Kitchen remodeling
Usually needs no Planning approval if no floor area is added. If kitchen circuits change, the Town's electric-readiness rules apply (see below). Design, the plan set and the ePlan submittal are included.
R&B Master Construction Inc. / Atherton
The Atherton Remodel Checklist
Large lots, heritage trees and a detailed Town checklist. Here's how we prepare an Atherton remodel.
CSLB #1158657Serving Atherton from our San Mateo officeDesign, drawings & permits included
Atherton is a different kind of place to build. The Town's Housing Element describes it as entirely large-lot residential, with minimum lots of one-third of an acre to one acre and no commercial or industrial land. Big sites mean long driveways, many mature trees and staging that has to be planned. R&B Master Construction Inc. (CSLB #1158657) works here from our San Mateo office on kitchens, bathrooms, flooring, painting, whole-home remodels, additions and concrete driveways. Every job includes design, drawings and the Town permit work.
Atherton / Local guide
Why Atherton remodels need more paperwork
- Zoning by lot size. R-1A allows single-family homes on lots of at least one acre. R-1B requires at least 13,500 sq ft (0.31 acre).
- Trees come first. The Town wants a tree protection plan with remodel submittals, and the protection must be installed and inspected before a permit is issued.
- One structure, one permit. The Town's separate-permit FAQ explains that each structure (garage, pool house, sport court, demolition, grading and drainage) is its own application.
Atherton / Local guide
Checklist A: before design starts
- Confirm whether Planning review is needed. The Town's Planning guideline says interior remodels that add no floor area or habitable space, like-for-like AC replacement in the same location, and re-roofs that don't change height or shape do not need Planning approval. Additions do.
- Commission an arborist survey. The Town's tree plan must show every tree 10 inches or more in diameter, with heritage trees (48-inch circumference, about 15.2 inches in diameter, measured 54 inches up) fenced at 8 times their diameter.
- Map existing and proposed hardscape, utilities and any hand-digging zones near trees. The Town Arborist reviews these.
- Decide early whether the project needs grading and drainage, demolition or landscape screening permits. Each needs its own plan set.
- Confirm the contractor has a Town of Atherton business license. It's required before issuance, and every subcontractor must be listed before final.
Atherton / Local guide
Checklist B: what goes in the Atherton plan set
- Building Permit Application and Square Footage Worksheet (the Town wants actual structure areas, which usually differ from Planning's allowable-area figures)
- Cover sheet with design criteria, special inspections, deferred submittals and the sprinkler statement
- Site plan with setbacks and trees, plus a Construction, Operations and Parking (COP) plan
- Tree protection plan on its own sheet at 1" = 10' or 1" = 20'
- Demolition plan for remodels, then floor, roof, foundation and elevation drawings and sections
- Door and window schedules with U-factors that match the Title 24 calculations
- Electrical, mechanical and plumbing layouts, plus structural plans and calculations where needed
- Geotechnical report and a letter confirming the recommendations are incorporated, when required
- Approval letter from the Menlo Park Fire Protection District and school-district fee notice
Every sheet is signed by the person who prepared it. Architectural sheets come from our in-house licensed architect.
Atherton / Local guide
Checklist C: during construction
- Tree protection fencing installed and inspected before the permit is issued
- Plan-check fees paid in person or by mail (the Town's checklist says it does not accept credit cards)
- Subcontractor list with Town business licenses completed before final inspection
- Separate encroachment permit for any work at the street (see driveways below)
Atherton / Services
Services, mapped to the checklist
Bathroom remodeling
In a large home, several baths are often remodeled at once, and they go into one plan set with a single Title 24 package. Bath design and Town filings included.
Flooring installation
Floor heights, stair nosings and transitions planned across large open plans. Flooring that's part of a permitted remodel is shown in the plan set.
Interior & exterior painting
Exterior repainting on big lots means planning access and staging around protected tree zones. We include a written scope and staging plan.
Whole-home remodeling
Every item in Checklist B applies. We assemble the full set, with architecture by our in-house licensed architect. Design, drawings and permits included.
Home additions
Additions need Planning review before the building submittal, and the Square Footage Worksheet becomes central to the design. Architectural plans from our in-house licensed architect; Planning and Building handled by us.
Atherton / Design & permits
Design, drawings and Town of Atherton permits included
Every R&B service in Atherton covers design, construction drawings and the permit process. Plans go to the Town of Atherton Building Department, 80 Fair Oaks Lane (650-752-0560), through the Town's ePlan Submittal portal, which has separate links for new and existing projects. Status is tracked in eTRAKiT. Planning is in the same Town offices (650-752-0544). Street-side work goes to Public Works. Step-by-step detail is on our page about permits in Atherton.
Atherton / Local guide
Atherton's electric-readiness reach code
Atherton's Electric Readiness Reach Code (fact sheet, July 2025) goes beyond the state's 2025 Energy Code, which already favors heat pumps for heating and hot water. For additions and alterations that need an electrical permit:
- Kitchen: if branch circuits serving a gas or propane range are modified, install a 120/240V, 50A, three-conductor circuit to a receptacle within 3 feet, with a breaker space marked "Future Use."
- Laundry and utility rooms: similar readiness for dryers and future heat-pump water heaters. The Town lists exceptions where meeting the rule would mean moving walls outside the scope.
- Panel upgrades: a new panel or service has to be sized for future electric-ready equipment. Without an upgrade, compliance is limited to existing panel capacity.
The Town notes the code does not require removing gas appliances. It requires the infrastructure so you can switch later.
Atherton / Roofing
Re-roofing in Atherton
The Town's Planning guideline says a re-roof that does not change the height, size or shape of the structure does not need Planning approval. Roof work on a large lot still has to be staged around the tree protection zones described in Checklist A. A roof change that alters height or shape is reviewed with the rest of the project.
Explore roof repair & replacementAtherton / Driveways
Concrete driveways in Atherton
Long Atherton driveways bring two checklists together:
- Encroachment permit from Atherton Public Works for building, changing or replacing a driveway approach that connects to a Town street. The Town says permits are generally processed in 5–10 business days, and fees depend on scope.
- Tree plan: proposed driveways, slabs and walkways, with their impervious or semi-impervious materials, must appear on the tree protection plan.
- Grading & drainage permit if the work changes site drainage. It needs its own plan set.
- Built to the Town's Driveway Standards and Specs.
Before you begin
Atherton questions we hear
Every home is different. Let’s talk through the details of yours.
Does an Atherton kitchen remodel need Planning approval?
Usually not. The Town's Planning guideline says interior remodels that add no floor area or habitable space don't need Planning approval. Additions and new structures do.
Why does the Town want a tree protection plan for an interior remodel?
The Town requires tree protection plans with new, remodel and demolition projects, and the fencing has to be installed and inspected before the permit is issued. Staging, trucks and dumpsters can harm heritage trees even when the work is indoors.
What is a COP plan?
A Construction, Operations and Parking plan. It shows where workers park, where materials are staged and how the site runs. It's on the Town's building submittal checklist.
Will my kitchen remodel trigger Atherton's electric-readiness rules?
It will if it changes the branch circuits serving a gas or propane range and needs an electrical permit. You then need a 240V-ready circuit and a reserved breaker space. You can keep the gas range.
Is design included, or do I hire an architect separately?
You don't need to hire one separately. Design, drawings and permits come with every R&B service in Atherton, and R&B's in-house licensed architect handles the architectural plans, coordinated by our team.
Atherton / Next step
Bring your lot survey and we'll start the checklist.
Call (650) 800-9661, 7:00 AM–5:00 PM daily, or send a short enquiry. Your city and an idea of the project are enough to start.
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You don’t need to have it all figured out. Tell us where you are with your project, and we can discuss the next step.
(650) 800-9661info@rbmasterconstruction.comDiscuss your Atherton project. Availability is confirmed for your scope and schedule.