PASADENA, CALIFORNIA
Home Remodeling Contractor in
Pasadena, CA
With more than 10 years of experience, ARD Remodeling updates kitchens, bathrooms, floors and whole homes for owners in Pasadena, California. The city's own housing plan says 75 percent of its housing was built before 1970, so the free estimate is a visit to the house: we see what the rooms are made of and put the scope on paper. Pasadena adds three local layers worth knowing before a start date is set: a one-stop Permit Center, landmark districts with their own design review and a fixed window for construction work.
- Free estimates
- Pasadena and next door
- Scope in writing
- One crew, many trades
Permits
Starting at the Permit Center
The Permit Center on North Garfield Avenue is where applications and fees are submitted, and the city describes it as a one-stop shop with staff from several departments. Simple projects can be reviewed at the counter, while more complex plans go in for a longer review. Which road a project takes is the Building & Safety Division's call. We sort your list into the likely one at the estimate and help gather the paperwork.
Counter or longer review
A small job can be settled while you wait. A bigger one needs complete drawings before review starts.
Online for larger projects
New construction, accessory dwelling units and additions must be submitted through the city's Permit Center Online.
Kitchen and bathroom handouts
Building & Safety publishes handouts for these two rooms. Reading yours first shows what the counter expects.
The work window, and the holidays inside it
Section 9.36.070 of the municipal code limits construction to weekdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays and holidays are prohibited, and the city's holiday list is longer than most people guess: it includes Lincoln's Birthday and the day after Thanksgiving. We build the calendar inside the window and flag the loud stretches.
Equipment is named in the code
Hammers, hoists, forklifts and cement mixers follow the same hours as the rest of the job.
Association rules come on top
A condo or HOA may set stricter days. Get its rules before a date goes on the calendar.
IN A PASADENA HOUSE
What owners here tend to ask about
A few starting points. Most real projects combine two or three.
A kitchen that opens up
Closed-in kitchens gain light and counter room when walls or windows change.
A bathroom in the same footprint
New tile, a rebuilt shower or tub surround and a better vanity.
Floors that tie rooms together
Mismatched floors replaced by one surface from room to room.
Doors, windows and trim
Replacement openings and casings, checked first in a landmark district.
Living and dining rooms
Lighting and built-ins that suit an older house.
Paint, saved for last
Final coats go on once the dusty trades have left.
What a house built before 1970 can hide
The city's housing plan says homes built before 1978 are likely to contain lead-based paint, and that 50- or 60-year-old structures often need upgrades to plumbing, electrical and heating. Both are reasons to ask the build year at the first visit and to look at the pipes and circuits that serve your rooms before the scope is fixed.
Photograph old finishes
Layered paint, cracked plaster and patched floors tell us where to look.
Pipes and panels
Supply lines, drains and wiring near the project are reviewed with the scope, not after demolition.
Keep what is worth keeping
Original trim, built-ins and doors are noted before work starts.
THE DETAILS OF THE HOUSE
Built-ins and trim worth keeping
In a house built before 1970, original bookcases, benches and wood casings are often part of what makes the rooms feel right. Before demolition we note what can be repaired, matched or removed, so the remodeled rooms still read as one house.
- Casings and openingsTrim profiles are recorded so new work can line up with the old.
- Built-in furnitureBenches, shelves and cabinets are kept, repaired or rebuilt to match.
- Lighting and outletsSwitches and fixtures are planned around the woodwork.
Landmark districts and sloping lots
In a landmark district, the city reviews demolitions, new construction and exterior changes visible from the street, and issues a Certificate of Appropriateness before the building permit. Interior alterations and paint colors are listed as exempt from that review. Separately, Pasadena has a Hillside Grading Ordinance for excavation, cuts and fills. Neither is aimed at interior work, but additions, decks, retaining walls and street-side windows can meet them.
Check the district map
The city publishes a map of designated districts. We look up your address before suggesting a window or porch change.
Ask about the slope
If the lot is on a hill, say so at the visit. Grading rules belong to the ground, not the rooms.
FOR THE FIRST VISIT
What to gather before we meet
None of this has to be perfect. It simply saves time.
- 1Your address, and the year the house was built if you know it
- 2Photos of each room you want changed
- 3Any older drawings, permit records or repair receipts
- 4Notes on peeling paint, stains or soft spots
- 5A short list of what must move and what must stay
- 6HOA or condo rules, if they apply
A thin folder is fine. We fill in the gaps together.
WHAT WE REMODEL
Remodeling Services in Pasadena
Service overviewKitchen RemodelingBeautiful kitchens that bring together thoughtful design, quality materials and expert craftsmanship.See the service 
PasadenaBathroom Remodeling in PasadenaCustom showers, vanities, tile, lighting and improved layouts for a bathroom that looks beautiful and works better.Open the Pasadena page 
Service overviewFlooring & TileStylish, durable, and professionally installed flooring and tile for every room in your home.See the service 
Service overviewWhole-Home RenovationsDesign, construction and finishing details brought together into one carefully coordinated project.See the service 
Service overviewLiving Room RemodelingFlooring, ceilings, lighting, built-ins and open-concept layouts that make the room you use most feel finished.See the service 
Service overviewWindows & DoorsEnergy-efficient windows, sliding patio doors and modern entry doors with a clean finished look.See the service
QUESTIONS FIRST
Not sure which Pasadena rules touch your plan?
Share a few photos and your address. We will explain what the work involves and which of the city's review steps it may meet.
HOW IT WORKS
How a project in Pasadena runs
Step 1
A visit and measurements
We come to the house, measure and listen to what bothers you about how it works.
Step 2
The scope on paper
Materials and finishes are chosen with you, and the scope is written down first.
Step 3
Matched to the city's review
We sort the work into counter review, plan check or landmark review and gather what each asks for.
Step 4
Built inside the hours
Trades are sequenced for the weekday and Saturday window, and we walk the finished rooms with you.
Good to know
Before you start in Pasadena
Every point below comes from the source shown on its card, with the date we last checked it. Rules change, so confirm anything that affects your project directly with the source.
- Official source
Where to apply
Permit applications and fees are submitted at the Permit Center, 175 North Garfield Avenue. The city lists room additions and remodeling among the projects that need plan review. Simple projects that meet its over-the-counter thresholds can be reviewed at the counter; complex plans are submitted for review. New construction, accessory dwelling units, tenant improvements and additions must be submitted online.
City of Pasadena, Apply for Permit Checked 2026-10-30 - Official source
Permitted construction hours
Municipal Code 9.36.070 limits construction equipment, and construction or repair work that would annoy a reasonable nearby resident, to Monday to Friday 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Saturday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. within a residential district or 500 feet of one. Sundays and holidays are prohibited, including Lincoln's Birthday and the day after Thanksgiving, with exceptions for an owner working with up to two helpers, a neighborhood petition and emergency work.
City of Pasadena, Construction and Delivery Hours Checked 2026-10-30 - Official source
Landmark district review
In a landmark district, demolitions, exterior alterations visible from the street and new construction require a Certificate of Appropriateness before a building permit is issued. The city lists exterior alterations not visible from the street, interior alterations, paint colors, landscaping, solar panels and routine maintenance as exempt from that review.
City of Pasadena, Historic Designations & Incentives Checked 2026-10-30 - Official source
How old the housing is
Pasadena's 2021-2029 Housing Element says 75 percent of the housing stock was built before 1970 and that units built before 1978 are likely to contain lead-based paint. It adds that 50- or 60-year-old structures often require upgrades to plumbing, electrical, heating and other major components.
City of Pasadena, 2021-2029 Housing Element (Community Profile) Checked 2026-10-30 - Official source
Codes and hillside grading
The city lists the 2025 California building, residential, electrical, plumbing, energy and green building codes, among others, as effective January 1, 2026, possibly with city amendments. Its Hillside Grading Ordinance (Chapter 14.05) sets rules for excavation, grading and earthwork, including cuts, fills and embankments.
City of Pasadena, Codes and Regulations Checked 2026-10-30
FAQ
Remodeling questions in Pasadena
Direct answers to what homeowners ask us most. If your question is not here, call or send a request.
- Pasadena
- Permits
- Clear scope
Where are Pasadena building permits handled?
At the Permit Center on North Garfield Avenue, which the city calls a one-stop shop. New construction, accessory dwelling units and additions must be submitted online. We help collect the drawings and forms either route asks for.
Does a landmark-district address change a kitchen or bathroom remodel?
That review targets demolition, new construction and exterior changes visible from the street, and the city lists interior alterations as exempt from it. Building permit rules apply separately. Give us your address and we will check the district map.
Is the day after Thanksgiving a work day?
Not for construction. Pasadena's holiday list includes the day after Thanksgiving and Lincoln's Birthday, and construction is prohibited on those days. Other weekdays run 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
My house dates from the 1920s. What should I expect?
Questions at the first visit. The city's housing plan notes lead-based paint risk before 1978 and frequent plumbing and electrical upgrades in older structures. We review those systems before the scope is final.
Do you have a Pasadena project to look at?
The Projects section of this site has a spa-style bathroom remodel in Pasadena, with a freestanding soaking tub under a picture window, a frameless glass shower with a niche and a floating walnut double vanity.
Do you also work in the towns around Pasadena?
Yes. South Pasadena, Arcadia, Alhambra, Glendale and San Gabriel are on our service-area list. Call (424) 402-5114 or request a free estimate on this page.
Service area
Also serving near Pasadena
We work across Riverside, Orange, Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties. Call or send a request and we will confirm your address.
READY TO GET STARTED?
Planning a remodel in Pasadena?
Tell us about your home and your plans. We will confirm the details and set up your free estimate.