Alhambra, California
General Contractor in Alhambra
MKW Homes works in Alhambra on kitchen and bathroom remodels, paver driveways, artificial turf, outdoor living, and pool surrounds. Your permits run through the City of Alhambra Building Division. On these tight San Gabriel Valley lots the size of your lot, not your wish list, decides what actually fits.
The short answer
MKW Homes remodels kitchens and baths and builds patios, turf, and paver driveways in Alhambra. Permits go through the City of Alhambra Building Division on the city Permit Portal, but the number that really shapes a job is your lot. Many single-family parcels cap floor area at 0.40, with a 25-foot front setback and 5-foot sides, so the yard fills up fast. We plan around that. Free same-week estimate.
Building in AlhambraWhat actually matters here.
Your lot size decides the job in Alhambra
Permits here go through the City of Alhambra Building Division, and you pull them on the city Permit Portal. What matters more is the math on your parcel. Many single-family lots sit in the low density zone, capped at a floor area ratio of 0.40, so total floor space cannot pass 40 percent of the lot. Front setback runs 25 feet, interior side 5 feet, and that leaves less room than people expect.
Tight lots mean the backyard is spoken for
On a small Alhambra lot every backyard foot is spoken for. A paver patio, turf, and a pool surround all compete with any future ADU for the same open ground, so we lay out the yard with that in mind before the first cut. Access is the other thing. Driveways are narrow and the house next door is close, which limits where a dumpster and material can sit. We stage tight and protect the neighbor's wall and fence.
What to plan for in an older Alhambra home
A lot of the housing stock here is older, so a kitchen or bath remodel often turns up galvanized supply lines, an undersized electrical panel, or a drain that was set for a smaller house. Where the drain stack sits decides what it costs to move a bathroom. Yards tend to be flat with heavy soil, so any hardscape needs real grading to push water away from the slab, not toward it. Budget for what is behind the wall.
Permits in Alhambra go through City of Alhambra.
Alhambra questionsStraight answers.
Do I need a permit to remodel my kitchen or bathroom in Alhambra?
Yes, most do. Moving plumbing, gas, or electrical, or taking out a wall, needs a permit from the City of Alhambra Building Division, pulled on the city Permit Portal. A like-for-like swap with no layout change may not, but we would rather check than have it flagged at resale.
How much of my lot can I actually build on in Alhambra?
In the low density residential zone the floor area ratio caps total floor space at 0.40 of the lot, so a 6,000 square foot lot allows roughly 2,400 square feet of floor area. You also owe a 25 foot front setback and 5 foot sides. Check your parcel's zone with the city, since denser zones run different numbers.
Do you actually work in Alhambra, or just Pasadena?
Yes, Alhambra is well inside where we work. We run one four-person crew on one job at a time and keep the area tight on purpose, so the crew is on your job instead of stuck on the 10 or the 710. You get free estimates, a three year labor warranty on the work, and the same crew from demo to the final walk.
ReviewsFrom nearby homeowners.
Hired Mike and his crew to redo our entire backyard and driveway. Removal of the asphalt and existing landscaping, running water lines and electrical, artificial grass, plant borders, a paver driveway, raised the patio gazebo, added a paver patio, landscaped borders, irrigation and outdoor lighting.
Teri CraftLocal Guide · 33 reviewsFrom start to finish the job was handled with the utmost professionalism and attention to detail. What stood out most was their communication. Mr. Ward kept me informed every step of the way.
Angela Adams5 reviewsMKW Homes just painted our home. We are very satisfied with the work. During the process everything was clean and organized.
Jake Baloian3 reviewsMike and his crew were great. They did a wonderful job on the stucco patching and painting, and we were very pleased with the results.
Jen B1 reviewHired Mike and his crew to redo our entire backyard and driveway. Removal of the asphalt and existing landscaping, running water lines and electrical, artificial grass, plant borders, a paver driveway, raised the patio gazebo, added a paver patio, landscaped borders, irrigation and outdoor lighting.
Teri CraftLocal Guide · 33 reviewsFrom start to finish the job was handled with the utmost professionalism and attention to detail. What stood out most was their communication. Mr. Ward kept me informed every step of the way.
Angela Adams5 reviewsMKW Homes just painted our home. We are very satisfied with the work. During the process everything was clean and organized.
Jake Baloian3 reviewsMike and his crew were great. They did a wonderful job on the stucco patching and painting, and we were very pleased with the results.
Jen B1 review