Free written scope consultation - allowances, timeline, and change-order rules on paper before a single trade is scheduled
Fast, Reliable General Contractor Across San Francisco
Hiring a General Contractor in San Francisco usually means wading through permit requirements, aging housing stock, and pricing that can swing by tens of thousands of dollars. Bradford Remodeling handles that from the first site visit: we scope the work, register the project with San Francisco DBI, and put a written price in your hand before any tools come out. Call (903) 568-7222 for a free estimate on kitchens, baths, additions, ADUs, and whole-home work anywhere in the city.
One thing you need to know before you hire anyone: in San Francisco, most contractors must obtain a separate permit for each address and pay an annual $100 registration fee to the Department of Building Inspection. That registration is what allows them to legally pull permits anywhere in the city. This is not a county-by-county blanket rule like most metros. A contractor registered in neighboring Daly City or Oakland cannot simply start work in San Francisco without this city-specific license. Before you sign anything, ask to see the DBI registration tied to your specific project address. We keep ours current and we show it.
Why Bradford Remodeling Is San Francisco’s Preferred General Contractor Company
San Francisco homeowners call us because they have been through the other kind of contractor. The one who quotes a low number, disappears for three weeks, then comes back with a change order that doubles the job. Our approach is different. Every project with Bradford Remodeling starts with a written scope of work and a fixed price. Not an estimate that drifts. A line-item price you can hold us to.
We work under The Garrison Standard, the operating framework set by Garrison Partners since 2004. The Garrison Code governs how our crews show up, how they leave the site, and what happens if the work fails. Every completed job carries the 365-Day Done Right Promise: if the work does not hold inside a full year, we return and correct it at no charge. That guarantee is written, signed, and in your hand at job close, along with a clean site and a documented scope.
Our technicians are background-checked and uniformed, so you know exactly who is walking through your door. And when you call Bradford Remodeling, a live person answers. Not a voicemail. Not a callback queue. That matters at 2 p.m. when you have a question about the rough-in, and it matters at 2 a.m. if a water line lets go. Owner Curtis Lane holds every San Francisco project to the same standard.
Styles & brands we work with
Hire a General Contractor in San Francisco
Hire a General Contractor in San Francisco when the job involves structural work, multiple trades, or anything that touches plumbing, electrical, or load-bearing walls. Most remodels in this city require permits through DBI, and DBI will reject an application if your contractor is not registered to work inside the city limits. That detail alone sinks hundreds of projects every year.
Here is what the job actually involves, start to finish: a site visit, a written scope, permit application, demolition, rough-in for plumbing and electrical, the first inspection, then finish work, the final inspection, and a punch list. We sequence that so you are never tearing out finished surfaces to expose wiring for an inspector. On a kitchen remodel in San Francisco, that sequencing saves weeks and thousands of dollars.
Written Scope Before Anything Starts
A written scope of work is not a formality. It names the materials, the brands, the allowance amounts, the permit fees, and the timeline. In San Francisco, where knob-and-tube wiring and galvanized supply lines hide inside walls built in the 1920s, the scope also needs a process for change orders. Ours is simple: if we open a wall and find a problem, we show you, we explain it, and you sign a written change order before we proceed. No surprises at the door.
Permits, Registration, and Inspections
We pull the permits. We schedule the inspections. We pass them. For a bathroom or kitchen remodel in San Francisco, that means filing with DBI, paying the city’s fees, and standing next to the inspector at rough-in and final. If your contractor tells you a small remodel does not need a permit in San Francisco, get a second opinion. DBI’s rules apply to most plumbing, electrical, and structural changes, and unpermitted work becomes your problem when you sell.
General Contractor Services in San Francisco
General Contractor Services in San Francisco span a lot of ground, and the right team depends on the job. Our crews handle kitchens, baths, whole-home remodels, additions, ADUs, garage conversions, basements, and decks. We also coordinate the sub-trades: plumbing, electrical, HVAC, tile, finish carpentry, and painting. You hire one company and get one point of contact, which is the whole point of a general contractor.
Kitchen and Bath Remodels
A San Francisco kitchen remodel typically runs $16,520 to $53,100 depending on cabinets, counters, and whether you are moving plumbing or gas lines. A small kitchen, where the footprint stays the same, runs $10,620 to $23,600. Bathrooms are tighter: $10,620 to $33,040 for a full remodel, $5,900 to $14,160 for a small bath. A walk-in shower installation runs $5,310 to $14,160, and a tub-to-shower conversion runs $4,130 to $11,800.
Additions, ADUs, and Garage Conversions
Home additions in San Francisco start around $53,100 and can reach $153,400 depending on foundation work, structural engineering, and finishes. ADU construction runs $106,200 to $259,600, driven heavily by whether you are doing an attached conversion or a detached new build. A garage conversion runs $35,400 to $94,400. These are multi-month projects that require DBI permits, structural drawings, and a realistic calendar. In Noe Valley, our crew converted a leaking tub to a walk-in shower for a 1920s Edwardian, opening the wall to replace galvanized supply lines with PEX and correcting a joist that had been notched too deeply to carry the load-bearing span. We pulled the plumbing and building permits with San Francisco DBI, passed the rough-in inspection before closing the walls, then installed a Kohler cast-iron receptor, Moen valve, and a Silestone threshold cap that matched the existing marble sill, finishing the punch list in 11 working days.
What happens when you call
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A real person answersNo phone trees - you reach a local pro.
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You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched.
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A background-checked tech heads outLicensed & insured, dispatched right away.
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You approve before work beginsNothing starts until you say go.
Trusted Brands We Service in San Francisco
We install and service a documented roster of materials so specifications are traceable and quality is not left to guesswork. That includes KraftMaid and Wellborn cabinetry, Cambria and Caesarstone surfaces, Kohler and Moen fixtures, GAF and James Hardie exterior products, Therma-Tru doors, and Belgard hardscaping. For San Francisco projects, we also coordinate with specialty builders where the design demands it, including Abodu, Cover, and Dvele for prefab and panelized ADU work. We carry common repair parts for San Francisco jobs, which keeps punch-list items moving instead of waiting on a warehouse in Sacramento.
Common General Contractor Problems We See in San Francisco Homes
- Unlicensed contractors from neighboring counties. A contractor registered in Daly City or Oakland cannot pull a permit in San Francisco without the city-specific DBI registration. We see homeowners stalled for weeks when their permit application gets rejected for exactly this reason.
- Knob-and-tube wiring and galvanized supply lines. Older homes in the Richmond, Sunset, and Noe Valley frequently still have original 1920s-era wiring and plumbing. Opening a wall for a simple remodel often reveals work that must be corrected before the inspector will sign off.
- Change orders disguised as “while we’re in there.” Some contractors treat an open wall as permission to expand scope without written approval. When you get a five-figure bill for structural work not in the original contract, that is what happened. Our rule: nothing gets added without a signed change order.
- Finished surfaces installed before inspections. Cabinet and counter installation should never happen before the rough-in inspection sign-off. If it does, the inspector cannot see the wiring and plumbing, and you are tearing out finished work to expose it. We sequence every San Francisco job so the inspector sees what they need to see.
See the difference
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AfterPricing for General Contractor in San Francisco, CA
Honest pricing in San Francisco means knowing the real ranges before you sign. The table below reflects what we have quoted and built in this city, not a national average pulled from nowhere. Every project with Bradford Remodeling gets a written line-item price before work starts, and that price does not move unless you approve a written change order.
| Project Type | San Francisco Price Range |
|---|---|
| Bathroom Remodel | $10,620 – $33,040 |
| Small Bathroom Remodel | $5,900 – $14,160 |
| Walk-In Shower Installation | $5,310 – $14,160 |
| Tub-to-Shower Conversion | $4,130 – $11,800 |
| Kitchen Remodel | $16,520 – $53,100 |
| Small Kitchen Remodel | $10,620 – $23,600 |
| Cabinet Installation | $4,720 – $15,340 |
| Countertop Installation | $2,360 – $7,670 |
| Home Addition | $53,100 – $153,400 |
| ADU Construction | $106,200 – $259,600 |
| Garage Conversion | $35,400 – $94,400 |
What moves the number: the age of the building, whether we are opening load-bearing walls, the condition of existing plumbing and electrical, and the level of finish you choose. A 1920s Edwardian in Noe Valley with original wiring costs more than a 1990s condo near Mission Bay, even for the same square footage. That is not markup. That is the reality of working on old San Francisco housing stock correctly. Call (903) 568-7222 for an exact quote. Estimates are free, and the number you get is the number you will see in the contract.
We Also Serve Cities Near San Francisco
Bradford Remodeling serves the broader Bay Area from our San Francisco base. If you live just outside the city in Daly City, Brisbane, Sausalito, or South San Francisco, the same written-price commitment and 365-Day Done Right Promise apply. For a deeper look at what we do across the region, see our General Contractor service overview, or learn more about our work as a General Contractor in San Francisco. Same crews, same standard, same written guarantee.
Serving San Francisco, CA - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the San Francisco 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 San Francisco
Yes. San Francisco requires separate permits for each address, and your contractor must hold a current DBI registration to pull them. A kitchen or bath remodel that touches plumbing, electrical, or structural work will require a building permit and typically trade-specific permits as well. Unpermitted work can stop a sale or force you to open walls later. We handle the full permit sequence as part of every San Francisco project. Call (903) 568-7222 and we will walk you through what applies to your specific address.
A small bathroom remodel in San Francisco typically runs $5,900 to $14,160. That range covers a standard 5×8 footprint with a new vanity, toilet, tub or shower, tile, and fixtures, assuming no structural surprises. If we open the wall and find galvanized supply lines or rotted subfloor, that triggers a written change order before any additional work proceeds. For an exact line-item quote, call (903) 568-7222. Estimates are free.
At minimum, the scope should name the brands and materials, list the allowance amounts for fixtures and finishes, itemize the permit fees, state the start and completion windows, and include a process for change orders. At Bradford Remodeling, the scope also includes the written price, the schedule for inspections, and the terms of the 365-Day Done Right Promise. If a contractor hands you a one-page bid with a lump sum and no line items, ask for the details before you sign anything.
An ADU or home addition in San Francisco typically takes 6 to 14 months depending on scope, DBI review timelines, and whether you are doing an attached conversion or a detached new build. Permit review alone can take several weeks to several months. A garage conversion is usually the fastest path, at roughly 3 to 6 months. We give you a realistic calendar in the written scope, and we update it as inspections are scheduled and passed.
In older San Francisco homes, the most common reason is what is inside the walls. Knob-and-tube wiring, galvanized supply lines, and structural problems that were not visible during the initial walkthrough all add cost once demolition starts. A contractor who skips the change order and surprises you later is the failure mode we described above. Our process keeps the original price fixed unless you approve a written change order with a specific dollar amount. That is the Bradford Remodeling way, and it is non-negotiable.
Get Started With Bradford Remodeling in San Francisco
If you are planning a kitchen, bath, addition, ADU, or whole-home project in San Francisco, start with a conversation. We will walk the site, talk through the permit sequence, and give you a written price before any work begins. Call (903) 568-7222 to schedule your free estimate. A real person answers, day or night.
Written by Curtis Lane, Owner at Bradford Remodeling, serving San Francisco.
