“Lior is very personable and has many decades of construction experience. We appreciated his sincere evaluation of our project.”
Ann AnterasianHouzz · April 2019
Kitchen remodeling · Sherman Oaks, CA
Sherman Oaks Kitchen Remodels,
North and South of Ventura
Mid-century flats kitchens and south-of-Ventura estate rooms — two different rebuilds, one careful contractor. LADBS permits and wiring-era checks included. CSLB #972213.
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CSLB LicensedLicense #972213
5.0 on Houzz17 verified reviews
Family-OwnedLicensed since 2010
24-Hour ResponseFree in-home estimate
LADBS PermitsValley branch · in-house
Why Hillstar
What Sherman Oaks Kitchens Get From Hillstar
The Boulevard divides two kitchen eras with different failure modes. We diagnose before we design.
Two-Era Diagnosis
Late-'50s flats and '70s–'80s estate kitchens hide different conditions; the first visit identifies which you own.
Aluminum-Branch Testing
Portions of 1965–'73 stock carry aluminum kitchen circuits — tested at design, remediated correctly where present.
Estate-Scale Execution
South-of-Ventura kitchens take pro appliances, real islands, and stone at scale; we build to that expectation.
Van Nuys Filings Routine
LADBS Valley-branch submittals, corrections, and inspections carried by our office.
Gas-vs-Induction Clarity
Line sizing for high-BTU ranges or circuit capacity for induction — both paths priced with real numbers.
Continuous Accountability
One crew from design through the final inspection.
Our process
The Sherman Oaks Sequence
Era first, design second, build third.
1
Identify the Era
Measurements plus wiring, panel, gas, and drain assessment — the facts that shape the design.
2
Design & Permit
Layout and selections locked; the LADBS package filed and managed by us.
3
Rebuild to Code
Demolition, corrected trades, cabinetry, stone, and finish by our own crew.
4
Deliver
Final inspection, walkthrough, and written workmanship warranty.
Local conditions
Permits, Properties & What's Specific to Sherman Oaks
Sherman Oaks housing splits between the dense mid-century flats north of Ventura and the deeper south-of-Ventura estate blocks. Kitchen scope is set as much by what's hiding in the walls as by what's on the floor plan.
Permit jurisdiction
LADBS Van Nuys office issues every Sherman Oaks kitchen permit. Cabinet refresh inside existing walls without electrical or plumbing routing changes can sometimes proceed without permit; any layout change, gas relocation, panel work, structural opening, or window swap pulls a permit.
Properties & what tends to surface mid-build
Sherman Oaks flats from the late 1950s to the early 1970s frequently come with 100A or 125A panels, and a portion of the 1965-'73 tract housing may carry original aluminum branch wiring on the kitchen circuits — a real condition to plan around at design, not at rough-in. Older galvanized water lines and cast-iron drains often surface during demolition. We price the contingencies at quote.
Code triggers for a serious rebuild
Title 24 (California Energy Code) applies to qualifying scopes — adding insulation, replacing windows, or modifying envelope walls triggers performance compliance. Modern code requires GFCI/AFCI on all kitchen circuits, dedicated 20A small-appliance branches, a separate dishwasher and disposal circuit, dishwasher air-gap, and code-compliant island receptacles. Where the kitchen-to-garage wall is fire-rated, any structural change to that wall reactivates the rating; we plan the wall assembly accordingly.
Design examples
Kitchen Design Examples
Examples of kitchen styles and layouts.
Reviews
Homeowners on Working With Hillstar
Verified Houzz reviews from Hillstar Construction clients.
“Lior is a fantastic general contractor. He has tremendous work ethic and strong attention to detail.”
J. GlaserHouzz · June 2017
“Hillstar's crew was courteous, prompt, and worked hard to make every detail exactly what we wanted.”
Hillstar ClientHouzz · Verified
5.0 · 17 verified reviews on Houzz
FAQ
Sherman Oaks Kitchen Remodel — FAQ
Wiring eras, estate kitchens, appliance infrastructure, and honest budgets.
Why do you test for aluminum wiring here?
Because part of Sherman Oaks' 1965–'73 tract construction used aluminum branch circuits, and kitchen remodels extend and modify exactly those runs. Aluminum demands specific terminations and connectors; found at design, it's a planned scope item — found at rough-in, it's a delay. We test first.
What defines a south-of-Ventura kitchen project?
Scale and expectation: larger rooms, pro-grade appliances, stone in big formats, and often a wall opening to match. The systems underneath are still '70s–'80s vintage, so service upgrades ride along. We deliver the estate result on top of corrected infrastructure.
Which permits does a kitchen remodel pull?
Building for layout or structure, electrical for circuits, plumbing for fixtures and gas, mechanical for hood ducting — filed together at the Valley branch and inspected in sequence. Our office runs all of it.
Pro-style gas range or induction?
Both are first-class options with different infrastructure: gas wants verified line sizing for the BTUs, induction wants circuit capacity and often the panel upgrade. We price both paths at design so you choose with numbers, not guesses.
What's a realistic budget conversation?
Flats kitchens and estate kitchens occupy different ranges, and finish level moves both. Every project gets an itemized written quote after the site visit — wiring-era contingencies visible — and written change approval as standing policy.
Also serving Sherman Oaks
Nearby kitchen-remodel neighborhoods
Diagnose First, Design Second
Free in-home consultation — era check, load math, and a written plan for your kitchen.