ADU Company in San Bernardino, CA
Kitchen remodeling in San Bernardino means working with 1950s and 1960s tract homes where original layouts were built for a different era, and that’s exactly what Colonial ADU Builders specializes in. We’re a brand-agnostic ADU contractor that also finishes interiors with our own in-house kitchen and bath crews, so the same team that builds your backyard unit can gut and rebuild the main house kitchen without handing you off to a third party. San Bernardino’s summer heat and Santa Ana winds shape material choices here more than homeowners expect, and we factor that into every estimate. Call (877) 265-9846 to talk through your project.
Why San Bernardino Homes Are Different
Most of San Bernardino’s housing stock is single-story stucco tract construction from the 1950s through the 1970s, sitting on 6,000 to 8,000 square foot lots with detached garages and mature trees in the back yard. That generous lot size is a genuine advantage for detached ADUs and kitchen additions, but it comes with hidden constraints. Many of these homes still run on aging service panels, galvanized or early copper plumbing, and shallow utility trenches that were never sized for a second living unit or a modern kitchen with induction cooktops and double ovens. When we open up a San Bernardino kitchen, we regularly find wiring that predates current code and needs a panel upgrade before appliances go in.
The climate adds another layer. Summer temperatures in San Bernardino routinely top 100°F, and fall brings Santa Ana wind events that push embers across neighborhoods. That means kitchen and ADU projects here need reflective roofing, proper insulation, and exterior cladding that resists both heat and ember exposure. We use James Hardie fiber-cement products on ADU exteriors and recommend them for any kitchen wall that faces prevailing winds. In older neighborhoods around ZIPs 92404 and 92405, narrow driveways and alley access make delivery and staging the real challenge, especially when a garage conversion means replacing a lost parking space by restriping the driveway. None of this is insurmountable, but it’s why a San Bernardino remodel needs a contractor who knows the terrain, not just the trade.
Our Main San Bernardino Services
San Bernardino homeowners call us most often for two things: building a backyard ADU on a post-WWII lot, and remodeling a bathroom in a house where the original pink tile and cast-iron tub have finally met the end of their service life.
ADU Builders in San Bernardino
San Bernardino’s post-WWII tracts on generous lots make the city one of the few Inland Empire markets where a detached ADU up to 1,200 square feet genuinely pencils out for multi-generational families or rental income. The harder part is siting and access: many of these lots were platted before modern zoning, with narrow driveways, alley access, and older utility easements dictating where the unit can actually go. Colonial ADU Builders works across every construction format, modular, panelized, 3D-printed, shed-conversion, and stick-built, so the recommendation is driven by your lot, not our inventory. ADU Builders in San Bernardino covers the full process, from first site walk to final inspection.
Bathroom Remodeling in San Bernardino
Bathrooms in San Bernardino’s 1950s and 1960s homes are tight by modern standards, often under 40 square feet, with original cast-iron plumbing that has corroded after six decades in hard Inland Empire water. A typical remodel here means moving walls carefully on a concrete slab, replacing galvanized supply lines, and reworking ventilation for a climate where bathroom moisture plus 100°F heat creates mold conditions fast. Our in-house bathroom crews handle the full interior finish, no subcontractors. See Bathroom Remodeling in San Bernardino for what a full gut-and-rebuild looks like in this housing stock.
What happens when you call
- 1
A real person answersNo phone trees — you reach a local pro.
- 2
You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched.
- 3
A background-checked tech heads outLicensed & insured, dispatched right away.
- 4
You approve before work beginsNothing starts until you say go.
Kitchen Remodeling in San Bernardino
San Bernardino kitchens built in the 1950s and 1960s were laid out for a single cook, a freestanding range, and almost no counter space by modern standards. Today’s homeowners want open sightlines to the living room, islands, and ventilation that can handle Inland Empire heat without straining the cooling load. Our in-house Kitchen Remodeling team handles everything from the first tear-out to the final backsplash tile, and because we also build ADUs from the foundation up, we understand how kitchen work ties into panel capacity, plumbing runs, and the structural realities of San Bernardino’s post-war slabs and stucco walls.
Full Kitchen Gut and Rebuild
Signs you need it
Your original 1950s or 1960s layout has a wall separating the kitchen from the living space, you have less than six feet of continuous counter, and your electrical panel cannot support a modern cooktop and oven.
What it costs in San Bernardino
A full kitchen gut and rebuild in San Bernardino typically runs $45,000 to $85,000 depending on layout changes, appliance level, and whether you need a panel upgrade.
How we do it
We remove the old cabinets and finishes down to studs, relocate plumbing and electrical to the new layout, upgrade the panel if needed, install new insulation and drywall, then set cabinets, counters, appliances, and finishes with our own crews under one contract.
Kitchen Island and Open-Concept Conversion
Signs you need it
Your kitchen is closed off from the dining or living area by a load-bearing wall, and you want an island with seating but don’t know whether the floor framing on your slab can support the change.
What it costs in San Bernardino
Removing a load-bearing wall and adding an island in San Bernardino typically falls between $25,000 and $45,000 including structural beam work, flooring repair, and island construction.
How we do it
We size the beam and verify point loads against your foundation, pull the permit, install temporary shoring, remove the wall, run electrical to the island, and finish the floor and ceiling seams so the new open space looks original to the house.
What Kitchen Remodeling Costs in San Bernardino
| Item | Typical range in San Bernardino |
|---|---|
| Full kitchen gut and rebuild | $45,000 – $85,000 |
| Kitchen island and open-concept conversion | $25,000 – $45,000 |
| Countertop and cabinet refresh | $15,000 – $30,000 |
Do I need a permit to remodel a kitchen in San Bernardino?
Yes. Any San Bernardino kitchen remodel that moves plumbing, electrical, or walls requires a city permit. We pull all permits and schedule inspections. Call (877) 265-9846 for a free estimate.
Will a kitchen remodel in San Bernardino work with my old electrical panel?
Probably not as-is. Most 1950s and 1960s San Bernardino homes have 100-amp panels, and a modern kitchen needs 200 amps. We include panel upgrades in our estimates when needed. Call (877) 265-9846 to confirm what your home needs.
Brands We Service in San Bernardino
We build and install ADUs from seven vetted manufacturers, including Plant Prefab, Abodu, and Tuff Shed, and we finish exteriors with James Hardie fiber-cement cladding for San Bernardino’s heat and Santa Ana wind conditions. Parts lead times vary by manufacturer, but our team coordinates delivery around your lot’s access constraints so materials arrive when the site is ready. Learn more on our brands page.
Pricing for ADU Company in San Bernardino, CA
| Service | Typical range in San Bernardino |
|---|---|
| Detached ADU (prefab, up to 1,200 sq ft) | $250 – $450 per sq ft |
| Detached ADU (site-built, custom) | $300 – $500 per sq ft |
| Garage conversion ADU | $150 – $250 per sq ft |
| Full kitchen gut and rebuild | $45,000 – $85,000 |
| Kitchen island and open-concept conversion | $25,000 – $45,000 |
| Bathroom remodel (full gut) | $18,000 – $35,000 |
| Bathroom remodel (cosmetic refresh) | $8,000 – $15,000 |
| James Hardie exterior cladding | $12 – $18 per sq ft |
Prices in San Bernardino push higher when a job requires a panel upgrade, sewer line replacement, or extra structural work on an older slab foundation. We give you a fixed, written line-item quote before work starts, and we don’t write change orders for conditions we should have caught in the site walk.
Neighborhoods We Serve in San Bernardino
We work across San Bernardino, from the post-war tracts north of Highland Avenue to the alley-loaded neighborhoods near the 210 and 215 interchange. Most of our estimates in the city can be scheduled within a week, and our team knows which areas trigger extra city requirements around parking replacement and easement clearance.
- North Park
- Delmann Heights
- Arrowhead
- Muscupiabe
- Verdemont
Service Area – Cities Near San Bernardino
Colonial ADU Builders is based in Loma Linda and serves the surrounding Inland Empire cities. If you’re in Muscoy, CA or Highland, CA, we’re close by and familiar with the same post-war housing stock and climate conditions. We also work regularly in Loma Linda, CA and Rialto, CA, where lot sizes and access patterns are similar to San Bernardino’s older neighborhoods.
Serving San Bernardino, CA — Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the San Bernardino area and know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage — if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
FAQs About ADU Company in San Bernardino
Most San Bernardino projects move from signed contract to first day of work within four to eight weeks. That includes permit submittal with the city, manufacturer order lead times for prefab ADUs, and material procurement. Call (877) 265-9846 for a current schedule estimate.
In many older San Bernardino neighborhoods, converting a detached garage to an ADU triggers a city requirement to replace the lost covered parking, usually by restriping the existing driveway or adding a new uncovered space. We identify this during the site walk so it’s in your fixed price, not a surprise later.
Yes. Colonial ADU Builders pulls all required city permits for ADU construction and kitchen or bathroom remodels, schedules every inspection, and stays on site through final sign-off. You never carry the permit responsibility yourself.
If you’re considering an ADU or kitchen remodel in San Bernardino, call (877) 265-9846 to schedule a free estimate. We’ll walk your lot or your kitchen, talk through what’s realistic for your home’s era and your budget, and give you a written quote with no pressure and no vague numbers.
What happens when you call
- 1A real person answersNo phone trees — talk to a local adu pro.
- 2You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched. No surprises.
- 3We come out and measureLicensed & insured, at a time that suits you — the visit and the quote are both free.
- 4You get the price in writingLine-itemed, yours to keep, and nothing starts until you say go.
What San Bernardino Customers Say
"Every invoice was tied to a completed milestone, so I always knew what I was paying for."
— Beatriz Mendoza"Garage conversion to a one bedroom unit. He handled the plans, the city submittal, and every round of corrections. Took six months from first meeting to final inspection and he never once made the permit process my problem."
— Christine Kim"Detached unit in the back yard. Utilities trenched, separate meter, and it passed final on the first inspection."
— Todd Rhodes