R&B Master Construction Inc. / Los Altos
The year your house was built tells us more about your remodel than its square footage does.
Los Altos grew in two distinct waves. First came a railroad town of small lots and bungalows. Then, after World War II, came a much larger suburb of single-story homes. R&B Master Construction Inc. (CSLB #1158657) works with homeowners from both eras on kitchens, bathrooms, flooring, painting, whole-home remodels, additions and concrete driveways. Our Cupertino office is the nearest base. Design, drawings and the City of Los Altos permit process are part of every job.
Los Altos / Homes
| Era | What the City's history records | What it usually means for a remodel |
|---|---|---|
| 1906 to 1930s: the railroad town | Paul Shoup's Altos Land Co. bought 140 acres in 1906 and sold the first town lots in March 1907. The City's historic context lists bungalows, Mission, Period Revival, Prairie, Italian Villa and Spanish Colonial Revival houses from this period. Los Altos Park (subdivided 1925) and Loyola Corners (recorded 1926) are noted for small homes on small lots. | Original details are worth documenting before demolition. Homes over 50 years old can be evaluated for the City's Historic Resources Inventory. Small rooms mean layout changes often touch structure. |
| 1940s to 1960s: the postwar boom | The City says population "exploded after World War II." Los Altos incorporated on December 1, 1952. The 2000 Census counted nearly half of all homes as built between 1940 and 1959. | Single-story plans, original-era electrical service and plumbing, and kitchens that are often closed off from living space. Opening walls and adding circuits are the common requests. |
| Later infill and rebuilds | Newer homes sit among older ones on the same streets. | Usually systems-current. Remodels focus on finishes, layout tweaks and indoor-outdoor flow. |
This describes Los Altos housing in general. It is not a list of R&B projects.
Los Altos / Services
In a postwar ranch, opening a kitchen to the family room usually means confirming which walls carry roof loads. In a 1920s bungalow, it often means keeping the scale of the original rooms. Either way, we plan cabinetry, counters, lighting and appliance circuits together. Kitchen design and permit drawings are part of the service.
In houses of this age, the original bath often has small footprints, older drain lines and little ventilation. We rebuild with modern waterproofing and exhaust while keeping the room in proportion with the rest of the house. Includes layout design and the City submittal.
Many postwar homes have slab or low crawlspace floors, so heights at doorways and transitions to adjacent rooms are planned before materials are chosen. Flooring that is part of a permitted remodel is shown on the same drawing set.
Interior repainting, and exterior repainting that respects the home's era. If repainting is part of a larger exterior alteration, R1 design review applies to the overall project. Color and material notes go into the plans when review applies.
When the kitchen, baths and systems all need work at once, one design keeps the house coherent. Includes design development, the full plan set and permitting, with architectural services from our in-house licensed architect.
The City says additions require Planning approval before the building submittal. We prepare the design review package first. Architectural plans from our in-house licensed architect; we handle Planning and Building.
Los Altos / Design & permits
Every R&B service in Los Altos covers design, construction drawings and permits. Building permits come from the City of Los Altos Building Division, 1 North San Antonio Road (650-947-2752). Plans, Title 24 forms, calculations and the application are emailed to the Division's permit inbox (bldpermit@losaltosca.gov). The City says submittals are processed in 2 to 4 business days before plan-review fees are invoiced and the project is routed to departments. Simple residential permits such as re-roofs can be pulled on the City's eTRAKiT online portal. Right-of-way work goes to the Engineering Division. See how we handle permits in Los Altos.
Los Altos / Energy code
The 2025 California Energy Code applies to permits filed in 2026. The Energy Commission notes that it covers additions and alterations as well as new homes, that California is split into 16 climate zones with their own energy budgets, and that projects can comply by a prescriptive checklist or a performance model. This cycle leans heavily on heat pumps for space and water heating and strengthens ventilation rules. For a postwar Los Altos house, that usually affects the furnace or water-heater swap, attic and duct work, and kitchen hood or bath fan sizing. We settle those choices before the Title 24 report is run.
Los Altos / Roofing
For a straightforward re-roof, the City lets simple residential permits such as re-roofs be pulled on its eTRAKiT online portal. A roof that is part of an addition or other exterior alteration goes in with that project's plans and, in the R1 district, its design review.
Explore roof repair & replacementLos Altos / Driveways
Rebuilding the driveway on your lot is usually straightforward. The approach across the sidewalk and curb is a different matter. The City requires an encroachment permit for any work in the public right-of-way. The application goes to the Engineering Division (engineering@losaltosca.gov, 650-947-2780) with a plan of the work, a traffic control plan if needed, a liability insurance certificate endorsed to the City, and a valid Los Altos business license. The City publishes standard details for driveway cross-sections and for approaches with planter strips or attached sidewalks (SU-9, SU-10, SU-11), and we build the approach to those details.
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Every home is different. Let’s talk through the details of yours.
Not if the work is interior only. The City applies R1 design review to exterior alterations, additions and new houses. A kitchen remodel that also adds a window wall or changes the exterior would fall under it.
By email. The Building Division takes plans, supporting documents and the application electronically at bldpermit@losaltosca.gov and no longer accepts paper sets. Additions need Planning approval before that step. We prepare and send the submittal as part of our service.
Possibly. The City's Historic Resources Inventory considers structures over 50 years old that keep their integrity and have documented significance. We recommend checking the inventory status before designing exterior changes.
Only with City approval if the tree is protected (12 inches in diameter, or 10 inches for natives, measured 48 inches up). For an addition, the tree request is reviewed with the development application.
Our Cupertino office at 10080 N Wolfe Rd is the closest. Our headquarters is at 84 W Santa Clara St, Suite 700, San Jose.
Los Altos / Next step
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.
Begin a conversation
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 Los Altos project. Availability is confirmed for your scope and schedule.