed buildings. A kitchen remodel follows the standard state codes.
Reach code FAQ ↗WHAT SANTA CLARA OWNERS ASK ABOUT
Problems Santa Clara homeowners run into, and how we plan around them.
From r/santaclara threads, local news and the city's own handouts.
Calling new cabinets, counters and recessed lights cosmetic, and skipping the permit.
New recessed lighting is electrical work, and Santa Clara requires permits for interior remodeling, so the permit is part of the plan from the start.
Not knowing where the city draws the line between a remodel and a rebuild.
For whole-house projects we confirm the classification with the Planning Division, (408) 615-2450, before design is final.
News that data centers have used up Silicon Valley Power's capacity.
Kitchen loads are planned with a load calculation first, and smart panels or load management are considered before a service upgrade.
Phishing emails asking for extra permit fees by wire or payment app.
Fees are paid only inside the city's online portal, which the city names as the only payment channel.
Turning the attached garage into a family room triggers a replacement garage.
We flag this rule at the site visit; a permitted garage ADU is a different path without replacement parking.
Sources: r/santaclara threads, 2024 to 2026, including a San Jose Spotlight report on data center capacity; City of Santa Clara Residential Plan Submittal Checklist.
Planning the work
How a Santa Clara kitchen gets built.
Site visit and load check
Free visit. Layout, walls, gas line, panel size and the induction or gas decision.
Drawings and permit
Floor, electrical and gas plans submitted in the Permitting Online Portal, with expedited review where the project qualifies.
Rough-in
Plumbing, gas, electrical and any framing inspected before drywall; SVP shutoff booked through the portal if the panel changes.
Finish and rebates
Cabinets, counters, appliances, every final on one day, then SVP rebate paperwork with the signed permit.
SILICON VALLEY POWER
SVP rebates for an electric kitchen.
SVP pays these to Santa Clara residents on its service. Add-on rebates require another SVP electrification rebate in progress, and only licensed contractor labor counts.
SVP
Induction range replacing gas
$750
Plus $100 for income-qualified customers. An induction cooktop alone is $250.
SVP
Electric wall oven replacing gas
$200
Plus $100 for income-qualified customers.
SVP
Smart electric panel
$4,000
100 to 200 amps with automatic load management, installed by a C-10 electrician.
SVP
Prewired circuits (add-on)
$500 per circuit, up to $2,000
Wiring for future electric appliances while the walls are open.
Amounts from siliconvalleypower.com/residents/rebates and SVP smart panel rules, October 2026. Rebates cannot exceed the net purchase price.
Do I need a permit for a kitchen remodel in Santa Clara?
Yes. Santa Clara requires a building permit for interior alterations and remodeling, and plumbing, gas and electrical permits for new installations such as stoves and garbage disposals. Plans must be drawn to scale on sheets at least 18 by 24 inches.
Does Silicon Valley Power give a rebate for an induction range?
Yes. SVP pays $750 for replacing a gas range with an electric range that has an induction cooktop, $250 for an induction cooktop alone and $200 for an electric wall oven replacing a gas one. Income-qualified customers add $100 to each.
Can I keep a gas stove in a Santa Clara kitchen remodel?
Yes. Santa Clara's reach codes apply only to newly constructed buildings, so a remodel does not have to go all-electric. If a gas appliance is added or moved, the plans need a gas single line diagram sized to the BTU of all gas appliances and the distance from the meter.
Does Silicon Valley Power give a rebate for a smart panel?
Yes, up to $4,000, or up to $6,000 with income-qualified bonuses. The smart panel must be 100 to 200 amps with automatic load management, must avoid a main service or transformer upgrade, must be installed by a C-10 electrician, and the rebate is filed within 60 days of the final permit.
How do I schedule a power shutoff for a panel upgrade in Santa Clara?
Through the city's Permitting Online Portal, which books Silicon Valley Power's temporary shutoff and reconnection. Only SVP may disconnect its service wires; after the city inspector passes the work, the inspector authorizes the reconnect and the city bills a reconnection and meter fee.
Can I convert my attached garage into living space in Santa Clara?
Not without replacing it. Santa Clara requires another garage or carport to be built on the property before an attached garage is remodeled into a playroom or bedroom. Converting a garage into a permitted ADU follows separate state rules that do not require replacement parking.
