Your kitchen layout is tested against the actual dimensions and mechanical constraints of your space before any custom work is ordered. IBA catches gas line conflicts, clearance violations, and ventilation routing issues at the design stage — not during installation.
CSLB License #1074505
Itamar Ben Asulin on every project
Valley · Westside · South Bay
Custom kitchen remodeling means redesigning the kitchen from the floor plan outward — not replacing what’s already there in place. Moving the range, relocating the island, opening a wall to change how the room functions.
It means specifying custom millwork — cabinets, drawer faces, shelving, and trim elements built to the exact dimensions of your space — rather than pulling stock sizes off a shelf. And it means coordinating gas lines, ventilation routing, and electrical circuits against the specific appliances you’ve chosen before a single cabinet box is ordered. That coordination is where most custom kitchen projects succeed or run into problems. Learn more about our kitchen remodeling services in Los Angeles.
IBA Builders holds CSLB License #1074505 — you can verify the CSLB contractor license directly through the state. CSLB licensed contractor Itamar Ben Asulin’s kitchen remodeling work is documented on IBA’s verified Houzz profile. For homeowners whose scope extends beyond the kitchen, we also offer full house remodel services that incorporate kitchen redesign alongside other major spaces.
The same workstreams applied regardless of project size — from a layout reconfiguration to a ground-up custom kitchen.
Every layout concept tested against real dimensions and mechanical positions before any custom millwork is specified. Conflicts caught at design, not at installation.
Refrigerator opening, dishwasher rough-in, microwave drawer height — appliance specs confirmed before cabinet dimensions are finalized. Wrong order means returns and reorders.
Gas, electrical, and structural permits pulled under CSLB License #1074505 as contractor of record. Filed alongside the building permit so review runs in parallel.
California code requires minimum 42-inch clearance on one side and 36-inch on the other in a single-cook kitchen — verified before design is approved.
Cabinet boxes, drawer faces, and trim built to the exact dimensions of your space. Semi-custom and fully custom options sized to the kitchen, not pulled off a shelf.
Range hood exhaust path identified and confirmed buildable before range position is finalized. If the route requires punching through a structural header, we catch it at design.
First site visit: room dimensions measured, mechanical positions recorded (gas, electrical, plumbing), and homeowner’s layout idea tested against real space. Written summary of what the concept can accommodate.
Architectural drawings and trade permit submissions coordinated simultaneously. Building, gas, and electrical permits submitted as one package to LADBS — not filed sequentially. Custom millwork ordered after permit acceptance.
Demolition, rough-in, and framing after permit issuance. Gas inspection at rough-in stage before walls close. Custom cabinets arrive on site only after rough-in inspections pass and walls are closed.
Final inspection covers all trade work — gas pressure, electrical connections, structural modifications. After city sign-off, appliances are connected and tested in place. Project closes when every element operates as specified.
Custom kitchen demand is concentrated in neighborhoods where housing stock is old enough to present real mechanical complexity. A 1960s ranch in Encino has a galley kitchen with a single load-bearing wall dividing it from the living room; a 1990s Playa Vista home has an open layout that already accommodates an island. We work across zip codes including 90049 (Brentwood), 90039 (Silver Lake), 90041 (Eagle Rock), and 91423 (Sherman Oaks) — areas where pre-1980 homes commonly have cast iron gas lines, single-circuit panels serving the kitchen, and ventilation that terminates through the roof rather than an exterior wall. For homeowners in older properties who need more than reconfiguration, our room additions that expand your kitchen footprint are an option. We also offer custom bathroom design and remodeling for homeowners extending the same craftsmanship to other spaces.
The first thing we do on every custom kitchen consultation is bring the homeowner’s layout concept into the actual room — not a rendering, not a mood board. The idea tested against the dimensions and mechanical constraints of the space they actually have.
“Three conflicts come up before anything else. The island clearance — California code requires a minimum 42-inch path on one side; an island 12 to 18 inches too wide is an inspection failure. The range ventilation chase — moving the range to an exterior wall means a new exhaust route that has to be buildable without punching through a structural header. And the appliance-cabinet conflict — the refrigerator opening, dishwasher rough-in, and microwave drawer height all drive the millwork dimensions; get them in the wrong order and you’re looking at returns and reorders.”
— ITAMAR ASSULIN, OWNER, IBA BUILDERS
Gas line relocation is one of the most common mechanical requirements on a custom kitchen project — moving a range, adding a cooktop to an island, switching from electric to gas. We file the gas permit alongside the building permit so the two review processes run in parallel, and the gas inspection is scheduled at the rough-in stage before walls are closed. The full LADBS building permit requirements for kitchen remodels cover the trade work directly. Custom kitchen remodeling also overlaps with a full house remodel combining kitchen and other spaces when scope expands.
A standard kitchen remodel typically involves replacing cabinets, countertops, and appliances within the existing layout — the plumbing, gas, and electrical connections stay where they are. A custom kitchen remodel involves redesigning the layout itself: moving the range, repositioning the island, reconfiguring the work triangle, or opening a wall. Custom work requires trade permits and a design-stage mechanical review that standard remodels often don’t need.
Most custom kitchen remodels in Los Angeles run eight to fourteen weeks from permit issuance to final inspection. The timeline depends on permit review speed at LADBS, custom millwork lead times, and whether structural modifications are involved. Projects with gas line relocation or wall removal typically require additional inspection scheduling, which is factored into the sequence from the start.
If the island or range relocation involves extending or rerouting a gas line, adding electrical circuits, or moving plumbing, then yes — permits are required. LADBS requires permit applications for all gas line work, new electrical circuits, and structural modifications regardless of project size. IBA Builders files all required permits as the contractor of record under CSLB License #1074505.
A ventilation chase is the enclosed duct pathway that carries exhaust from your range hood to the outside of the building. When you move a range to a new position, the hood needs a new exhaust route through the wall framing or ceiling joists. On a two-story home, that route may need to travel through a second-floor wall cavity before exiting at the soffit or eave. If the new range position doesn’t have a clear ventilation path, it either can’t be placed there or requires additional structural work to create one. We confirm this route is buildable before any range position is finalized.
IBA Builders manages the full project sequence — from the initial site measurement and layout review through permit filing, construction, and final inspection. For projects requiring architectural drawings, we coordinate with licensed designers as part of the permit package. One contractor handles the entire process under a single license and contract.
A custom kitchen remodel starts with a site visit — not a rendering and not a quote based on square footage. Bring your layout idea; we’ll bring a tape measure and a clear answer on what’s buildable. If you have questions before reaching out, we’ve answered common questions about kitchen remodeling permits and costs. Still evaluating contractors? See our guide on what to verify before hiring.