Kitchen remodeling
Bathroom remodeling
Home additions & ADU
Roofing
Windows & doors
Driveway & pavers
FenceFree written scope consultation - allowances, timeline, and change-order rules on paper before a single trade is scheduled
Fast, Reliable General Contractor Across Chinatown
We’ve worked enough buildings in 94133 to know the drill before the first walk-through: you’re either dealing with a 1910 brick storefront with soft-story issues, a wood-frame flat above a commercial space, or a zero-lot-line row house with no staging area and a Historic Preservation Commission review hanging over any visible change. That’s the job. A General Contractor who hasn’t pulled permits, shored party walls, or hand-carried scaffold through a 6-foot Stockton Street alley will learn the hard way. We already know the hard way, so you don’t have to. General Contractor work in Chinatown means sequencing demolition, landmark compliance, and coastal-spec materials in one draw schedule. Call (855) 473-5620 for a free estimate.
Why San Bernardino Contractors Is Chinatown’s Preferred General Contractor Company
Ruben Castillo runs our jobs with one rule: the scope of work gets written before the first hammer swings. That matters more in Chinatown than almost anywhere in San Francisco, because the surprises here are structural, not cosmetic. When a client on Grant Avenue wanted a storefront window package replaced, we flagged that HPC review would add four to eight weeks. They were upset until we explained the alternative: doing it unpermitted, getting a stop-work order, and paying double to fix it. We don’t do that to people.
Chinatown customers hire us because we speak the neighborhood’s building language. We know that unreinforced masonry eats standard galvanized fasteners in two fog seasons. We know that a bathroom gut on Waverly Place means coordinating debris removal through an alley where a dumpster won’t fit. We know that concrete work on Columbus needs a moisture barrier spec’d for marine air, not the inland mix. This isn’t knowledge you get from a national franchise. It’s knowledge you get from doing the work here.
Styles & brands we work with







Residential General Contractor in Chinatown
A Residential General Contractor in Chinatown handles whole-home renovations, kitchen and bath remodels, exterior replacements, and structural retrofits on buildings that are often 100 years old and share walls with neighbors on both sides. Homeowners call us when they’re planning a full gut, a roof-to-pavers exterior job, or a soft-story retrofit that needs a shoring plan before any framing starts. Typical kitchen remodels here run $14,000 – $45,000, bathrooms $9,000 – $28,000, and roof replacements $8,000 – $20,000. The coastal-spec version of each job adds 10 – 20% on materials, and we’ll explain exactly why that’s the cheaper option over a decade.
Kitchen and Bath Overhauls
Chinatown kitchens are often compact, which means cabinet runs max out at ten linear feet and a peninsula island eats the whole room. We plan for that. KraftMaid and Wellborn cabinets, Cambria or Silestone counters, Kohler or Grohe fixtures. You pick the brand, we handle the build.
Bathrooms in older flats sit over commercial spaces or neighbor units, so waterproofing isn’t optional. We use Schluter systems under tile and marine-grade backer board anywhere moisture reaches. Walk-in shower conversions typically $4,500 – $12,000. Vanity replacements with plumbing adjustment, $800 – $3,000.
Exterior-to-Interior Scope
One contractor, every phase. That’s the only model that works when a Chinatown building needs roof replacement, window replacement, and a storefront repair at the same time. We run GAF and CertainTeed roofing systems, PGT and CGI impact windows, James Hardie siding, and Belgard pavers. No subcontractor shuffle. Single-point accountability from the roof down to the pavers.
Hire a General Contractor in Chinatown
When you hire a General Contractor in Chinatown, you’re hiring someone to manage permits, HPC review, seismic retrofit requirements, material selection, and trade coordination on a tight site where storage is measured in square feet, not yards. That’s our role. Homeowners who try to piece it together with separate roofers, cabinet shops, and tile subs end up with scheduling gaps and finger-pointing. We own the whole build.
Costs vary by scope, but here’s what you’re looking at in this neighborhood: a full kitchen remodel runs $14,000 – $45,000, bathroom remodels $9,000 – $28,000, roof replacement $8,000 – $20,000, window replacement (with HPC-compliant profiles) $4,500 – $15,000. Home additions range $45,000 – $130,000. ADUs $90,000 – $220,000. Estimates are free, written, and line-itemed.
Permitting and HPC Coordination
Any exterior alteration visible from the street triggers Historic Preservation Commission review. That’s not a suggestion. We submit drawings, material samples, and photo logs before ordering a single window. The review adds 4 – 8 weeks to a straightforward replacement. We build that into the schedule and the draw schedule so you’re not surprised mid-project.
Coastal-Spec Materials, Not Inland Specs
In Chinatown’s fog belt, standard galvanized fasteners on masonry fail within two fog seasons. Non-breathable sealants trap moisture and accelerate spalling. We specify stainless or hot-dip hardware, marine-grade finishes, and breathable siloxane sealers. Yes, it costs more up front. We just watched a building on Jackson Street where cheap window flashing rotted the original sill. Your call.
Trusted Brands We Service in Chinatown
We service every brand we install, which matters when a Grohe valve needs a cartridge at year six or a GAF roof needs a storm inspection. Chinatown clients get faster parts turnaround because we stock common components locally in our Fontana yard and run material orders weekly. CertainTeed shingles, Sterling plumbing fixtures, Grohe tub fillers, GAF underlayment. We know the product lines down to the model codes, so warranty work and repairs don’t turn into research projects.
See the difference
Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterCommon General Contractor Problems We See in Chinatown Homes
- Spalling masonry from trapped moisture. Standard sealants trap water behind brick faces, and two fog seasons later you’re chipping out loose mortar. We use breathable siloxane sealers and stainless flashing on every exterior repair.
- Dry-rotted sills and trim at storefront grade. Fog-driven moisture settles into original wood sills on ground-floor storefronts. We replace with marine-grade mahogany and stainless flashing, not pressure-treated pine.
- Underestimated HPC review time. Homeowners plan for windows to arrive in two weeks, then discover a 4 – 8 week review. We include HPC in the draw schedule from the first week so financing and material orders don’t collide.
- Zero-lot-line staging problems. No yard means no dumpster. We hand-carry debris through 6-foot alleys and coordinate street permits for material delivery. This adds labor hours and changes the schedule. We plan for it.
Pricing for General Contractor in Chinatown, CA
We’re going to give you real numbers, not “it depends.” A kitchen remodel in Chinatown runs $14,000 – $45,000. Bathrooms $9,000 – $28,000. A roof replacement $8,000 – $20,000. Window replacement $4,500 – $15,000. The wide ranges reflect finish level, square footage, and whether the building needs seismic retrofit work inside the same permit. Coastal-spec materials add roughly 10 – 20% to the material line. Cheaper inland-spec fasteners and sealants will cost you more within a decade, sometimes within two fog seasons. Get a free written estimate. Call (855) 473-5620.
| Project | Chinatown Price Range |
|---|---|
| Kitchen Remodel | $14,000 – $45,000 |
| Bathroom Remodel | $9,000 – $28,000 |
| Roof Replacement | $8,000 – $20,000 |
| Window Replacement | $4,500 – $15,000 |
We Also Serve Cities Near Chinatown
Our crews run jobs in Chinatown and the surrounding San Francisco neighborhoods: the Mission District, Noe Valley, Visitacion Valley, and broader San Francisco. Same project management approach, same coastal-spec material standards, same single-contractor accountability wherever the address is.
Serving Chinatown, CA — Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Chinatown 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 General Contractor in Chinatown
Marine fog in Chinatown drives chronic moisture into masonry and wood, so we specify stainless or hot-dip galvanized fasteners, marine-grade wood for sills and trim, and breathable siloxane sealers on brick. Standard galvanized hardware and non-breathable sealants trap moisture and fail within two fog seasons. Call (855) 473-5620 to talk about what your building needs.
Any exterior alteration visible from the street requires Historic Preservation Commission review in addition to standard building permits. That review typically adds 4 – 8 weeks to the schedule. Interior work that doesn’t change the façade usually moves faster, but seismic retrofit scope and soft-story requirements can still trigger added review. We handle the submissions, the photo logs, and the follow-up. Call (855) 473-5620 for specifics on your building.
Coastal-spec materials cost 10 – 20% more because stainless fasteners, marine-grade woods, and breathable sealers are more expensive than standard galvanized hardware and off-the-shelf paints. The cheap spec fails within two fog seasons: fasteners rust, sealers trap moisture, and masonry spalls. Fixing that damage costs more than the up-front coastal-spec upgrade. We spec coastal materials as the standard in Chinatown, not an upgrade. Call (855) 473-5620 for a line-item comparison.
We plan for hand-carried debris removal, street permits for material delivery, and shoring that protects shared party walls. Dumpsters usually don’t fit in 6-foot alleys, so we use smaller debris carts and schedule haul-off daily. Labor hours go up, but our schedule accounts for that before you sign. Call (855) 473-5620 and we’ll walk your site.
A written scope of work for a Chinatown remodel should include all permit and HPC review milestones, structural retrofit scope with shoring allowances, specific material brands and finish levels, coastal-spec fasteners and sealers, and a line-item allowance for historic trim or unreinforced masonry conditions discovered during demo. We write scopes that way on every job. Call (855) 473-5620 for a sample scope.
Written by Ruben Castillo, Owner at San Bernardino Contractors, serving Chinatown with coastal-spec general contractor work.